Milford chronicle., 1930-12-05
YOUR Friend,
THE HOSPITAL
BY S. Wachsmann, NJ. d.
New York City, N. Y.

] II ID nOL 1O vel AOAlS d5O LAlclL LllC
people would gather around an am
bulance which was to take a patient
to the hospital, and express their
opinion, pitying the poor victim and
thinking that the hospital was prob
ably the end of all, and that pa
tients rarely came back once they
were sent to the hospital. These
ideas have changed, and, Fortunate
ly the public has commenced to con-
slider the hospital as a friend, par
ticularly a friend in need, and that,
as everybody knows, is a real friend
indeed. Still it has happened and
will happen that misunderstanding
will sometimes exist between the
best of friends, so I want to intro
duce more thoroughly Friend Pub
lie and Friend Hospital to each
other and to clear up some of the
MISUNDERSTANDING, if l can.
Many hospitals are in the habit of
sending out letters to the patients
who have left the hospital, after a
short or longer stay, with a request
to give their impressions, their COM
| plants or approval, and if possible,
suggestions for improvement of the
service. An analysis of the numer-
Gus replies shows that former pa
tients are generally appreciative
and complimentary, but in some in
stances one cannot help noticing
th2t the public in certain respects
iIas erroneous ideas regarding the
! functions and mission of the hospi-
ta,.
To begin with, everyone-physi-
clans and patients alike-should
consider that the hospital is not to
be looked upon as the last resort in
case of illness. They should
GLdnGon the idea that only so-called
eme2s sencies belong to a hospital
and instead they should feel that the
hospital is the place for all patients
who can be better observed and
treated there than in homes or Of
fees or clinics. 1t is not unusual for
the patients who come to the physi-
clans office, or receive a visit in the
house, to express genuine surprise
or indignation, when a doctor sug-
gests admission to a hospital, while |
the patients do not seem to feel sick |
enough or weak enough in their own |
opinion. Although the modern |
equipment of a doctors office or a |
clinic is quite complete, and in the |
majority of cases enables the physi-
clan to diagnose the disease with |
sufficient accuracy, there are still
many cases left that have to be put
under what is called hospital regime
in order to gain complete picture
of the patients condition. The fol-
lowing may sound somewhat undig-
nified, but it will bring out a point
which will describe the situation.
Department stores have certain
undeniable advantages, and most
likely crafty certain needs, or they
would not have gained such popu-
larity as they now enjoy. The hos
pital also holds within its wall
number of departments all neces-
sary for diagnosis and treatment of
patients. 1t is easy to understand
that the coordination of all these
different departments within one or
ganization will be productive of
much better results than could be
obtained by consulting numerous
different Independent sources. The
course of incipient diseases can be
observed much more satisfactorily
in a hospital where the entire staff
cO-operates. Take for example the
dietary department The best equip
ped kitchens in millianaires' homes
can never be expected to carry out ]
the directions of a physician, who :
wants the food intake measured eX-
actly, determining the calories, so s
that the nurse can measure and
weigh the output and turn it over {
10 the laboratory, all with the small
lest loss of time and lease number
lf errors. When all observations and
he physician is in a much better s
position to make an exact diagnosis.
Then comes the plan of treatment /
which is always more effective c
when everyone is cooperating. Con-
yerting the residence into a hospi- q
alike arrangement, even though q
lone with the best of intentions, can 1
lever be a substitute for a smooth
'unning place which in every de- .
all was built and organized for the S
are of sick people. Z
From the milder cases who are :
ent to the hospital for observation L
md rest, let us now turn to the
more serious diseases which natur-
lily belong to the hospital Very !
'ften the family, well meaning of Il
curse, is only too willing to sacri- :
ice their own comfort and will
lromise the physician to provide n
that may be necessary. "
t happens then that in the first few p
ays everything seems to be going q
long smoothly, but if the condition n
ets worse, more serious and criti- q
al, the family gradually begins to II
eel that after all the parent might a
e much better off in hospital. I'm II
by this time the patient
nay have become weaker and even h
he transportation to the hospital fl
ecomes a grave problem, because 81
he trip in an ambulance is by no h
leans a thing that should be taken a
ghtly. The change in circumstan- il
es and surroundings has a bad ef- h
ect on the patient whose vitality is Il
lready impaired. It is ever so ii
luch more advisable to transfer
he patient at the earliest possible ii
ate. C;
Everybody knows that sudden cl