The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-21
IN A MODERN HOSPITAL.
HOW THE VICTIM OF A STREET
ACCIDENT NOW FARES.
Scientific Treatment and Care which
"a King Could Not Have Command
cd a Quarter of "a Century Ago.
FROM the New York Tlmes.

| ter surgical treatment than any sovereign
in Europe could have commanded twenty
| FIVE years ago.
| So said an eminent physician to me a few
| days ago; and. with my recollections of
germ-eaten Bellevue Gas it was when
| knew it,, and of such slaughter houses as
| the old-time Park hospital and the later
| Chambers Street hospital, l was not pre-
pared to accept the statement with any
| great enthusiasm. But 1t was a subject
J worth inquiring into; not so much on be-
: half of the tramp, who is proof against
+! anything but soap, as in the interest of
any respectable citizen who may be hurt
| In the streets, and more particularly for
! the benefit of such visiting strangers as
may meet with accident, with no friend
| or acquaintance on the island, possibly
to whom to look for help or sympathy If
| in the general change of affairs New York
| has acquired such hospital methods as the
doctors remark implied, 1t is worth know
| ing.
To make such an inquiry is was neces-
| sary to take an imaginary injured man at
| the place of the accident and follow him
| through the police stage, the ambulance
stage, and the reception hospital stage,
| and then stand by him while he under
went repairs, while he was put to bed,
| and when he afterward walked out re-
stored to health. That was what l did.
The policeman came first for a person
who is injured in the street is immedi-
ately taken in charge by the police. TAX
en- in charge in one sense, but not in
| the police sense. The officer is there to
give assistance, to keep back the crowd, 10
carry or assist the injured person to the
nearest place of refuge. The victim Is
under no restraint whatever. If he is
able to walk away, he is at liberty to do
| so. If he declines to go to a hospital,
:
| bulance surgeon has the least authority
/ or desire to compel him.
| Suppose that | were injured in the
street here in front of you" ! asked very
| intelligent officer in Sixth avenue, what
would you DOR
Help you or carry you into the near
| est drug store or hotel" he replied, "and
send for an ambulance"
What ambulance?' / asked.
From the hospital for this district
which is the Flower Hospital" he answer
| ed. II should call up police headquarters
| on the telephone and tell them to send a
| Flower ambulance here. You see, the city
is divided into hospital districts From
| this district we send injury cases to the
| Flower hospital from another to Belle
vue, and from the others, to the Presby-
terrain, Roosevelt, st. Luke's, the New
| York, and so on"
But suppose l did not care to go to
the Flower hosptal?' l asked. Il might
prefer some other"
well" he answered, of you wanted to
go to the New York, for instance, / would
| ask them to send a New York ambulance.
couldn't ask them to send an ambulance
away down from St. Luke's, you know"
"But might object to going to any hos
pital at ALL" / urged. what would you
| do in such a case?"
"Oh, WELL" he laughed, "ff you were
,rfv ..s4 .s., tt,s
case, you would better send for acarriage
| and go wherever you liked
Within a few minutes after the accident
| the ambulance arrives, with its surgeon
! and it's simple appliances for stopping a
| flow of blood or easing pain. 1t has the
| softest, easiest springs that can be pro-
| duced, and a comfortable stretcher. The
surgeon makes a hurried examination,
and does what he can do for the patients
comfort. If blood is flowing, he stops it;
If limb is broken, he puts it in an easy
posture if there is great pain, he gives a
little brandy or perhaps a hypodermic in
lection of morphine. The ambulance is
nothing more than a long wagon made
comfortable for the patient; and its sur
geon's work is merely to keep him alive
and easy till he reaches the hospital The
ambulance stretcher is a great thing. 1t
is carried into the drug store to receive
the patient, and he does not leave 1t till
he is in the surgical ward of the hospi-
tai. Like the policeman in this case, it is
thing of mercy, not an instrument of re-
straint. He who objects to lying upon 1T
may sit up.
To learn of the hospital treatment / Sc
lected st. Luke's. because as that is the
newest it may fairly be supposed to have
the very latest appliances. If DIR. Wood,
the house surgeon, is as obliging to his
patients as he was to me in showing me
s.NvA III 4 vts.lx.~
good hands
On the arrival of the ambulance at St
Lukes the strescher is lifted out. but car
rying it with its patient to the elevator is
thing Of the past. The latest appliance
is bicycle carriage, or, more properly, a
double tricycle., with a large wheel at
each side and a small one at each end,
all with pneumatic tires. This is so ar
ranged that 1t is complete stretcher it.
self; or the ambula! &c stretcher may be
laid on top of 1t. Smoothly and noiselessly
II Is run upon the elevator, and In jiffy
the patient is in the operating rooms, at
the top of the building.
We went first into the operating room
proper, and saw its white marble floor and
white glazed brick walls. Everything
about 1t is snowy white, and everything of
marble, glazed bricks, metal, or glass
They can turn the hose on II and wash IL
from top to bottom In glass cases were
tne instruments all Kept Sterllized and
ready for instant use. Indeed, they were at
the moment preparing for an operation.
and four or five young men in long white
aprons were making things ready. The
instruments and the aprons and other par
aphernalia gave the room a formidable
look. though every appliance was for safe
ty and comfort.
These things are enough to brighten the
patient to DEATH / suggested, III he sees
them"
HE does not see them" the doctor an
swered. HE Is taken first TO the etherlzing
room, and is brought here unconscious"
We went next to the etherizing room,
where the patient about to be operated
upon half lay on one of the bicycle stretch
ers, looking, / thought, very unconcerned.
He had not yet taken the ether, and az Il
was an operation for the relief OF hernia,
he could have got up even then and walk
ed out II he had chosen.
Does 1t make ones flesh creep TO see Il?
Let me ask the same question about the
dentists foreceps; and they give pain,
while these things are all for the preven-
ton of pain. When the ether IL given
there are several doctors and nurses I'm
attendance. One doctor has his fingers
afF "a mt m he