Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-21

street and see what is going on. Yet in
most hospitals this is impossible to any
one in a reclining posture.
1.-The Importance of correct equipment
in a hospital cannot be overrated. |
should like to see hospital equipment
standardized. Then 1t would be, possible
for those who make donations to hospi-
tails to go to a house supplying hospital
furnishings and order these of standard
size. AS matters stand now, the charac-
ter of these donations Is SO varied that
one hospital will have some Of it's bed
linen Of one kind. the rest of an inferior
kind, and the same is true of all the
other articles of equipment.
Then. too. there are grave defects in
the way hospitals in general are man
aged. A hospital is a business. Hospital
trustees. as a rule, are business men,
yet they do not look on their duties as
trustees in the light OF business. Many
of them don't know how the hospitals OF
which they are trustees are run"
Since starting out in her new job Miss
Mccalmont has been actively advancing
her opinions and plans of reform in
magazine articles and lectures. In an
article which she contributed few
months ago to the American Architect
she. said:
of every proposition is not so much,
what does 1t cost?-is it the newest
thine?-what do the critics and others
think of it? but, how does it works 1T
practical?-does 1t stand for the essen
tials of efficiency and economy OF serv-
ice?
And this is the working test to which
orr modern hospital planning and con-
struction must be submitted. The archi-
tects are giving us smooth interiors and
artistic exteriors. Many of them are IN
deed becoming experts on the subject or
rounded corners and angles. flush sur
faces and a general absence of projec-
lions. and yet we feel that these fnsti-
tutions are not yet all that might be de-
sired.
THAT the hospital is for the patient
has BECOME an axiom beyond dispute
But no hospital is successfully construct
ed for the benefit of the patient unless
also constructed for the comfort and
convenience of the entire working per-
sonnet No patient is receiving fair play
from a hospital which has faulty work
ing machinery: where jars, breakdowns
and confusion are liable daily
'In view of this, the question Is peril
nent-are our hospitals practlcal from d
working standpoint?
who is to answer this?-the archi-
tects, trustees and doctors, or the super
intendents and working stains?
1.-The architect may be an excellent
Judge of the durability of the latest floor
ing and competent to pass upon all the
technical details OF hospital construction
and finish. but can we expect him to
know the details of hospital management
sufficiently to cope with it's peculiar and
practical needs?
The trustees or boards of managers
may be able to see that a hospital is
clean and quiet, and be able to recognize
in practice smoothly running hospital ma
chnery. or it's opposite, but can they,
from their casual visits to the hospital,
be in a position to locate an inconveni-
ence of arrangement which may be the
occasion of daily confusion?
THE doctors. through visits to their
patients, may know whether orders are
being carried out or not: whether pa
tents are improving, or whether they
are satisfied with their surroundings and
treatment. But. il their patients are un-
complaining, can they know that lack
of Improvement may be due to sleepless
nights caused by noisy, banging doors !;
crying babies who should always be In
soundproof rooms: the too near proxim-
ity of utility rooms, bathrooms or diet
kitchens? Can they know that their pa
tiente are getting cold meals because a
diet kitchen Is not adapted or planned
for efficient service; that complaint OF
lack OF attention may not be because
there are not enough attendants, but be-
cause very often hospital planning neces-