The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-26
Patients May Talk With Friends
at Distance.
AID IN C0NvALESCENCE
New Scheme Inaugurated in Phila-
delphia Is Expected to Pro
duce Excellent Results
"Details of Plan.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Philadelphia, April s5-Esctricity has
been requIStioned 10 contribute its share
toward lessening the sense OF isolation and
the monotony experienced by persons who
are undergoing treatment in hospitals.
Within a day or two 1t will be possible
for patients I'm the Methodist Hospital.
Broad and Wolf streets. TO talk from their
beds with relatives or friends outside Of
the institution. and TO receive messages di-
rectly from those who. for various reasons.
might be debarred from communicating
witt the patients.
This will be accomplished by the installa-
ton Of n new telephone system by the
Bell Telephone Company. connecting each
BUILDING. gard and private room in the hos
pital. When the system is in use a patient
whose condition does not prohibit his par
ticipating in the benefits OF the scheme
may converse freely with any one who is
In touch with the telephone. either in the
city or at points hundreds OF miles away.
HOW SYSTEM OPERATES.
The system will be operated from a
s~Nttchooard placed In the main hallway OF
the administration building. From there
will branch twelve trunk. or main. lines, to
as many wards. dormitories and buildings.
IL is those wires terminating in the
wards which are surrounded with the great
est interest. Each will be e%duipped With a
.huzzer.' because bells would disturb pa
TENTS.
From each 'buzzer" a wire passes
through every room I'm the hospital. Be
side each bed Is a metal phone Jack or
opening. by which connection NAV be made
with the trunk line. When the nurse hears
the buZZer she will learn from the operator
VINO Is wanted She will carry a portable
phone into the persons room. and. push
ing the plug into the jack by the bed.
establish a connection.
II the patient desires TO talk with some
one outside. he notifies the nurse. That
privilege will only be EXTENDED 10 pa
tents by consent Of the physicians. II is
for the cOnvalescents. surgical patients and
eontrmed invalids that the service was
principally designed.
WILL HASTEN RECOVERY.
Often. as they are on the road TO recov-
cry. and yet confined TO bed. they fret con-
stantly and ask for their friends. The
phone conversation will supply that de-
sire, and. IL is believed. hasten their recoy-
cry.
Odin R. Eiwards. superintendent of the
hospital. is the protector OF the new sys-
tenn. He said yesterday that he had long
convalesctng patients seized rDon a
to telephone to friends. That pleas
ure was denied helpless patients because
the outside phones were usually a distance
from the wards.
Besides the bedside telephones. other
radical Innovations I'm the service at the
hospital have been made. The private SIS
tenn formerly used for intercommunic alton
will be abolished and the Bel system
adopted.
Patients will be charged for all calls. both
local and long-d!stsnce. While that will be
done primarily TO prevent the abuse Of the
privilege. yet Il Is thought that the revenue
will cover the expense Of the service.