The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-05-20

- appointments.
Inc elegant James Walker Memorial
hospital, which was built for the people
Of Wilmington and New Hanover coun-
ty through the philanthropy and munif-
cence OF the late Mr.. James Walker, was
opened to the public yesterday for in
spection for the first time since it was
Completed. Visitors were received from
l0 a. m, to ; p. m, quite a number
OF ladies and getlemen of the city who
are interested in the splendid new in
~stitution called and were shown through
the building. They were pleased with
its appointments and they saw what
will be a source of pride to every Will
m~ingtonian.
On and after tomorrow he new hos
pital will be regularly used. 1t is a
handsome four story Philadelphia press
ed brick building, and with ito equip
ment it is one of the finest Institutions
Of the kind in the south. 1t is 40 feet
wide by AS feet in length. the trim
mings are brownstone, ana IN front.
facing west. there is an exceedingly
handsome n imposing portecochere
with doric columns There is also a
DortecOchere On the cast side and at
the northern and southern ends there
are pretty porticos. In front there is an
p piazza reaching above the porte
cochere.
The main entrance is through very
handsome double doors that open
into a spacious hail that runs
east and west through the building and
crosses a long hall running from one
end of the building to the other. The
office Is On the north side of the hall
and, after the approved hospital fash
ion, it is plainly furnished. Its prin-
cipal furniture is business chairs and
principal furniture is business desks
chairs, for it will be the superinten-
dents business office. Down the north
end OF a long hall on both sides there
are a number of elegant private rooms
for patients all furnished with enamel
bedsteads and wash stands, and oak
dressers. Opposite the bathroom is a
spacious medical ward with eight
enamelled beds. and swinging curtains
to give the patients privacy while dress
ing. Each bed is supplied with the laI-
est improved charts to govern the Civ
Ing Of medicine and make a record of
the temperature of patients. AT the
south end of the passage are the private
rooms Of the superintendent and
matron. They are all furnished with
enamel beds and waShstandS. and oak
dressers and tables but the floors are in
plain oil finish. as it Is Il rule to have
no carpets n few rugs i'll a hospital.
There is also a private sitting room for
the nurses and on the opposite side is
the nurses domitory containing five
beds, all the appointments being like
those in the other rooms.
From the first floor TO the n above
there is a broad staircase with dividing
flights of steps at a midway landing. AT
top Of the stair case Is a loafing lobby
for cOnvaleScentS, and in it are easy
chair for their comfort. 1t opens out
onto the front piazza where they may
walk or sit and get fresh air. In the
long hall is a litter on wheels
so patients can be easily taken from n
part of the building to the other. There
are also canvas filters to be used in TAX
ing patients up and down stairs when
the eleator cannot be used. At each
end OF the long passage way there are
six nice private rooms for patients, and
at the southern end is a large n ele-
CANT general ward with thirteen enamel
beds and a roller chair for the handling
Of patients. There is at the nortehrn
end of the hall another general ward
with thirteen beds. Along the passage
way are linen rooms TOR the staff and
the hospital, the latter service alone re-
Quiring $40 pieces. This floor is equip
ped with an enamel carriage TO be used
in carrying the dressings from one ward
to the other. 1t has glass platforms,
and the dressings are carried in covered
jars, so that there is nothing about it
to gather filth or microbes. There are
also on this floor private bath rooms
and also bathrooms for the two general
wards.
On the third floor there are elegant
sanitary bathrooms 10 be used by sur
geons who may have work at the hos
pital. On this floor is a room for chloro-
forming patients. and there are can
vas S~tretchers on all sides for con-
venience. In front Is the general
operating room with enamel walls n
glass roof. making 1t as bright as pos
sible. The bowls and tables are glass
and enamel, and there is an enamel
operating table Of the most improved
pattern with attachments for raising
and lowering the head and limbs OF pa
tients and turning their bodies in any
positions without their being handled.
This room IS equipped with SteriliZing
apparatus for sterilizing
and dressing, and in fact ali the appa-
! ratus and instruments that are required
10 make the establishment complete
have been supplied.
In the building there are three
| stories besides the basement. In the
basement IS the ~dispensary where pre-
scriptions can be filled while persons
can stand outside and receive them
through a window. The floor is OF
marble concrete and, is very handsome.
Down there Is a model Kitchen. the
pantries, the laundry department and
the heating and ventllating apparatus.
The heating Is done by a battery of
fine Price-Butler boilers, and there is a
dynamo which drives a fan by which
hot air is driven through conveyors to
| every portion of the building. In X
manner in the Summer fresh air Is
driven to every oor and room of the
institution. Opposite the kitchen are
the DINING rooms for the staff and
dumb walters connect all the floors,
and speaking tubes also run from the
bottom to the top Of the building At
the northern end of the basement Is an
emergenc operating room, and there
| are rooms for SteriliZing the clothing OF
patients and storing them until they
| leave the institution. In the basement
is the servants dining room, and num-
| erous other necessary appointments for
the various uses OF the Institution.
IT, anffro institution 20 a model and