The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-10
HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL ~
SITUATION OF THE HOSPITAL


Mr.. T. r. Munroe drove that PULL
man car OF an auto OF his around TO
the Star office wednesday AFTERNOON |
and took the editor aboard, and then
nteered the trackless private special TO
the elevation in the southwest corner
Of the city where the new building OF
the Marion County Hospital Is steadily
nearing completion.
IT would have been difficult TO find a
better location for this building. No
help but coyet ii for his private resi-
dence The ground Is level in front
and slopes away In every other direc-
ton, insuring perfect natural drainage
The scenery from it's windows and YER
andas Is lovely. It shows the best of
rural Florida. The wide fields to the
south and west, here and there dotted
with pretty c1umps Of trees, and the
noble elevations beyond, among the
groves and gardens of which appear
like jewels in their settings elegant
homes, and the wide. dimly blue rim OF
pine forest inclosing all, makes
scene so beautiful and restful that no
one who looks upon it can help but
feel that in 1t alone is a cure, and ma
lures best sedative to wearied bodies
and tired minds. To the north, the
houses OF the city show above the tree
tops, near enough to be convenient
and too far to be obtrustive. The hos
pitaI should be a perfect sanitarium-
not only a place for the victims of ac-
eidents and desperate sickness, but a
rest cure, where tired men and women
can draw Florida air and sunshine
into their systems and find themselves
restored to health before they are fully
aware they are being treated
The Marion County Hospital will
alaye a model building of its kind. The
first floor, with offices, store rooms
and Kitchen, will be commodious, and
always airy and well lighted. The ce-
snent walks around it will be shelter
ed ana shaded by the verandas above.
The main entrance will be a wide and
handsome one: it will lead into the
hall and reception room of the second
floor. In the southeast corner of this
floor will be the operating room, large
and extraordinarily well lighted. In
immediate proximity will be the other
rooms holding the appliances necessary
for operations, also one where the sur
;geons may leave their coats and other
belongings while at work 1t is super
auous to say the wards will be well
ventilated and well lighted, for the
entire building is being constructed
with a view to its being flooded with
natures 4onic-air and sunshine.
Rest, proper food, Florida air and
sunshine viii make any but an incura
bile person we'll The hospital manage
ment will look after the first two, and
the windows and wide verandas will
insure the latter.
Half of renewed health is being built
into the new hospital
The higher up one goes, the better
the building is. The view from it is the
best, the stir of the breeze never
ceases. and the construction of the roof
will turn away the greatest summer
neat
There Is practically a separate hos
pitai for the coiored people on the
west side OF the main building. 1t is cut
on from the main structure, but with
sheltered hall and passages between
1t also has wide veranda for con-
valescents, and VIII be a better hos
pital when completed than anybody In
this section has had before.
The superintendent and her assist
ants viii have handsome and homehke
quarters, with everything as good, and
at fTst- class hotel
The hospital will be an institution
that Ocaia should be proud of as a
humane institution, and it will be a
great help In a business and social
way. 1t will bring people here from
AL over this section, and some from
distant states. They will bring money
to the city, and they will induce their
friends to come here. 1t will be quiet
advertisement, and one that will do
good out OF all proportion to the noise
il makes. And, more than all, it will
De an insurance against death and per-
smanent injury for our own people,
They should encourage and support it
from business as we'll as a philan-
thropic standpoint. 1t will pay them
to do so.
The street out to the hospital has
been improved much of the way, but
there are yet some hundreds of yards
fnat need looking after The city
should have this put in good shape as
soon as possible. There are one or two
places that not only look bad, but
might give an ugly jolt to some suffer
.er. And nobody knows who will be the
first to travel the road Also, the en-
tire street will make pretty drive,
and will be greatly used when it is i'm
proved and opened all the way thru.
Mr.. Munroe deserves all praise for
his interest in the work 1t may be
said to be his hobby, and 1t is truly a
noble one. He has done more unpaid
work for the hospital than many men
would have done for high salaries. He
has had some able and bighearted
helpers, who have given freely of their
time and money to the undertaking.
and deserve the popular praise. and as
sistance
None deserve more praise than Nc
Iver s MacKay, the builders, who have
kept on with the work, a long ways
ahead Of their pay. and putting a
home as well as professional interest