The Alaska daily empire., 1916-02-17
TIE HOSPITAL AND MISSION
 IT FULFlLLS

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 DOUGLAS Feb. It. Tho opening of the large new addition to the g.. Ann's Hospital here naturally gives occasion to the interesting query of the origin Of hospitals. That pagan lsm was wholly Innocent Of needing the pltinl cry for mercy that came from the Ieyerparched lips of their sick and dying is 8 well-known fact. Among savage tribes the sick and feeble were put to death Both the Greeks and Romans regarded disease as a curse inflicted by supernatural powers and rather sought to prop,u. ate the malcyolent deity than to or ganize the work of relief. The sick slave was not considered worthy ot medical assistance, but was merciess- ly left to dio in misery and starva' ton. Though Greece and Rome at. tained the highest degree of culture. vet In spite of an the.r eminent science. philosophy and tho liberal arts. there Is no record of any insti- tuition corresponding to our modern hospital
 Only after the Great Physician" came to cure 'the great siclS."- the human race - the work began to know the source. tho cause, the ob- feet of suffering and the consequent duty of charity and Of the perform .ance Of the works Of mercy. Chris tianity enkindled the flame of the love of neighbor. and caused the sick, even the poorest and most disgusting. to become the object of tender sympathy and solicitude-
 Like the other works of Christian charity the care of the sick was from the beginning a sacred duty for each of the faithful. but 1t deyolved In a special manner upon their leaders. The same ministraHons that brought relief to the poor naturally included provision for the sick, who were vis- tied In their homes. As early as A. D. s25 the Church legislated that in every city a hospital should be built and all the sick indiscriminateiy cared for. The most famous Of the hospIt- als was that of st. Basil at Ceasarea, in. cappadocia. This "baslias" as 1t was called took on the dimensions of a city with its regular streets, build ings for different classes of patients, dwellings for physicians and nurses. St. Basirs example was soon followed throughout the east and also :n the west. In the fourth century the low CT grades of ecclesiastics performed the office Of nurse. They were called the "paraboland'' and became very numerous. reaching the number of 500 in the city of Alexandria consti- tuting the first religious community vowed to the work.
 In the west there were similar com munit.es. Although these communi- ties no longer exist as such, their work was continued by the establish ment or realigious orders whose spec ial object is to minister to the sick. Their number today runs into mil Hons. They are like Q standing army equipped not with guns and cannon and shrapnel and other instruments of murder. but with the love and charity of their Master, the great Samaritan of the sick. The Church considered nothing too good for the sick, sending her best and noblest daughters to their bedside. Forsak- ing the allurements of life. all these gay and natter.ng prospects which open upon the young heart through many smiling vista, leaving friends and family at home, the Sisters dedl- cate their whole lives to prayer and works of mercy for the sick.
 This same spirit of charity has al- SO actuated the good and self-sacri- fcing Sisters of St. Ann we have in our midst For over O quarter of Q century they have been untiring in their attentive mlnistration to the grooming sick and friendless dying.
 May this new addition continue to be. for many years to come, home of relief. of comfort and consolation to the poor sick and dying of this part of Alaska under the supervision Of these noble women, the Sisters Of