The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-11-24
A London Hospital Conducted
by Women.
(By Lady Henry Somerset. }

| "" V"O VI tue uuSleSJ IHOTOuS IL
fares in the northwest of London,
bearing the inscription carved
over its gates, "New Hospital
for Women, founded 1872, in
London" We must at the outset
forgive the poverty of thought
betrayed in the title, for had it
been "The New Woman's Hos
pital, " it would have marked a
phase in feminist movement not
without interest to the historian;
but the special characteristics
of the institution are SO interest
ing that we can afford to ignore
the blunder of the name.
Among the English general
hospitals it is unique in being
entirely stated by women, that
is, with the exception of the jan
itOr, and the life sized male
statue standing in the hall is the
only reminder of the other sex.
This statue is called Opportunity,
and l have often wondered why
Opportunity at this stage of the
worlds history should be asso
ciated with man rather than with
woman in such an institution.
From Mrs. Garrett Anderson,
the consulting physician, and
Mrs. Scharlieb, NJ. d., the con
sulting surgeon, through all the
grades of the medical staff,
which, with the two anaSthetists,
number seventeen, right down to
the dispensers and the secretary,
women exclusively hold them
selves responsible for the success
of the hospital.
Even the interior decorations,
the Russian-like touches of beauty
com bined with utility, owe their
origin to a lady, for they are the
work and design of Miss Garrett,
sister of Mrs Garrett Anderson,
and Mrs. Fawcett. The walls
are painted a. pale green with
dadoes of rich colored tiles, of a
full peacock blue, and adorned
with bas reliefs in Della Robbia
pottery perfect background for
the dancing daitodlls which tell
OF spring, and are standing on
the tables in every ward.
Such harmonious surroundings
have a part in giving cheerful
ness and hope alike 10 patients
and ministlants, and offer the
sick folk aud their visitors an
amazing contrast to the diugy
thoroughfares of the EuStou
Road, where the hospital is sit
uated But the site has been
well selected, because it is close
to three great terminals where
trains come from all parts OF
Great Britain, including Liver
pool, and one of the direct routes
from America This means that
the patients are drawn from the
distant provinces, some even
taking advantage of the cheap
excursion trains in order to OBJ
tain the benefit OF treatment.
Another advantage of the site
is that it is only five minutes
away from the London School OF
Medicine for Women, and from
among iis qualified students the
hospital has in large measure
drawn the members of its medical
staff But althcAgh some post
ulants for the medical career comt
here TO gain clinical knowledge.
the time put IN al the "New'
does not count, for such examin
ing bodies as the British Med
ical sSociation have decreed
that clinical knowledge can only
be properly gained in a hospit al
where the beds number at least
one hundred and fifty, aud where
men are received AS well a,
women patients, aud To which
accidt mt eases are admitted.
These qua ifcations are filled
by the ueighboring ROYAL free
Hospital, where one hundred aud
fifty or more ladies from the
school "walk the wards" aud re
yOlve like comets in The orbit ol
one or the other of the mrdica
suns, for although men largel,
predominate at this institution
there is leayening proportion oI
women, and several subordinate
posts are also filled by them
such as the Clinical Assistant
Pathologlst, the Medical and th,
Surgical Registrar and AnRs
thetiSt.
OF the five resident medica
, officers, posts much sought alter
because Of the experience the,
/ afford during the Six months o
! the appointment. two are ladies
drawn of course, from among it
! students. The three men com,
, from other schools, the plea be
ing that The men are needed il
he male wards. The Roy al Ere,
, Hospital in thus opening it
! wardsto women students holds
spec al position among Londol
hospitals. fact which it is no
slow to emphasize in appealing t,