The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-09-16

lOl all luG ages YET W
And it is in consideration of this
fact that you have been invited to
meet here today. The experience of
the past affords an earnest idea of
what may be expected in the future
The Soldiers Aid society, which so
efficiently anticipated and supplied
the wants of the brave boys in the
fields and hospitals and prisons dur
ing the great civil struggle, and
which was instrumental in rearing
a noble monument to the memory
of those who perished that the Union
might live; the later Aid societies
and Ladies' auXiliaries, and mission
airy organizations and improvement
associations, and the organizations
for the prevention of cruelty to ami
mails, are all tangible proofs of the
sympathy and compassion which
dominate the womanly heart, and
enlist its efforts for the alleviation
of suffering and misery.
The hospital as a public institu-
ton for the relief of sick and in
firm is of comparatively recent
date. The Romans of ancient times
maintained what was termed Hos
pitalia" but they were established
for the accommodation of guests, and
not of invalids. Centuries later
came other hospitals, not designed
exclusively as places of refuge for
the sick, but for the succor of all
persons in distress. A famous in
stitution of this kind was founded
in Caesarea fifteen hundred years
ago. Then came the later so-called
hospitals of Rome, the Holy Land,
and France, designed to meet the
necessities of suffering pilgrims to
the Eternal city. A thousand years
ago there were twenty-four hospitals
in Rome alone, and two hundred
years later brotherhoods for the re-
lief of the sick pilgrims were form
ed in the Holy land which increased
greatly during the Crusades. 1t was
not until the eleventh century, how
ever, that hospitals intended for the
sick alone were generally institut-
ed, but since that date they have
been established in all civilized coun-
tries, and are now to be found in
almost every town, while large cities
contain number of them.
The general hospitals are for all
kinds of invalids, excepting those
infected with contagious diseases,
while special hospitals are founded
for the care of patients laboring un-
der ailments of sufficiently frequent
occurrence to authorize the establish
ment of exclusive institutions for'
their treatment. Even in our own
county a grand structure is now in
the process of erection authorized
by and built at the expense of the
state, for the custody and care of
those whose mental affections have
led them to the commission of crime
for which they cannot be held NOR
ally, or, in the matter of punish
ment, legally responsible.
The first hospital established in
North America was opened in Phil
adelphia on February 7, 1850. For
nearly two years Benjamin Franklin
and other influential men were work
ing for the establishment of such
an institution. A charter was
granted in May, 1851, and the first
board of trustees elected in the
July following The day of the
opening a number of patients were
admitted, who were regularly at
tended and given their medicine free.
Joshua Crosby was the first presi-
dent, and Benjamin Franklin the
first clerk.
The second hospital established
was in New York city in 1771. From
these early beginnings there now
has grown up in the United States
a veritable forest of hospitals. Every
city, town and village has its duly
appointed institutions of this char
acter and the hospitals of the United
States are now acknowledged the
most handsomely and thoroughly
equipped in the world, and serve as
models for European architects.
Hospital Sunday is observed in the
United States the last Sunday in De-
cember and in England the Sunday
nearest June 10, on which days the
collections in the churches are de-
voted to the support of hospitals.
The custom has been generally
adopted since 1878.
AS l have said, hospitals for the
accommodation of the sick are now
found in almost every town; but it
is to be added that Honesdale fur
nishes one of the notable exceptions
to this rule. Our local patients,
when accident or acute and danger
Gus illness befalls them, are, IL the
case is at the outset specially ur-
gent, or when death seems imminent
after longer siege-tenderly with
out doubt, but too often hopelessly-
subjected to the trying and neces-
sarily exhausting journey to New
York or Scranton or Carbondale
for such professional aid, as, If af-
forded at home in the early stages
of the trouble, would have insured
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