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A Plea For A State Hospital

A Plea For A State Hospital image
Parent Issue
Day
20
Month
February
Year
1874
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

It is probably known to uut iow persons in the State outsidts of Aun Arbor that for several years one of tbo houses on tho Campus bas boon used as a hospital for the medical departmcnt. Tho building, originally oreotcd for a profesëoi's house, is a two story with basement. It has only eight rooms, all of thtm small, with none of tho conveuiences of a modern dwolling-house. Each room must be hoatod by a stcve and ventilatod by opening tho windows. The management is, by placing a student and hls wifo in charge, who board the patients, the Univorsity funda supplyiug ïnedioine, otc. The institution is not worthy the name of a hospital. Indeed, so far as the roputatiou of the University and Medical School is concerned, it would be botter to close the house. Yet in this humble place the writer has seen, year atter year, bonefits conferred, generally on those unable to pay for the skill of the surgeon, that, if known, would prove that thore could be no hfgher benevolence than the founding of a State hospital. He has heard many times the words ot' warm gratitude trom those mado wholo within its walls, and ho can but envy the gentlomen whose skill and attention have brought such relief to the sufforing. A crisis has been rcached with regard to this so-callod hospital. Within a fow weeks it has been found necessary to close it for clcansing. ïhe accommodations inadequate in every sense, endanger the patieuts after the most skillful and successful operations. It is unjust to the professors in chage that they should bo required to perform delicate operations - teceiving no compensation - whon the subsequent care must neccssarily bo so dofective. To show the necossity for a State hospital, so far as the rostoration of the sick and disabled, it is only required to state such facts as that, for the yearending September, 1872, the average number of paupers maintained in our poor-houses was over 1,300 ; the wholenumberof inmates, 3,300. Let any physician visit such poor-houses as are in Wayne and Washtenaw counues, and Lo will find scores of persons whose cases would be hopeful under proper medical treatment and nursing. This is saying nothing oí' hundreds in the State who cannot cominand tho skill that would relieve their suffering. If the statistics of the clinics at Ann Arbor have beon kept they will afford the inost impressive argument us to what might be accomplished. The State has not been wanting in interest in the establishment of a hospital. The special commissionors to examine tho penal, reformatory and charitable institutions, in their report to the Legislature in 1871, referring to "the aged, the infirm and the deceased" in tho poor-houses, romark, " if the State would assume the control of this class, and place them in two or three district hospitals, or more when tho numbers beeoine sufficiently large, thoy could be kindly and humanely cared for, nd have thorough and scientific treatment, with as little or loss oxponse than that which attends their present management. Whenever such hospital shonld be located near some medical college, satisfactory arrangements, no doubt, could be made with such institution for tho medical care and treatment of the imnates." The permanent board of commissiouers for the same objects, in their report made to the last Legislature, include among their rocommendations : " The ment of a State hospital at Ann Arbor in connection with the medical department of the "üniversity. (See pages 70-71 of the report.) The present Governor is known to be dseply interestod in overy measure for the relief of suffering. Yet with all this endorsenient, there is really but littlo hope from the State. Michigan is doing nobly in rofererence to the wards of the State. The State Public School at Coldwater bas been drawing on the treasury, and a new insano asylum is to be ostablished. Until these institutions are fairly started, we can scarcely hope for legislativo action favorable to a hospital. The liberality of individuals raust be looked to. Frankly, this communieation is made to the press, in hope that the matter may attract the attention of some individual in Detroit or elsewhere, who has the means and the heart to be charitable on a largo scale. It may be well to add in reference to to the expense of buildings, that experience has demonstratod that it is not advisablo to erect very expensive structures for hospital use. There are strong arguments against tho long continued use of the same building. At this point the writor leavas the subject, hoping that medical men, and others who are far better posted as to the facts and arguments, will tako it up and present it to the public. His apology for venturing to address tho press must bo that interest whieh his necessary observation for sevoral years has given him. G. D. G. Anx Akbob, February 11, 1874. "

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus