Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-23
FIRST AID TO THE INJURED
GIVEN MANY AT POLICE STATION

ent and oftentimes four times as much
space could be utilized
In the emergency hospitals In most
large cities a room is provided which is
always kept ready for an operation. No
one is admitted to 1t except to submit
to an operat ton. No such room is pro-
vided in Los Angeles. All of the
patients must go into the same room.
1t matters not whether it is a woman
of refinement or drunken ''hobo" with
dirty and filthy body upon whom an
operation is to be performed, they must
go into the same room. On a couch
the patient is prepared for the opera
tion and is then lifted to the operating
table at the side of the room.
In favor of the operating room it can
be said that the floor is of tile and is
kept scrupulously clean. After each
operation a trusty Is required to mop
the floor. The room itself is kept i'm
maculate. The walls are covered with
white paint. which is washed cleanly
every day. The surgeons do everything
in their power to provide for the safety
of the patients. Before each operation
the Instruments are carefully sterilzed.
The absence of sterile operating
room often causes delay that is some
times. serious. A patient suffering from
gunshot wound must wait until the
operating room hes been prepared be-
fore he can be operated upon.
First Aid to Injured
The receiving hospital is nothing but
an emergency hospital. 1t provides for
nothing BIT the first treatment of an
injured person. There are no nurses,
and a patient is not allowed to remain
in the wards any longer IN Is pos
itively necessary. Oftentimes it is as
much work for the doctors to locate a
patients friends as 1t is to give medical
attention.
If an injured person desires to have
private doctor the wish is granted.
The private physician is allowed to be
present and aid in an opera ton or is
allowed to remove his patient to an
other hospital.
All of the assistance that is given the
surgeons is by TRUSTEES. One trusty is
present at each operation.
The larger number of the patients
who are given treatment are of the
poorer class. The receiving hospital
and county hospital cooperate. If an
injured persons friends cannot be To-
Gated the patient is removed to the
county hospital.
The hospital has as good equipment
any hospital in the city. The surgeons
are prepared to do all kinds of emer-
gency work and do it we'll. In one
room is provided a first class drug
stock
Every class of cases is treated in this
hospital. The surgeons are called upon
to do everything from soothing hys-
terical woman to performing major
abdominal operation for a gunshot
nv,.. 80 he ffF,aaf toe
that all the wounds sewed up In year
put end to end would be five miles In
length.
Another duty Of the surgeons is to
go with the police ambulance on fast
calls to give aid to a severely injured
person as quickly as possible.
Also Assist Detectives
The surgeons must examine all insane
patients or persons detained charged
with insanity. Upon their advice a war
rant is sworn out. In these cases the
surgeon is required to go into court to
testify A surgeon often loses much |
sleep by being compelled to appear In |
,ourt. In some criminal cases he must
be present at the preliminary examin- |
nation In the police courts and then
must testify again in the superior
,ourts.
A large per cent Of the cases in the |
hospital are criminal cases which re-
lure testlfying in court.
The surgeons are often called on TO |
lssist the detectives I'm cases of feloni- |
,us assault. Thew are subject to call at |
my time OF night or day to make ex-
Unlike a private physi- |
ian, they cannot refuse to go wherever
hey are summoned at any time Of the
light.
Through the efforts of Police Sur
yeon Quint who Is the head OF the hos
,ital. one Of the best x-ray machines