The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-07

| The W. II. Smith children's ward oi
the Lackawanna hospital is now prac.
tcally complete and will be ready 70,
| occupancy in about ten days, by which
time all the apartments will have beer
furnished and made ready for the lit.
tie ones. This ward, the gift of Mrs
w. L. Smith. in commemoration oi
her departed husband, fills a long felt
want, as the absence of a suitable
apartment for the treatment of chill
dren has been bemoaned by the hospl-
tai authorities for long time.
The ward takes the form of wing
to the hospital building and is itsel!
an ornately built and graceful struc-
ture. 1t will accommodate between
thirty and thirty-five children and nc
pains have been spared to make all
accommodation for the young pa
tients of the most generous and COM
Portable nature. An increase in the
staff of hospital nurses will be inevit-
able and three day and one night
nurses will preside over the ward.
On the third floor are the apartments
set aside for all cases of n contagious
nature, and there, too, are the rooms
for the nurses in charge Of these isOl-
ated patients.
Tho ward is about siXty-three feet
LONG by twenty-five broad, extending
its full length on Mulberry street and
facing Franklin avenue. 1t communi-
cafes direct with the main building,
being counectad by q large. commo-
dious porch, whose tall. gra ceful pill
lars lend pleasing appearauce to the
structure, which itself is a striking as
Dect.
The base is made of rough -hewn
gray stone, and the remainder of red
brick. The top of the building is orna
mented by number of cornices and
oddly formed architectural designs,
which give rather antique and very
satisfactory air to the building On
the Mulberry street side fire escape
has been erected.
The ward has been built from the
plans of Architect T.. 3. Holden. and
the work of construction was in charge
of Conrad Schroeder. The first ground
was dug about May Is, but the con-
struction has been pursued leisure!v
and great pains taken with it. The
building will be heated by steam heat,
and electricity and gas will be used In
Illuminating the ward.
The main entrance is on Franklin
avenue. and on entering one steps into
a small corridor, which leads into tine
surgical ward. This is a very large
room, which faces on Franklin avenue.
and will accommodate about fourteen
cots. A large, white-tiled open fire
place is in the forepart Of the room.
which is splendidly naturally lighted ny
five large windows, through which the
sunlight comes and gives the apart
ment most cheerful and pleasant at
mosphere.
In the rear of this is the operatirs;
room, a tiled chamber, admirably fitted
for it's purpose. Lavatories occupy the
remainder of this floor. The fittings Of
the entire ward are admira BILE, the por-
celain basins, tubs and operating basins
all testifying that perfection was aimed
at by the kindly donor of this splendid
gift to the hospital.
SECOND FLOOR.
On the second floor the main apart
ment is Il large room in which the con-
valescent children will be allowed TO
play and while away their time. This,
lighted and ventilated, and has the
same CHEEKY, fresh appearance which
marks the entire ward. The little pa
tients will be allowed to romp about
here and daily enjoy sun baths.
Swinging doors separate this room
from the medical ward, which holds
six cots, and from chamber where
only exceedingly i'll children will be at
tended to. and in which three cots Will
be placed. In the rear are the bath
rooms.
The third floor will be set aside for
the isolated cases. There are two bed
rooms, for children with contagious
diseases, and also sleeping apartments
for the nurses in charge. A ventilated
corridor separates this ward from the
flight of stairs, which lead to it from
the other ward, and all washing of t,e
patients clothes will be done on this
floor, to prevent the contagion from in
any way spreading.
On each floor will be gas range, on
which the food for the patients can be
heated, and a telephone will also be on
each floor. communicating direct with
the office of the superintendent.
1t has not yet been decided whether
or not to have any opening day eXer-
cises, when the ward is ready for occu-
pancy. The apartment which at pres
ent Is used as a children's ward will be
utilized for the accommodation of pa
tients just operated upon.
BUILDING DAMAGED,