The Detroit times., 1917-10-08
Hospitals
ny a. ADptNCToN nRJCE
Author ~ ~Thv Riddle OF Prrson-
atty "f.EDhMogy and
parcuthoud etc.

The war has brought forcib,y to
aur minds thr Importance oi hav
inE the best possible hos tai ncii
les for sick and wounle soldiers .
May 10 also have The effect % rous
us public interest Ia hospitals for
civilians.
Today there are many splendid
hospitals In the United States and
canada Rut also there are many
atly inferior ones.
Approaching This. the American
College ot Surgeons some time ago
started a movement go secure stand
arbitration ~ hospitals In both coun.
'r.ts. This movement has already
been productive OF some good re-
suits
Rs' to get The best results An en-
Ilshtened public opinion must sup
port the EFFORTS Of the College OF
Surgeons
The trouble is that people do no'
think much about The hospital ques
uon unless t Is brought directly
home 20 them thru illness in their
families
Then TOO often. they discover 20
their dismay that the hospital 10
which thcy must send their sick Is
FAR below the standard of what a
hospital ought 20 be.
Perhaps they discover that n IS
like a certain hospital on the Pacific
coast thus described by Or John
@ Bowman. ot Chicago
I'm this hospital there are about
300 beds When 7 visited II prac
tically every bed Ia The building
was occupied The construction was
beautiful. expensive and adequate
"But what about the integrity ~
the institution toward the patient
There was not in that building "A
microscope or ANYTHING that could
IS anv SrfCrT'fT - T'T5 TTyITE r1a--r71-r77T
be- called a laboratory
There was not an inferno nor
house physician There was not q
case record 20 any Kind There was
an odd y ray machine. but no one
knew hOw fo operate if
They hoped % have laboratory
~ and bv The superficial evidence
az least Was noi such as 20 inspire
confidence
Reading thls statement. the old
Biblical phrase ''whited sepulcbre
comes instantly 70 ones mind Alas
such a hospital is for lamentahly
many patients not place OF cure
way no an actual sepulchre
And the United states and Canada
are dotted with hospitals lirlc y
any more deserving ~ the name
than this preposterous institution on
The Pacific coast
There arc hospitals whose trus
toes are much like the bank direct
ors who do not direct These trus-
tees have he vaguesf notions about
their sponslhuities 20 The public
They 30 nor even ask questions "
tho surgeons IN their hospitals opcr'
ale huncllnsly az shown by an nm
usually high percentage of nnsuc
ces-ful operations They take their
hospital curses FOR granted seldom
inquiring into their personality and
methods
In hospitals thus inadequately
equipped and unsorndly managed
patients must needs be in undue
NETil NiiLtN n ANlNFt ItAA AAf hiit'A
iran College of Surgeons is striving
to pu' ar end 20 state of affairs
thar Is = blot and a handicap on na
tional welfare.
You can cooperate II you will by
studying the hospital situation IN
yopr own city
Ask you- doctor what ne cordi
tions are learn from him whore
improvement De- needed
~ vou and he situation really
bad. begin 70 talk o, 80 with your
neghnors Organize agitation that
Hll compel 'he city and hospital
authorities 10 mend matters
The day may come ~ will come.
n Won or your wife or one o. your
children has 70 be taken 10 hos
pltaI when you VIII indeed be
thankful that Won have bcstirred
Yourself for hospital reform.