Evening star., 1923-12-11
COLUMBIA FIRST
D. c. Civil HOSPITAL
Founded in 1866 to Meet
r.. Need for Charitable
Institution.

1t may surprise washingtonians to
know that the year 1851 found the
Capital City. then q community of
more than 100000 people, without a
single civil hospital or dispensary
to which the poor could apply for
medical assistance. This Is the state
ment of DR.. J. o. Skinner. Medical
Corps. 7; S. A. retired, who, prior to
the world war served for a number
of years as superintendent of Colum-
bia Hospital for Women.
Such condition was an anomaly
In a civilized nation and travesty
on public spirit" said DR.. Skinner.
The need of such an important util-
tty was apparent to causal visitors.
phnanthropic citizens. who. by means
of subscriptions and donations,
founded Columbia Hospital In 1885.
Its purpose, according to its charter.
was to furnish gratuitous treatment
AT that time" continued Dr. Skin
ner. 'the women's board. then known
as the board Of lady visitors. had as
it's president Mrs. Henry w. Fitch.
with a band Of loyal assistants she
ficuities, chief of which was lack Of
funds"
Seek Funds fer Work.
1t is to supply funds sufficient to
maintain on the proper scale the hu-
manitarian charitable work performed
today by the hospital that the present
board Is staging a big benefit ball for
the institution tomorrow night at
Rauschers. This board has as its i'm
mediate province the furnishing Of
linen for the hospital, the provision
Of infants clothing. maintenance of
supplies for charity maternity cases,
support of the prenatal clinic and
-
nurses and the needs Of the nurses
training school.
In reference to the nursing profess
sion, SO ably exemplifed in the staff
of Columbia, 1t Is interesting to recall
that the science Of nursing and hos
pitalization work was founded In 3S0
A. D. by Fabiola, a Roman matron,
who gave not only her fortune, but
herself, to the care of the sick, In
which she also interested Flacilla,
consort Of the Emperor Theodoric I.
In the dark ages which followed
ment Of the work was suspended and
what little care the sick received was
from the hands Of members Of religious
orders.
,rganization Of 81. vincent de Paul
jrder. the largest nursing organiza-
Ion In the world today. Then fol-
owed the German Institute, In 1885,
where Florence Nightingale received
her training from the teachings of
Pastor Fliedner. in Kaiserwerth. Two
years later the Society of Friends
was born-the nrst nursing organi-
zation in this country. Although as
early az 1890 lectures to nurses were
given In the New York Hospital. II
Was not untn 1879 that training schools
were opened In Boston. New Haven and
New York. ,-f-t--
Trained nurses almost were un-
known until 1880, and even then the
hest available were Englishwomen
trained in London. Then q nurses
home In connection with a hospital
was unknown. Nurses slept in cor
ners, corridors-anywhere they could
be assured OF q few hours peace.
The young women at Columbia
Hospital are 'heirf' Of all the wom-
en- who, anxious to serve the sick,
have labored at nursing for the bet
ter part of seven centuries. But they
realize the profession, although con-
siderably advanced, has yet q long
read to travel, and, comparatively
speaking, they have just as strenuous
duties today; al Lady Fabiola in the
year $50. They need help and WASH
ington 10 asked to give 1t tomorrow
night.