New-York tribune., 1903-05-24
MAYOR At BLACKWELL1S
Inspects Many Improvements in
City Institutions.
TENT COTTAGES INTEREST HIM

The commencement exercises Of the Metropon-
tan Hospital Training School for Nurses. on
BlackwelFs Island, yesterday. were made the
occasion of an inspection by Mayor Low OF all
the improvements instituted by the Department
of Public Charities IN its plants on the Island
under the direction of Commissioner Homer
Folks.
Mayor Low arrived at the island in the af-
ternoon BY the Fifty-second-st ferry, where he
was met by Commissioner Folks and the latters
secretary Millard B. Ellison. For two hours
he walked and drove IN company with the com
missioner ard the several superintendents and
subordinates in charge of the divisions Of work
of the department from the addition OF the
nurses quarters of the City Hospital just about
completed. on the southern end Of the island
70 the new convaIescent hospital of the Metro
politan Hospital. Just completed, on the upper
end of the island. where the commencement ex-
ercises were held. improvements made by Com
missioner Folks at expense Of over SIVoOre
were shown to the Mayor
After inspecting fire escape. in the shape OF
! a corkscrew, Mayor Low inspected the renova-
ton of the old City Hospital. Superintendent
J H Shields of the institution, leading the
party through the wards. Mayor Low was Te-
ceived in all the wards with great interest oy
the patients who able TO take cognizance
of his presence One old Italian. Michael
Coraffa who has been in the hospital for some
time with an affection Of the leg. attracted the
Mayors notice Taking the old mans hand.
Mayor Low said:
I'm sorry you are ILL
No speaka Ing" said the Italian. but his eyes
beamed and he pressed Mr. Lows hand. When
he was told in Italian who his visitor was.
Coraffa's eyes grew wide and he chartered in
italian.
MAYOR TAKES DEEP INTEREST
Commissioner Folks next took Mayor Low to
visit his hospital for consumptives- The renova-
iton of the old building and the addition Of the
outdoor tent life have been features Of the ad-
rninistration's policy. The patients who were
taking sun baths look we'll for the most part
1t was Mayor Lows first visit. and he took deep
interest in the whole place Superintendent w
B. O'Rourke showed him about
The Hospital for Consumptves opened in con
nection with the Metropolitan Hospital on Jan
uary 81. 1902 which has quickly become the
largest hospital for corsumptives in OF near
New-York is adding TO its equipment q series OF
tent cottages Three Of these are already occu-
pied four others are in process IF construction
and still others will be erected as rapidly as
possible. The tent cottage is an adaptation
of one devised by Or. Holmes of Denver X
com bines the maximum of ventilation with the
minimum OF exposure to the weather. The air
in the tents during the last few weeks has been
from :, to 10 degrees lower Than in the build
ings
The patients were rather reluctant al the out
set 70 use the tents for sleeping purposes. be-
Heving that they would b. draughty and un-
comfortable They were persuaded. with some
difficulty to try II. and without exception, after
a few nights, all much impressed WIN
tent life that it is with difficulty that any OF
them are persuaded to return to the buildings IT,
for anv reason. this becomes necessary 1ne
tents have not been occupied for a sufficiently
long time 70 afford any tabulated statement OF
the results. -
Al the graduation exercises CT the nurses
tventv-four received diplomas as members OF
the class: eleven received graduate diplomas
and one nurse received both diplomas having
cononIeted the double course. COMMISSIONS
Folks presided. while Mayor Low. Mrs tau-
walader Jones. who has been generous sup
norter of the nurses work on the Island ana
Who accompanied Mayor Low on MS tour OF NJ
spection and the women OF the board OF az
rertors OF the school occupied the platform with
z,arfous ner,bers of the various visiting med4-
caI boards II was the first pubic commence
lnent OF the nurses school Jane u Flndei; tne
superintendent. read the annual report ana Dr-
Ebert Guernsey Rankin. chairman OF the com
Inittee of inspection. made an address Dr.
Walter SaudS Mills. CHAIRMAN OF 'ie commute.
an nursing spoke Of the history ~ the school
srd its tra~sfer from Wards To GiaCkwells
island Mayor Low made an address. saying N
part;
~ ne nurses school the congra llations Of the
.frv 7 II
thS rcosf happy and fortunate Developments of the
-. Forr, Years When reads OF the methods
- I1,rssIg even thirty years has a
t--tv, ,<-olIn, for ones opinion mat the trained
..-ss vvhat have called her. Of the great
aJ-sursS in modern civilization.
90 moi know what those OF this island think Of
.b,Sa of the other island across the river. / some
zines think that there don't think enough OF
,hoSe who az living here I do know. however,
thaf those vvho committed 70 the care Of the
officials here whatever N may ~ De the sau.s & q their
1..55 NooN-1s.10 NIGHT.