Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-08-17
The Alexandria Hospital.

To the Board of Managers Of the Alex
andria Hospital:
Ladies 1T becomes my pleasing
duty to render to you an account OF
my stewardship during the quarter Just
ended. There were seyenty-two admis-
sions during this term, II Of these were
readmissions. OF this number 81 were
cured, several were sent to other institu-
tons. some died and u remained under
treatment by my successor With the
completion of this quarter | finish my
twentieth year of consecutive service
in the Alexandria Hospital. / think
it would not be improper at this time
to show by comparison that the trustees
and lady managers have much to con-
graduate themselves upon. At the time
of my association with the hospital it
had as matron that most estimable lady,
Mrs. Fogg, whose kindness of heart and
conscientious discharge of every duty
rendered her a great favorite with both
managers and inmates. ! regret not
being able to speak more at length of
her management but our official relation
ship was of short duration. Then as
our next matron came Miss Bessie Davi-
son, a most remarkably well rounded
character, a woman, who blended execu-
tive ability with the highest type OF the
Christian character and most thorough
and conscientious nurse, also possessing
those noble, broadminded, elevating
characteristics Of the true Virginia
women, which has ever rendered them |
among the women Of this |
land. As might have been expected |
under her able management The hospital,
then in its infancy, received tremend-
Gus impetus, broadened its methods and |
its usefulness. After Miss |
Dawson had remained in charge for a |
number of years, she felt it her duty to
seek other fields where she thought she
could accomplish more good and for a
time after her departure the institution
suffered severely for want Of proper
and lack of harmony in
certain departments, but, under the in
telligent indefatigable, persistent and
entiring efforts of the Board OF Lady
Managers, so ably supported by the trustees
the dark days of our hospital were at last
ended. and a new impulse and a remarkable
growth in every direction began. when the
reiDs of government were at last placed IN the
hands OF our present matrOn. This is neither
the time nor do feel it the occasion for me TO
attempt TO lay before you my full appreciation
IF her value to the hospital on the occasion
referred to suffice it to say that / never III
ny life saw anyone give themselves more
wholly up, take more interest in, manifest
more ability in every direction, than has our
most worthy matrOn, Mrs Adamson, since her
into Office rs marion OF the AleXah-
iria Hospital. While at times all members
IF the medical staff might not have agreed
with all her methods, yet ] conscientiously
believe that every medical mau who had at |
heart the true advancement Ct the hospital, I
md not self aggrandizement, Will concede ,
hat no one could perform the multItudlnouS
luties Of the position in more capable man.
Ter than Mrs AdamsOn. ! do not believe IN
Or Out of the State there is a hospital OF the
same size with the same financial resources
hat offers the attractions and advantages to
he public as does the Alexandria Hospital.
On Christmas day, 1882, DR.. Gibson, ST., DIR.
smith and myself performed the first major
operation that had ever been done in the hos
Dital. I'D to that time the institution had
Deen little else than a sanitary boarding house
or the aged and infirm but f-Om that time 10
he present all variety of surgical work has
,een done, until today, there is no case that
AN arise that our hospital is not thoroughly
,apable of managing, considering the great
advances that have been made in all branches
If medicine and surgery. The lady man.
lgers and our most worthy matron, deserve
very commentator for their zeal and pro-
,ressive spirit. Respectfully,
GEO. r. KLIPSTElN, NJ. ID.