The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-06-13
library HOSPITALS
o,urT CORNER WHERE MANNED
!. Ho AGED BOOKS ARE DOCToREO.

go, onerutions Are often Neces-
For Injured Volumes ana
I'll ingenuity Is Required III
,Ioxv Book Surgeons Work.
overy up to date public library
Sc n nniet corner used as Il book
.;4o1 where worn, aged and maim-
-.,,rmes are sent for treatment and
or surgical operations The women
children of the library-that is, the
roveIs and juveniles-are found IN the
rasni+ol the most frequently, ana OFTEN
III are beyond cure. But the skillful
- worker has all sorts of devices
n making broken down books appear
osh and new again, and often re-
orkable cure is effected.
n a book were cast aside the minute
"a hack was broken or We're not given
Lo,,or treatment when leaf became
- the library would soon find itself
louhIing expenses for duplicates of old
alumes and with little money for new
works Careful treatment, on the 9th
u hand. will add years to che life of a
ol and will materially lessen the eX-
nenses of public library.
zThis hospital is fitted up in a very
.,r,nle manner. There are shelves upon
wbich the invalid books are placed I'M
n treatment can be given them. Then
No. are other shelves where they are
IA cod TO convalesce and sometimes to
<scain consciousness after serious
~nrcical operation. There are operating
hshles and neat little boxes in which
3here are rolls of black percale and
LIDS OF white percale, sheets of par
Fin PAPER long strips of thin but fine
ouality paper narrow rolls of gummed
maner. bundles of grass cloth, balls of
<frinc sandpaper, coarse thread and
White NULL
4In snug little compartments is the
Medicine, consisting of glue and paste.
ria surgical instruments in a little
rase consist Of pair of forceps,
mail wooden paddle, thin wooden
lboard and papers of needles Then
Mere is an instrument of tortured
heavv press which is generally applied
al the close of an operation.
Tbere are all sorts of complaints
nnong the books, and the most preva-
LEM is the broken back. This comes
nom the book assuming an unhealth-
III position, such as leaning up laZily
against other books, resting on its front
edges or lying fiat on its side. A vigor-
ms use of paste and glue often cures
Ibis complaint, but in some cases del
nate operation is resorted to.
Then the cover is stripped entirely
ID the back. and the title is carefully
clt out. Next the paper back of the
book is peeled off D A piece of grass
10th is then applied and firmly glued
into its place The old cover, with the
Exception of the title. Is pasted on
6gain and then the book is tied up
with strings and left on the shelf to
recoyer little. When strong enough,
q black percale back is carefully fitted
oker the old back, and the old title is
paStcd on the outside.
Small fingers iniure the complexion
u the books greatly, and sandpaper is
used a great deal on juvenile fiction
nyalidS. The edges of the book are
rnbhed with this rough paper. taking
pa the dirt and the yellow appearance.
Rough edges Of leaves are frequent
Al $50 in this branch Of literature. These
eayes are carefully trimmed off. and
a thin strip of nice quality paper is
pa Sted on to make 4 clean, regular
Cd
Butting" is a method of operating
tbat is not used by all book surgeons.
Ihis consists in placing with the wood
en paddle a thin line of glue ON the
edses Of a torn leaf and then pressing
tem tightly together. 1t has been
demonstrated thoroughly that this but
III holds the torn leaf just as firmly
q and is much more satisfactory than
p old method Of FASTING gummed
transparent paper over the torn places.
The loose leaves are Il frequent
Rurce OF annoyance to the book doc
prs. The remedy for these bother
epme leaves is a hinge of percale or
paper, which holds the unruly page in
PACE after the heavy press has been
Wrought to bear on the book. In such
&ses the thin board is always used to
4p into the volume, so that it will
keep its shape properly.
The operation which requires the
Pos skill is the sewing of the sigma
Qlre or division of book back into
lace The needle and coarse thread
Pe pushed in and out of the holes in
r. signature and the binding, and
hen it becomes awkward to use the
Angers the slender forceps are used to
raw the needle in and out.
II IS part Of the work of every public
npfary employee to take Il hand in the
hospital department, and ingenuity
NppiieS means to remedy every com
paint that is conjured up by even the
posi- giraffe book. The book doctor
FUSS wholly to her own wit and skill
myers to effect a cure, and there
fe lew cases that are hopeless-New
'fk Mail and Express.