The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-12
A London Hospital
Conducted by Women.

O. the busiest thorroughfares in the
northwest Of London. bearing the in
scription carved owe Its gates. New
Hospital for Women. founded 1872. in
London" We must at the outset forgive
the poverty Of thought betrayed in the
title 20 II had been. The New Wom-
ans Hospital" IL would have marked u
phase in the feminist movement not
without interest to the historian: but
The special characteristics Of the insti-
tuition are 50 interesting tina We can
afcrd to ignore the blunder Of the
name.
Among English general hospitals IL
is unique in being entirely stated by
women. that is, with the exception OF
the ~janitor. and the Hfe-sized male
statue standing In the hall is the only
reminder Of the other sex This statue
Is called Opportunity. and have Won
dered why Opportunity at this stage
OF the worlds history should be asso-
ciatel with man rather than with
woman In such an institution.
From Mrs. Garret Anderson. the con-
sulting physician. anG Mrs. Scharlieb,
II. D. the consulting surgeon, through
all grades OF the medical stan. which
with the two anaesthetists, number
seventeen, right down to the dispen-
sers and the secretary, women ex-
clusively hold themselves responsible
for the success of the hospital.
Even the interior decorations. h
Russian-like touches Of beauty combin-
ed with utility. owe their origin to N
LAZY, for they are he work ano dc
<icr Of Miss Garrett. sister OF Mrs. Car
rett Anderson. and Mrs Fawcett. The
walls are painted a pale green with
dadoes of rich colored tiles OF "A FUN
peacock blue. and adorned with has-re-
liefs in Della Rohhia potter. a perfect
background for tho dancing daHudils
WHICH I'LL of spring. and arc standing
on the tables in eyeTE ward.
Such harmonious surroundings have
q part in giving ch.etfulness and hope
alike 4 patients and rnnistrants, aud
offer the sick folk and their visitors
an amazing contrast TO the dingy thor
Ouehfare in the Euston Road. where
the hospital is situated. But the site
has been we'll selected, because Ii is
close 10 three great terminals whence
rains come from all parts Of Great
Britain. including Liverpool. n Of the
direct routes from America. This
means that the patients are drawn
from the distant provinces, some even
taking advantage of cheap excursion
trains in order to obcaln the beneit
of treatment.
Another advantage of the site is that
it is only five minutes away from M
London School OF Medicine for Women
md from among its qualified students
the hospitals has in large asu
drawn the members of its medical starA
But although some ~postulants for q
medical career come here to gain clin-
ical knowledge, the time put in at the
New" does not count. for such exam
inine bodies as the British Medical AS
ISOLATION have decreed that clinical
knowledge can only be properly gained
in a hospital where the beds number
at least one hundred and fifty. and
where men are received as well as
women patients. and TO which acci-
lent cases are admitted.
These qualifications are filled by the
neighboring Royal Free Hospital where
one hundred and fifty or more ladies
from the school walk the wards and
revOlve like comets In the orbit OF one
or other of the medical suns, for al
though men largely predominant at
this institution there Is a leavening
proportion of women, and several sub
ordinate posts are also filled by them,
such as the Clinical and the Surgical
Registrar and Anaesthetist.
or the five resident medical officers,
posts much sought after. because or
the experience they afford during the
six months of the appointment, two
are ladies, drawn, Of course, from
among the students. The three men
come from the other schools, the plea
being that men are needed In the male
wards. The Royal Free Hospital in
thus opening its wards to women stu
dents holds a special position among
London hospitals. a fact which IL liz
not slow TO emphasize in appealing to
the public for funds.
Nevertheless. since the hospital was
built, some II years ago.. upon a foun-
dation laid by the Princess, now Queen
Alexandra, a cancer ward, nurses
home and operating theater were adj
ded FIVE years ago. But IL Is impossible
to fail 10 notice the intelligence dis
played by women in the design and
general arrangement Of their domestic
matters. The Kitchen is admirably
equipped. and Is situated at the top
Of the building. which in part accounts
for the capable. alert appearance OF
cook and assistants. and this immense
saving Ui labor lightens the duties OF
the servants and goes far toward the
solution Of the servant problem. never
an easy one in q public institution. De-
scendinE TO the other extremity of the
hospital. you come to the out-patients'
department, where the semi-circular
benches are always crowded.
We have II on the authority Of one
lady doctor that some out-pa-
tients finds their weekly visit to the
hospital their only relaxation. Anyhow,
out-patients at the New" find ample
for a little talk and a cup OF
tea, provided at a penny a cup.
In the operafing room un9fafrs n