New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-02
SCENES IN A HOSPITAL.
WOMEN PHILOSOPHERS. HUMoRlsIs'
PHILANTHRoPIsTs IN EACH WARD.
OWE COMES IN TINE TO TREAT DANGERoUS
OPERATIONS WITH THE sAD-FAcED HUMoh


La shr,a., came from the woman in the third
bed from the door. She had just a"ahe"eu ii
peaceful sleep go .u,,,c
| Her next words were uttered with sruSsHhs'
gurgllng sound: "Im-Im-a deau "o'""'
, swallowed-a thermometer
The slender glass thermometers when are paoeu
under the tongue for the record OF temperature are
several inches long and the greater part Is ou'sue
the mouth OF the patient but Mrs Robinson
neghbors did not wait to consider probaDlhues' a
chorus of cries went forth 'Oh. Miss Ashe MISS
Ashei Come come quick! Mrs. Robinson has swat
lowed her thermometer"
The night nurse. apparently unmoved, continued
her Offices at the other end of the ward MIS- f'oo
| inson gasped for breath Her eyes were WHO anu
her face grew lvid. A patient who had pee"
warned that she must not change her position was
about to spring from her bed to seek for assistance
somewhere when the vigant Miss Ashe appeared
beside her and gently commanded her to lie per-
fectly still Then she turned toward the cause Oh
the commotion. Mrs. Robinson" she said calmly
81 took that thermometer away half an hour ago.
and | hope this will be the last time you VIII ever
fall asleep when 1t is in your mouth remember
that you bit the end off yesterday"
us that SOP replied the relieved woman well
the last thing recollected was that had IT, ana
when l woke 1t not there. And-ny throat
really felt awfuly sore"
Such Incidents the result of active Imagination
are not nfrequent Considering the critical char
acter of many Of the operations comparatively few
OF the surgical cases in the best hospitals terl-
nate fatally. For instance, in surgical ward Oh
twenty-four beds, where new patients were re-
ceived as soon as vacancies occurred. there were
three deaths in a period of six weeks Neverthe-
less the sad-faced humor of Mercutio is about the
only sort of humor that attach to operations
that may end In death
MUCH FELLOW-FEELING.
The plea is often heard "Oh. If I must die, let
me 20 TO my own home" The home may be only
a in a tenement house, but there are Few
who do not express the longing for familiar scenes
and the greater secluson Of their own Households
Yet in a hospital ward human sympathy and low
ing kindness most tenderly shown. Some OF
the beds are occupied by those who were sur
rounded in better days by the rehnements ana
comforts that wealth can give; to others the nos
pital bed is the most luxurious they nave ever
known Some patients Of gentle nature;
others are rough in manner and speech But whea
death comes near to claim one of the number, the
louder voices drop low the hardened face grows
softer the sufferers try TO restrain their means 50
that ono who is passing away may DO uhuls-
turbed When the relatives pass to or from the
screened bed a whispered word. a tear of sym
pathy, pressure Of the hand. tell them no" 'heir
sorrow has touched other hearts
One old woman seemed to be alone in the world.
for not a relative friend came to visit her In
her delirium she reverted to the early days OF her
married life and fancied that pillow she held !
cracked quavering voice. and soothed 1t with ten
der words Presently, she believed it was i'll. and
moaned ION, it's such beautiful baby such
good baby! What would ! do If it should de-
Then she appealed to the nurses:
lis there of you with the feelings OF MOTH
err? Wasn't one Of you mother? How can
you leave me lying here with my little child and
never offer to give me any hep?'
Later when she began to recall her present cohu-
ton she prayed incoherently. Then, after brief
lie
impression that she was no longer living in this |
world and was wandering without recognition in
the unknown country;
Are you looking for a poor crippled woman?
Are you looking for her? Don't you want to md
herr All Lord. she's here! She's here!
The saddest scenes in the hospital appear 10 pass
avav soon from the minds even Of the nervous ana /
sensitive. In the case OF death, winch usual -
those who are Preparing the feess form for its re-
mOyal the soft tread Of the ordeTes InreuE of
relatives the body is borne away seem 70 tne
few who have lain awake ana Watchlul 10 no w .
weird and awful to become in any measure enaced;
But in the morning no sign remains except h nne
empty bed, which will soon be filled by another do
everything Is going usual; there Is a CON
tlnuai diversion OF the attention, and In a little
while the ward resumes It's normal aspect or cheer-
fulness rather than OF sorrow
EVERYBODY is HOPEFUL.
Nearly every day some apprehensive patient Is
wheeled away to the operating theatre. But those
who have gone through the ordeal, ana nave seen
many others pass through It, beheVe that al'er d
nerod Of yretchedness from the effect of ether and
some main for which there are pallauVes' the
latest natent to be operated will be rejoicing
that anxiety is over and hoping for an early re-
covery
The patients take almost professional interest III
the symptoms of revival after ether. ana are ready
TO give advice TO the unduly anxious relatives, who
believe that the long-drawn. struggling means are
peeutng reIaiives and friends are apt to worry the
wi
necessary attention. Their injudlcious symPatny
is often a hindrance, especially when, with dismal
countenances and dropping mouths they STAND Dy .
the bedside Of who is about to be removed TO
the operating room, and depress and unnerYe the ,
sufferer whom they ought TO encourage and cheer. ,
But are self-controed and strong. A man /
and his wife had talked together until she was
taken out on the sretcher, smiling and waving her
hand as she went. Both had appeared bright and |
hopeful but when the patient to whom the woman |
had confded her fears turned 70 the husband and ,
said Your wife Is good ana brave ne could could
in sob. Then he went into the corridor, the re- !
sort OF many an anxious watcher, 10 endure the J
agony Of suspense until her return.
THE WARD is DEMOCRATIC.
The ward is cosmopolitan and democratic In
the one where these observations were made
there at time American English, Scotch .
and Irish patients, two Italians, two Germans, two !
colored women, Russian Hebrew woman.
Frenchwoman Dane and Syrian. Some In
free beds. others paid the hospital charge; one
woman who preferred the ward TO the loneliness of
private able to contribute many things .
for the comfort OF her poorer neghbors but ex-
cepting that the patient who had successfully I'M
dergone a surgical operation held the most
distinguished position. impartial attention was
given to all by doctors and nurses, and equality
and fraternity reigned
The French girl had been in this country a few
weeks only and could speak no English. doctor
and one or two of the nurses were French scholars
but when they were not In the neighborhood con-
versatiOn with Louise was usually carried on in
pantomme aided by a few distorted French
phrases. one day a nurse whose education in that
language had been neglected approached the in
valid with very nauseous medicine Louise made
grimace OF disgust shook her head and put out
protesting hands. Then the patient in the next
bed who had studied French in her youth but
had promptly forgotten nearly all she had learned
said persuasively: "Oh. Louise. Louise s'il vous
plat, takez drinkez. celia makerez tant
mieux." Louise understood, smiled appreciatively