The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-27
SULLIVAN'S IDEA.
Improvement Wor-
cester's Ambulance
Service.
IT is BEHIND THE TIMES.
He Wants to Have a Sur
geon on Every Trip
That's Made.

The city council committee on police
met last night for the purpose of in
vestigating still further into the am
bulance question.
Drs Thomas H. Gage. Charles A.
Peabody, Walter T. Clark and John
H. Sullivan attended the meeting on
invitation of the committee, in order
that their opinions might be gained as
to the desirability of having a surgeon
accompany the ambulance.
Drs. Gage, Peabody and Clark We're
practically of the same opinion that a
trained nurse would answer the re-
quirements in great majority Of cases
when the emergency ambulance is
called. They also thought that if 1t was
decided to employ a surgeon that a
competent man could be secured for a
salary of $500 year.
DR.. Sullivan favors the idea of hav
ing a surgeon accompany the amhu-
lance. He said that no question of pub
lie Importance was engrossing so much
attention from all quarters as the I'm
provement of the ambulance service"
The result is looked forward to by
representatives Of all conditions and
classes. / am constantly asked in ref
erence to it. Having been ambulance
surgeon in the Emergency hospital in
Boston for four years, l think / can
say from experience that our ambu-
lance service is way behind the times
and would not be tolerated in a city
half its size. Proper provision for the
interests of human life should be de-
manded in this large and growing city,
with a general tendency toward sur
Their improvement and development
1T seems to me the people of Wor-
cester have never taken sufficient in
terest in the health department and
it's great needs. They do not fully APP
preciate the grand work it IS doing.
How very few of the spreading con-
tagious diseases there are in this city,
while other cities not nearly as large
show records that are astonishing in
that direction.
"But 1 am interested in that particu-
lar part which relates to the care OF
the injured, and to the lettering Of
the present system of ambulance SET
vice. There should be new office
added to the health department-that
of ambulance surgeon-whose duty II
should be to accompany the ambulance
centrally located and near the ambu-
lance. so that as little delay as DOS
sible should occur between the call fol
the ambulance and it's arrival at the
scene of accident. If a person is taken
suddenly i'll on the street, or else
where, if there are accidents from
fires, runaway horses, bicycles, electric
cars, locomotives, accidents in any OF
our great shops, stores, puilclngs,
school yards, or the thousand otheI
causes, it should be the privilege OF
the community to call the ambulance
with the accompanying surgeon, who
shall decide the nature of the Injuries,
give immediate treatment, and decide
whether the removal shall be to the
hospital or to the home of the pa
tient. A great many cases are, in my
opinion, sent to the hospital when one
treatment at the scene of the accident
would be sufficient. In either case, the
duties of the surgeon and with the saie
housing of the patient at the hospital
or at home. This can not be done con-
veniently unless the ambulance is cen
trally located.
"tThe work of the ambulance surgeon
shrould in no way interfere with hospl-
TAI authorities, city physician or other
physicians in the city but should pc
help for ALL How often we hear the
expression: "She or he died on the way
10 the hospital. or just after arriving at
the hospital" uttered in tone OF cen
sure of the hospital authorities. They
do not understand that our hospital ser
vice is among the finest in the count
try and that the faithfulness anu Ell
fioiency of its officers cannot be ques-
TONED. But when accidents strike
home. they think: IF physician was
present. his or her life might have been
saved" 1t is but natural, and the pub
lie has a right to expect better care in
the treatment Of human life. | ask
what are the few thousands of dollars
necessary to establish better ambulance
service besides a human life? II the
life of but one fireman, trainman, or
others whose daily life brings them in
To constant danger by accident, and to
whom the people at large are never half
grateful, is saved in year, the city
ought to feel amply repaid for the out
Law for better ambulance service
az am a physician for the Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen, and / never treat
one of their number that the ambulance
question is not talked of. have great
many friends among the firemen and
one of their number said to me only the
dav before yesterday: wait until one
Of the great fires strikes Worcester,
and then you will hear the howl for bet
fer ambulance service" hope we are
not waiting for some great. calamity to
come upon us before we see the crying
need for a settlement Of this great
question and good work toward accom-
plishing its end"
At the close Of the hearing a sub
committee was appointed, consisting Of
Alderman Back and Councilman Hunt,
to draw up a report which will be sub
m.tted at the next meeting of the COM
mittee, which will probably be held next
week.
1t was also voted to invite the chief
of police, deputy chief and such other
officers as the chief may designate, 10
attend the next meeting of the commit
tee and state their views on the mat
ter of pensioning police officers.
They will surely and positively cure you.
CARRIERS LITTLE LIVER PILLS.
/