The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-08-16
Emergency Hospital Methods
BY Frederic j. Haskin.

SB111paaoBass16 20
Deaths and permanent disabilities
resulting from occidental injuries
have been lowered forty per cent In
every large city within the Last
twenty-hve years. This graatyan as
Is due chiefly to the
increase OF emergency hospital taoAlt-
ties.
The emergency hospital and dis.
Ipensary places the best surgical and
medical skill and the most improved
scientific apparatus within imme-
date reach of every person who lives
near such an Institution. The lives
OF thousands Of people are annually
saved by the emergency system.
while hundreds OF thousands who
might otherwise be hopeless Grip
pies are restored to full health and
Mgor.
The emergency hospital now com
pleting its equipment in Washington
typi1es the latest and best ideals OF
an institution designed primarily
Tor emergency work. Accidents, at
tempted suicides, sun or heat pros
trations, acute attacks of temporary
illness. and drunkenness, are the
disabilities most frequently regarded
as emergencies. Prolonged illnesses,
chronic diseases and obstetrics are
not regarded as emergency WORK,
Under ordinary conditions such pat
tents are turned over to other in
stitutions in order that the beds of
the emergency hospital may be kept
available Tor The class OF cases COM
ing within Its speciality.
A Necessity.
A small emergency hospital now,
is considered necessity in
most big manufacturing establish
ments, as we'll as in connection with
mines and other large industrial
plants Department stores have felt
it incumbent upon them for years
to make this provision for the well
fare Of their employees and custom
ers The city leeIs compelled to
provide emergency hospital service
for all of its people as part of
its public samety measures. While
most general hospitals do a large
amount of emergency work. the add
ed efficiency Afforded by an tnstitu-
ton designed particularly to give
this class of relief has been re-
cognized as OF econ omic advantage.
The injuries treated include every
class. They range in importance
from the mosl trtf1ing to those en-
den gering. life. Often they require
8 battle with death not likely to be
encountered elsewhere by physician
or nurse.
A small boy may slightly burn his
hand with q toy pistol, while MS
mother may receive fatal burns from
attempting to refill her gasoline stove
which she has not turned out. a
woman may cut her little finger while
preparing meal, or her husband
may almost sever his juglar vein
as he is shaving. A boiler may
burst in an engine room, scaldlng
some and injuring others by the
scrap iron resultant from the ex>
plosion. A woman may swallow a
bi-chloride tablet by mistake or her
baby may get hold of rat biscuit.
Two men may get into a street tight
and one of them receive sroken
skull a drunken man may oe
found In gutter or reeling upon
the street. or man or woman may
go suddenly insane.
Always Prompt.
These are examples of the condf-
lions relieved daily in emergency
hospitals. The service is always
prompt, efficient and painstaking no
matter how lowly the patient may
be. No one suffers from lack or SER
else because he is unable to pay
for it. In. sense the emergency
mosynary institution that other hos
pitaIs because it has no cnotce of
PATIENTS 1t must treat all alike
Most of the expense is paid from
public funds. 1t usually is allied
closely with the public charities. 1t
is also in direct touch with the po-
lice department which frequently
has one or more officers assigned to
duty at the institution.
When any unusual event brings an
extraordinary crowd of people to-
gether the emergency hospital SER
vice because he IS unable to pay
stations under the direction of hos
pital physicians and nurses are es-
! tablished near the scene of action
in order that prompt service may
!, be offered.
At the Harvard-Yale football
game last fall when the largest crowd
ever assem- b1ed in the United States
to witness an athletic event was
made by the New Haven City HOG
pital to insure the safety Of the
10000 spectators OF the contest
played in the Yale bowl" Before
the game began, a Harvard student,
| suffering from ptomaine poisoning.
was rushed to the hospital and by
evening was ready to hear the re-
turns of the game. A man being run
down at the station occasioned an
other urgent call Several women
tainted from excitement. The service
proved such a boon that no big game
/ ever will be played again in New
England without emergency hospital
provision.
Feature of Inauguration.
In Washington, at the time of
presidential naugurations. emcr-
gencv, hospital work is an important
| feature of the safety provisions made
by the Inaugural committee for the
| thousands of visitors. Hospital tents
are erected at the most important