The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-11-25

you. but the bed had a solid wood roof
above IL and thick red curtains all around
g to keep out the air. II Is true you
might very well die from suffooation and
from inhallng At every breath a joyous
company OF assorted microbes. but AZ
any rate you would not catch cold. Every
schoolboy knew IN those days that clean
fresh air was fatal 10 delicate constitu-
lions.
SO anxious were the authorities 20 keep
up a good supply of warmth that all the
hospital cooking was done In the sick
rooms. 10 IL true there wasn't very much
to be done: special diets for particular
mLladies were unthought OF for the poor.
The city saved on the food bills by offer
Ing everyone twice a day In a heavy iron
can. n nice thick greasy meat soup with
a chunk OF bread. II any sick person was
too dainty" to swtll the mess down ct
the regulation hour. we'll. that was his
lookout-what was the world coming 20
anyhow BeEEars shouldn't he choosers.
There were also the cheerful days OF
copious bleeding They BLEED you u you
had too much blood and they bled you
n you had too little. Anaemic pers 9ns
generally expired after tho third bleed
INK. but that must be their own fault.
because. look you. all the books from
Galen dawnwards proved concluSiyely
that the way 10 ensure n rich supply nj
good wholesome blood was 10 get rid
al once OF all tho thin corrupted nuld
that was working mischief In the or
ganism. Besides. the bleeding OF the
poverty stricken patients made fine sport
for the nobility aAd gentry. II was a
fashionable amusement TO make tour
OF the hospitals IN the morning and
"sympathize" with the sick. Ladies OF
the court used 20 arrive. In their silken
furbelOws and with headresses six feet
high and attend the puncturing and the
carving Of the patients. II gave them a
pleasant shudder and was an agreeable
way OF exercising Christian charity. For
gentlewoFnan OF that day we're not over
delicate. They loved 10 witness dull bait
Ing and cock lighting. and often lent the
grace Of their presence 10 the stiil more
exciting sport % executing men and
women IN the public square NJ break or
day milder. modern form OF ire same
thing. by the way was the conduct or
the aristocratic danes who went out
recently TO South Africa 10 nurse"
wounded Britous bored by Boer-bullets.
Surgery of a DucaI Dieeder.
An old print at the Pavilion shows n
group OF noble persons In gorgeous array
gathered round four-plilowed bed In the
Hotel Dieu. where no less a parsonage
than the foAaA DAe ue thaNIfEs w VIZ
and sword and silkcn kneebreeches. Is
jabblng a knife Into the arm OF a poor
patlent. bleeding him for the good Of his
health. The lllustrlous company looks on
with admiration for the duke'e skin aud
condescension shining In every eye: the
obacquious doctors hold basins Tor the
blood 70 spout into. what the patient
thought OF II all Is not indicated: proba-
bly, be accepted II meekly as he accepted
tho four piiiowed bed. and the greasy
SOUP. and all the rest DO not be poor"
vsas the best advice father In those days
could give 70 his sons: poverty made
strange bed fellows then. and Was a spec
tacie FOR the amusement OF noble per-
sens.
Compare the Hotel Dieu. Of the pict-
urespue 18th century With any hospital
Of "our ugly. unromantic, degenerate
age" In the one case Il IL dirt. Ignorance.
brutality: IN our days u Is spotiess clean
lsneua. q scientific care that goes 10 give
the sick a better chance OF Efe. or. In the
extrcma case a happier last week or 50.