The age-herald., 1901-12-01

age number of patients is seventy. and two-thirds of that number are charity patients. No person maimed or afflicted Is ever turned away except in cases of chronic disease like consumption. On the first floor of the building are the operating rooms, the surgeons and internes office. the Mother Suberior's Of flee. bath rooms. three or four dining rooms. the kitchen and the laundry. Tn the basement are the boilers and the electric light plant.
 Building Is Fire Proof.
 Between every wall and every floor a composition something like asbestos is laid to make the building as nearly fire proof as possible. In case of fire. how ever, the building is equipped with a re- serve pump by which 2O.0O0 gallons of water can be used in the emergency fire apparatus.
 The operating rooms are equipped with everything known to medical science to aid surgeons in their work There are three of these rooms; one large one used as an auditorium and two smaller ones. The large room has the operating table in the center and seats Running upward all around It. The operating tables are covered with glass slabs and these are covered with sterilized cloth. Near by are the bath rooms. where the surgeons can wash their hands without touching the cocks to turn on the water Two buttons, one for hot and one for cold water can be touched with the foot and the water fills the bowls.
 Nearly every physician in Birmingham has patients in St. Vincent's and there are from five to ten doctors in the build ing at all hours of the day. Everything is arranged so that no disagreeable odors can permeate the building and one pa tient next door to another never knows the nature of his neighbours disease.
 Beautifully Furnished Rooms.
 On the second floor there are several beautifully furnished rooms, many of them donated by rich persons and some by benevolent associations. The furni- ture In some of these rooms Is as ele- gant as can be found in the most elab- orately furnished house in Birmingham. The beds are of heavy polished brass and the polished floors are covered with pret- ty druggets or art squares. In fact. one never thinks of the word hospital while walking through this spotless place.
 In one corner of the third floor is the pharmacy, where all prescriptions are compounded by one of the Sisters of Charity She Is as skillfu as the best men pharmacists, and 1t Is not necessary to send out of the building to have filled an ordinary prescription. Next to this Is 8 store room for heavy medicines and liniments. Three or four steps further down the hall is a neat little kitchen, where light food can be prepared any time during the day or night
 On the fourth floor are several wards for negroes, and here everything has the same air of cleanliness as is found throughout the building
 Office of Chief Surgeon.
 The physicians of Birmingham alter nately assume the office of chief surgeon and their term of service is three months. The doctor has as an assistant Dr. Fox. the interne of the hospital. He assists them in all operations and when the cs SC is of minor importance he assumes the responsibility of caring for the pa- tient without sending for the chief sur geon.
 The mothers and housel1eepers would do well to visit the hospital and spend an hour in the kitchen. Here are eight ranges arranged in a square and eight or ten cooks can be at work at the same