Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-02

ReSOurceIul ana progressive, SHe "dS
the right person at the time to as
sumo the management of the hos
pital The institution then under
went the most marvellous change,
and every portion Of the establish
ment showed the effects of her energy
and brains.
For fifteen years the most valuable
portion OF her life did she work, in
season and out, for the growth and
and advancement of the Institution
which had become so dear to her.
How many of the helpless from
age and disease will rise up and call
her blessed!
Then two years later there ap-
peared upon the arena another strong
character. one possessing an educat-
ed hand, an educated head, and edu-
Gated heart. with deep religious con-
nections. She must be & success.
These incidents are more than
mere sentiment, though that alone
has great value. They are source
OF information, illumination and
inspiration. If one great souled wo-
man like Miss Julia Johns could
conceive and carry into execution the
means for establishing what is now
known as the Alexandria Hospital,
what canot. this present able con-
secrated body Of women known as
the Board of Managers accomplish if
they SO desire?
Ladies, the requirements Of our in
stitution have entirely outgrown its
capacity. We are living in a progress
sive age. Changes of the most vital
character. are going on in every di-
rection. Competition is life, and we
must be up and stirring if we expect
to keep abreast of the times. To
meet these conditions we must have
a modern building in better loca-
ton. Our City School Board has
given us school building of which
we may all be proud now Let our
citizens honor themselves by giving
a handsome hospital to our city.
An educated mind in a broken
down body is a parody upon our in
telligence. A sound mind can alone
dwell in a sound body and one must
repair that body if it is to be kept
sound. The medical men are con-
vincing the school boards of the larg-
er cities that if they expect the best
work of the children they must be
put in the best physical condition
to accomplish that end. To accom-
plish this, adenoids must be removed.
Tonsils, if diseased, must be removed.
Diseased eyes must be made well.
Myopia, hyperopia. presbyopia and
astegonation must be corrected. This
cannot be done save in properly
equipped hospitals.
This cannot be done properly
in our present hospital, and such be-
ing an open and acknowledged fact.
large amount of this work drifts
TO Washington City, and vast
amount is not done at all which is y
crying shame TO the children. This
work should be done at nome. We
need a hospital equipped with cleo
trical appliances as they have in 9TH
er cities.
A room devoted to microscopical,
urinary and other methods of analy-
sis is needed We need building so
constructed that sound shall not be
convened from one room to another.
Why, ladies, it is an outrage upon
suffering humanity TO induce them to
come to our institution with nervous
and chronic diseases and say we will
benefit them when the very first ma
jor operation that occurs in the house
means q night Of horrors occaSloned
by the groans and complaints incident
to the newly operated upon, and
which is waited to every portion OF
the building When there are five
or six babies here at the same time
and all get busy. bedlam reigns SUI
preme ! spent a night here under
these conditions and believe myself
a strong man, but if Dant's Inferno
and Nilton's Paradise Lost could have
been conceived under ordinary sur
roundjngs, the world has lost valu-
able addition to its library if its
author could have Occupied my posi-
ton that one night.
Ladies, it was horrible TO contem-
plate, and do you expect conscien-
tious man TO request his cases toI
come to our hospital under these con-
ditions?
We could not. and this means a
lpSS hotb tn Dhvsician and institution,