The Portland daily press., 1900-02-17

our Dt0plts A0m9bk@co "a
tremes OF destitution BY circumstance.
but usually ignorant, and improvtdsnt.
Thess employ In childbirth either the
CITY physician, midwife, or have no at
tent;on at ell, other than such a. the
family or nsiRhbors can give The mid
knowing little, II anything. OF the scien-
tific or sanitary necessities OF the ping
10 cham Der. but trusting to traditioh
folk lore aud past experience. IL 10
among our poorest classes. least able
mentally or peconiarily. 70 protect their
oies Of delivery largely OCCUR. Aside nom
chronic invalidism directly resulting from
the delivery, cesth of the mother IL fire.
quent from obild- bed fever. from uuskiil-
full management as the nth. from lack
Of proper food and hygiene. TIE infa Mt
iivss In spite OF, rather than by the help
of. the assistants. should physician be
called among this class for child birth,
be In commonly the beginner IN practice.
who aouepts the engagements from ehe
opportunities OF professional study, from
the nee1s OF o livelihood. or for tbs
chance Of the pittanoe be may bs given.
should emergencies arise he does the
bsss he can. with his own and the fam
lily means at hts command. The an azing
wonder II that success 10 his % ofteni
This briefly IL the situation among Us
In Portland; a. It concerns the birth Of
our children. wealth liahtens the
mothers pains. and protects the infant:
Poverty adds &, the already teavy load
OF the actual collaborating. IL denies TO
| both parent and child ordinary medioAi
skill, the grats ful comfort OF the nurse,
the quiet bedroom, wholesome food. The
best OF Christian civilization Is the right
of woman when In helplsssness and pain
she ca ms the sacred name Of m other.
The State protects its oitizsns BY whole
some laws, It teaches Its children In free
schools, 1t guards our homes by night
and day, 1t builds hospitals for the sick,
the Injured, the insane TIE drunkard
Is taken care OF, the iinproyideut fed and
clothed, the vicious looked after. Our
city 10 full OF aid associations which are
urgent In doing almost everything for
the Individual from helpless infancy TO
tottering old age. But the oily falls In
its duty 10 It's citizens In one important
matter; 1t neplscts TO provide . safe. con-
renien and digpifisd home for the perils
of oh lid birth. Portland 10 bshind the
times In this resTect Almost every
other city In our country. outside OF New
| Ems l. and, Of our size aud money vaiua.
tiop. has either q distinct maternity or
a special ly ing In department OF Its gen
eral he apitai. IL 10 possible for woman
In this city TO enter the 6reely Hospital
TO- her confinement But apart from all
other objections the Greedy Is pauper
| hospital; q stigma which alone prevents
might DO benefited thereby. How about
| those people who are able and willing TO
pay for the services Of the maternity be-
cause they have no suitable home for the
vito to Re confined IMP The Maize Gen
ernl Hospital cannos receive lying In
De tisnts, the Eye and Ear Inhrmary does
{ G ,asionally receive suoh In emergencies
or for some specific purpose, But gen
eral hospital 10 not a proper place Tor
child-b sarinR. Woman at such times are
-. 4fprv NfNr
which are always present WHERE opera
lions are being performed, and the cry
ing Of babiss would seriously disturb
other patients. SO thai at present,
Portland has no suitable public instit-
ution In to which q wcmen can be re-
Ioeivei and cared for during childbirth.
While the changes In our city hospital
are under contemplation BY our city GOV.
eminent, an opportunity presents Itself
for the establishment OF n public mater
nifty. This should be under the control
Of she city government, and be depart
a building entirely restricted to child
birth. In style like the modern cottage
hospital. of Two stories. first class In
very particular. with accommodations
Tor from fifteen to twenty patients. 1t
should be connected by psssage-wsy
with the main hospital, but otherwise
entirely secluded from It. The maternity
should have a regular staff Of physicians.
to serve without pay for stated terms oil
attendance. 1t should alec have board
OF women managers, whose duties would
be those OF other like organizations.
Obviously most of the patients world
be free patients, the very poor. or j1
such as the city physician now attends
at their homes at the expense OF tie oily
Besides these, there would be strangers In
the city and emergency cases of othsr
phys clans, that would be able to pay
part or the whole Of their board. But
there m ust be no such restriction to an
entrance into the proposed maternity az
now rules for the Greedy Hospital. The
law OF the city now IL. that II any voter
rscsives pacunisry aid from the city or
town within three months before an
81 cotton, he thereby forfeits his vote al
said election Ihe proposed maternity
should be absolutely without prejudioe &c
the entrances Of any woman. IL should
receive any patient. without respect &C
ore ed, race. politics, or morals who need
~ safety of a 10 ne In which she is q
guest while she 10 giving birth to hei
child. 10 the needy. It's services should
be- free, with q graduated scale OF prices
for those who are able to pay.
Il n