Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-11
GREAT WORK BUILTUP
Charity Of Which Mrs. Lathrop is
the Director
RELIEF OF DANGEROUS PATIENTS
Destitute Women the Special
Charge of Dominican Sisters.
THE RESULTS ACHIEVED
THE RESULTS ACHIEVED

| Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star
NEW YORK, June .. 1900
Mrs. Rose Hawthorne Lathrop. daughter
| of Nathaniel Hawthorne, a lady well known
| in Washington. has during the last few
years built UP a great work in this city.
which is intended to as much as possible
relieve the sufferings of women afflicted
with cancer. In this she has been remark
ably successful. and partly due to this fact
| she has become the head of a chapter of
| the Dominican Sisters. Her name in the
order is Mary Alphonsa.
Mrs Lathrop's operations are for the
greater part carried on in what Is known
as st. Roses Free Home for Incurables,
and no charge whatever is made for any
| thing furnished to patients. pay being re-
| fused whenever the tender is made. The
donations received from parties who have
become interested in the matter amount
| thus far to $1,000 OF this sum $3.50
| were devoted to the purchase of the home
and $1,000 were used for repairs. The
yearly expenses of the charity are about
5000. and the total expenditures since the
| work was begun. three years and a half
ago. to the time of the last report amounted
to S31, 900
The following Information relative to the
aims and objects of the charity was fur
nished to a Star reporter by Mrs. Lathrop:
knowing from authoritative sources.
she said, that there proper pro-
vision in New York for destitute cases of
incurable cancer Uhese usually being wage
earners of superior character, or refined
persons who had met with reverSes. or
brave laboring women of thorough integ
| rity). she decided upon an actual and per-
sonal beginning in setting afoot a charity
| for this class of persons. 1t was expected
q aSt a h.. ral In,
which to learn the necessary methods for
usefulness. and to draw attention to the
effort. Moreover. it hoped that this
humble and single activity would At the
workers to become attached in some capac-
ty to a society for several years attract
Ing the cooperation of Catholic ladies' TO
effect the. American foundation of the
Women Of Calvary-a charity of Lyons,
France, but not then ready to establish it,
self in New York.
Beginning of the Work.
Three months Of training In the care of
cancer were obtained in the New York
Cancer Hospital. at 1o6th street and sth
avenue. during the summer of 1895. said
Mrs. Lothrop. and in the following Septem-
Der three tiny rooms were hired at No 1
Scanned street. near East Grand street
from which the nurse intended to visit
cases in the neighborhood. Within twenty
four hours the first case announced by
a friend of the patient. and in a few days
there was an overwhelming amount to be
done for cancerouS poor well as for wD-
| n en- and children suffering from other all
mentS. In three weeks a destitute person
suffering with face cancer was received as
| resident patient. No ill effects have ever
resulted from friendly and informal
method of association with very serious
cases, cleanliness and reasonable caution
being always observed But brutal cxhibi-
ton of alarm the use of rubber gloves
etc. have not been allowed.
In March. 1897, all the houses on Scanned
street were pulled down to make room for a
school house. and four rooms were hired at
G6S Water street. near the first location,
where three cancer patients were at once
established. AS soon possible four more
rooms at the same address were added, and
seven cancer cases soon occupied the avail
able space. Rooms close at hand on the
street were hired for sleeping quarters for
two helpers interested in the work AMI for
laundry purposes No destitute case has
ever been asked for or has ever been re-
jected.
To the surprise and advantage of the
nurse first starting the effort. Mrs Lathrop
cordial patronage Of the charity sending
most intelligent and earnest persons to re-
port In rapid succession all the little sue
cesses and the developing aims OF the
worker Friends to the charity serang up
on all sides and in distant states. To every
appeal for aid printed in the journals gifts
OF money and cordial letters responded.
Money, medicines, soft old linen clothing
prepared foods preserved fruits bed linen
and sick room apparel. furniture. rubber
| articles. etc, steadily sustained the work
Success in Raising Funds.
The tenement quarters at 66S Water street
being extremely crowded. and also ineradi-
cably soiled by former occupants. it was de-
cided to ask the public for money to pur-
chase a neishboring house. which was both
clean and airy. One thousand dollars had
been donated some months before by Mrs.
Frances A. MOulton, to be used in secur-
ing any permanent home. In six weeks
eight thousand dollars more had been rails
ed. with a surplus for daily expenses, and
nine thousand dollars were paid the
present house at 426 Cherry street, April
q, 1899. May / following St. Roses Free
Home for Incurable Cancer was opened,
and the next day new patients began to
come. From 10 to II cancer patients have
been housed at time since then Four
pleasant rooms are given to the patients
and there is a homelkenesS about all ar
engagements and rules that is very agree
aole. In summer the little yard, filled with
plants. is pleasant airing place for the
sick who are able to move about; or short
walks can be taken in the adjacent park
IN full view of the river and navy ward
All who have seen the simple comforts of
the sunny home (for women who were on
the verge of being sent to the CITY Hos
pital or who have begged their friends to
take them from III have been delighted
with the methods of arrangement and man
agement. By the LIST of May, 1900, Sl25OO
VIII nave been paid on the home, leaving
$1,000 still due: fortunate record of sup
port for one year.
From the opening of the work poor cases
In their tenement homes have been visited,
dressed" and aided with money and arti-
cles. The charity has also been aimed to be
OF benefit to neighboring poor who have
sores, cuts, severe and neglected sickness
and to give food to hungry children and
aged persons: to give clothing in winter to
those who are thinly clad, and to find shoes
and other supplies for children who should
go to school. but are too ragged TO do so.
These cases Of great need are attended to
in the relief room.
All cases are carefully investigated. Per-
sistent drunkenness is a barrier to aid ex-
cept that children of drunken parents are
fed or sick members of a drunken family
visited and helped.
Eager to Assist.
Many women have been eager to assist
in the work of the charity, 1t Is declared
In three years and half fully $50 women
have written or called for this end But
small proportion have had any uualifi-
cations for joining the nurses, and some
times the motives have been mercenary or
otherwise selfish. while a number have
wished to work for year or two but not
for life. Many ladies have kindly volun-
teered to sew, roll bandages and visit the