The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-03
Movement to be Started to
Build One
MEETING THURSDAY NIGHT
1t Is Possible That HiIIman Hospital
May Be Used-Place for Purely
Charitable Cases Is
Needed. -

Thursday night a number OF the promi-
nent men of Birmingham viii be the
guests of DR.. w. e. B. Davis, and plans
for the proposed charity hospital which
has been discussed considerable, will be
talked over and some action taken. The
men who will be present are those who
have been chosen as the board OF adj
vlsors of the proposed hospital and are
Capt w. c. Ward. Rufus n. Rhodes, w
r. Houghton, 3. Z. Roden, James Bow
ron, Robert Jemison, e. H. Cabaniss, Gen
L. V. Clark, Capt. T. G. Bush, William A
Walker, Robert S. Munger and Henry
| Gray.
| 1t is proposed to use the Hillman hos
pital for the charity hospital and Capt
W. C. Ward will appear before a specia
meeting of its lady board Of manager
and find out what are their views OF
this question 1t is a well known fac
that they have been working for some
time to make their hospital charity
hospital and they still have that object
In view. If this change is made the
rooms and wards which it is now pro-
posed to make pay wards win be made
charity wards.
Name of Hospital Wards.
Several suggestions have been made
about the name of the hospital and II
will probably continue to bear the same
name It has now. although 1t has been
suggested that the hospital be called the
Jefferson County Charity hospital.
The plans to organize and start such
a hospital rose out of the paper read be-
fore the last meeting of the Tri-State
Medical Association of Tennessee, Geor-
gia and Alabama, by DR.. w. e. b. Davis.
The movement has been taking shape
since that time and will eliminate In the
meeting Thursday night.
1t was at first proposed to erect a char
ity hospital ON the property owned by
and adjoining that of the Hillman hospi.
tai and the Birmingham Medical college
at the corner of Avenue G and Twentieth
street This plan was later supplemented
by a suggestion that the Hillman hospita
be converted into a charity hospital, sup
ported partially by the city and county
each of which is to be asked to Civ
sGu0O yearly towards maintaining the hos
pital. 1t is also proposed that the ladl
board of managers of the Hillman hospi
tai elect the above named man as 6
board of advisors, as they are allowed tc
do under their charter. who are to aci
with them in the matter. The present
lady board of managers would be contin-
red regardless of what course the matter
takes, and it is also proposed that they
have charge of the hospital, electing the
head nurse, and have charge OF the act
i've running of the hospital, while q
board of advisors, elected by a joint meet.
ing of the board of revenue and the board
of mayor and aldermen of Birmingham
should have charge of the money donated
by these two bodies.
DR.. Davis Address.
The portion of DR.. Davis address which
eferred to the matter and from which i
grew out is as follows.
This great profession has labored hare
to induce the city of Birmingham to In
augurate everything institutional an(
sanitary for the welfare of its people, and
while it has been highly successful In
many respects, In some, 1 am sorry tc
say, 1t has failed. While we have hospi.
tails here. yet we have no truly chart.
table institution for the care of all the
sick of the poor class. ct. Vincent's hos.
pital is a grand institution and reflects
the greatest honor on Its promoters, YET
II Is dependent on the income from Its
private rooms and ward beds for its run.
ming expenses and hence it Is necessar.
lily forced to refuse the majority of the
poor who need hospital care.
THE Hlllman hospital has been run II
limited way since its building at Smith
| field was destroyed by fire, and has de
| pended very largely on the income from
its private rooms and ward beds for it
running expenses. So while the city ha
been benefited by both they have no
supplied what is needcd-a truly charit.
hospital, where any reputable physician
certificate would admit the sick to it
wards-provided 1t is not contagious Of
very chronic case.
Duty of Physicians.
TT Is the duty of the medical profess
sion and newspapers to use their infiu-
euce TO lnuuce the city anu county TO dp-
propriate sufficient funds to make the
Hillman a charity hospital, not only in
name, but in fact Such a hospital this
city has not had since this hospital was
conducted In its permanent quarters at
Smthfeld several years ago. 1t will be
refiection--yes, a disgrace, to this
magic city of the south If we do not in
duce the city and county to make 1t as
much and 1 beg of every one present.
especially the newspaper men. to go out
from here tonight and work to that end.
We need education badly along these
lines. Free schools are OF no more Inn
portance. The neglect Of providing for
hospital care for the poor of this COM
munity is as harmful as failure to take
strong and active steps in regard to our
typhoid fever infected water. Many
deaths have resulted from this cause and
more have suffered from the disease. The
medical profession has done its full duty
in the matter. More than year ago it
expressed its opinion OF what was re-
quired In unequivocal terms. that could
leave no doubt In the minds OF the peo-
v,Ia was rreeidant ~ fhn Ao.~a 80