Evening star., 1928-03-19
HOSPITAL |SBU|LT
|. ALONG HOTEL LINES
New Presbyterian Structure
in New York Free of De-
pressing Features.
BY LEMUEL r. PARTON.
,prcIal Disnatch 10 The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, March 19-Opening It's
doors to patients today the new Pres
byterian Hospital here DEGREES the end
Of white beds. tiled walls and standard
! ized hospital furniture. 1t is built and
furnished exactly like first-class mod
ern hotel, with furniture Of different
design and period in each Of the IT'S
private rooms.
This central unit Of the $4,000 900
system OF the Medical Center, is built
around an idea-the discovery of mod
ern psychology that there Is thera-
peutic value in personalizing rather
than depersonalizing the surroundings
of an afflicted person. There is further
Difference to the psychologists in the
scrapping of every detail Of equipment
and furnishing which have come to be a
symbol of illness. Care has been taken
to provide only Ia carte menus for pa
tients-the ego is always bolstered up
by the exercise of any choice, say the
psychologistS--and to furnish indi-
vidual keys, fitting no other locks, for
bureau drawers, closets and chifoniers.
The sun shines in every room on all
the % floors of the hospital. Furniture,
draperies, rugs, paneling and wall paper
are in warm colors, varied to suit a
wide range Of tastes. Even the operat-
ing rooms are finished with green tints
-Four acres of gardens surrounding the
hospital have little secluded hooks and
ambuscades of beauty, where conva-
lescent patient may find a bit Of shrub
| berry Or flower. speaking of happier
days
Each ward floor is a separate hos
pital with a limit OF y beds TO the
ward. many of them having only four.
Here. as in the private rooms. there is
emphasis on individual preference. Fur
niture. screens and equipment are
varied. In every possible way manage
ment will be kept in the background
and the suggestion will be furthered
that the patient is choosing and direct
ing, rather than being Subordinated TO
regime. Each Of the private rooms
is provided with a refrigerator, for
which the patient will hold the key
While. obviously. there will be a scien-
tific dietetic regime. modern dieticians
! have learned TO compound required
food elements in many different forms
and the menu will be constantly ex-
panded, rather than limited
The entire structure is absolutely
sound proof. Any patient who wishes
10 pass the time playing a saxophone
may do so in his own room without dis
, turbing any Of the others, II he has his
doctors permission. No street noises
can enter. Friends or relatives OF the
patients VIII find an entire floor. With
uD-to-Gate hotel accommodations re7rh
ed By a private elevator Open and
| closed roof gardens are on the upper
! terraces.
Room for 5000 Patients.
About IS patients were moved in to-
day from the old Presbyterian Hospital.
The transfer OF patients will continue
| until about April !. By July all the
units cooperating in the medical GEN.
ter Will be completed. making possible
the care Of more than 5000 patients.
The completed 1000, 600 hospitaliza-
ton plan will be the larges. In the
world. In addition to the hospital the
units are the Presbyterian School for
Nursing, HarkneSs Pavilion for Private
Patents, Squier THEOLOGICAL Clinic, Sloane
Hospital for Women. Vanderbilt Clinic.
the Babies Hospital Of the City OF
New York. the Neurological Institute OF
New York. Columbia University College
/ Physicians and Surgeons. School of
Oral and Dental Surgery and the New
/ York State Psychiatric Institute and
Hospital.
/ tcopyriEht 1oes)