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tions made by Congress."

In 1869 the annual appropriation was cut down to $6,000; but the next year Congress appropriated another $6,000 "to enable the Surgeon-General of the Army to pay the balance due under contract executed by him with the Providence Hospital for the care, support, and medical treatment of 60 transient paupers." In 1873 the appropriation was increased to $15,000, and the number of free patients was raised to 75; and in 1890 the sum was further increased to $19,000, and the number of patients to 95.

The new building, for which Congress appropriated in all $60,000, is located on the southeast corner of second and D streets southeast, the site of the original hospital. Facing a large reservation, and standing high above the surrounding streets, the windows command fine views of the Potomac and its banks from Georgetown to Alexandria. With no further appropriations than those mentioned the hospital lands now comprise 89,882 square feet, valued at $39,137-an extremely conservative estimate-and buildings valued at $100,000. The building is heated by steam, and the average air space to each patient is 896 cubic feet, exclusive of the halls. There is an operating room in a semidetached building especially constructed to meet the requirements of surgical work, and one of the sisters devotes her entire time to the care of the room and the preparation of surgical dressings. The room has seats for 150 students, who may present themselves for the clinical instruction offered by members of the staff. There is also a newly built bacteriological and pathological laboratory fully equipped. The bacteriological department is in charge of Dr. E. M. Parker, and the pathologist is Dr. W. M. Gray of the Army Medical Museum, who investigates and reports on the pathological material turned over to him by the surgeons. A training school for the nurses and sisters employed in the hospital is also maintained.

Since 1870 the Providence Hospital has been in charge of Sister Beatrice, the title being in the Sisters of Charity of Emmitsburg, Md. A board of visitors, consisting of four citizens of the District,3 makes a general report each year as to the condition in which they find the institution, and a sanitary committee appointed by the medical board also makes an annual inspection. The first medical staff was made up of Drs. D. R. Hagner, John C. Riley, and William Marbury, physicians; and Drs. J. F. Thompson, C. M. Ford, and N. S. Lincoln, surgeons; with Drs. Grafton Tyler and W. P. Johnson, consulting. Dr. J. M. Toner was the attending physician and the surgeon of the house.

In his plan Dr. Toner very wisely arranged that any physician in the District who might send a patient to the hospital could attend the case if he should desire so to do. Again the authorities showed their

Act of July 27, 1868.

2 Act of April 20, 1870.

The board of visitors now consists of Hon. Matthew G. Emery, A. S. Solomons, Thomas Somerville, and Hon L. G. Hine.

wisdom in conciliating the medical profession by providing that the medical and surgical staff should visit and prescribe for patients in private rooms as well as those in the public wards; but such patients were required to pay the usual fees to the attending physicians and surgeons. The cost per week in the wards of the hospital was fixed at $6, with an extra charge for a private room. The prices now range from $7 to $20 a week, according to the accommodations.

To the free public wards patients are admitted on the order of the Surgeon-General of the Army. In the report for 1896 the statement is made that while the appropriation the hospital receives is limited and provides only for the nonresident sick, yet by receipts of money from private wards a large charity fund is created for the sick poor of the District. No cases are refused admission except those of insanity or diseases of a contagious nature, thus fulfilling the requirements of a general hospital. While nominally the Surgeon-General of the Army admits public patients, they are really admitted on certificate from the sanitary officer of the District of Columbia.1

The hospital was well patronized from the beginning, and in 1896 the receipts from pay patients were $31,844.88. The sum of $149.50 was received from the Marine-Hospital Service for the care of merchant sailors, who are treated by medical officers of that service. The hospital cares for between 2,200 and 2,300 cases a year, and is resorted to by persons in every walk of life. During the past year 351 laborers, 230 domestics, 225 clerks, 128 housekeepers, 100 old soldiers, 42 students, 12 physicians, 27 lawyers, 16 merchants, 5 journalists, 12 actors, and 2 Congressmen were among the persons treated; in all 120 occupations were represented. The largest number, 251, had no occupation. As to nativity, 56 States, Territories, and countries contributed to the total, the District of Columbia leading, with 605; then Maryland, 328; Virginia, 318; New York, 182; Pennsylvania, 126.

The present medical board is made up of 24 physicians of recognized standing, the special departments, such as gynecology, laryngology, and the eye and ear, are in charge of specialists.2

1 See testimony of Surgeon-General Sternberg, Sister Beatrice, and Sanitary Officer Frank before the Joint Select Committee on the Charities and Reformatory Institutions of the District of Columbia. Senate Doc. No. 185, Fifty-fifth Congress, first session, p. 242.

2 The staff at present is as follows: Consulting board: Drs. S. A. H. McKim, N. S. Lincoln, J. W. Bulkley, J. T. Young, G. L. Magruder, Z. T. Sowers, Robert Reyburn, W. H. Hawkes, H. M. Newman, Walter Wyman, George M. Sternberg. Surgical staff: Drs. J. W. Bayne, T. F. Mallan, Harrison Crook, James Kerr. Medical staff: Drs. C. V. N. Callan, M. F. Cuthbert, Thomas N. Vincent, C. R. Luce. Gynecologist: Dr. J. Wesley Bovee. Diseases of the throat and ear: Dr. C. W. Richardson. Ophthalmic surgeon: Dr. Swan M. Burnett. Bacteriologist: Dr. E. M. Parker. Pathologist: Dr. W. M. Gray. Resident physician: Dr. Jesse Ramsburgh. Externe: Dr. Charles C. Marbury. Dentist: A. J. Brown, D. D. S.

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