The one purely state hospital in Pennsylvania is “The Anthracite
Hospital,” located at Ashland. This is intended for the coal and
mining regions, in which injuries are of such frequent occurrence.
Unfortunately, this was not opened for the reception of patients until
November, 1883; but already upward of forty-one patients have been
admitted, and are receiving the benefit of medical care and treatment.
Of institutions not under the control of the state, the most famous is
probably “The Pennsylvania Hospital,” located in Philadelphia. Round
this have grown up a number almost as famous—the splendid “University
Hospital” in West Philadelphia, “The Orthopedic Hospital” for the
treatment of nervous diseases, the Presbyterian and Episcopalian
Hospitals, the Jewish Hospital, the new Stewart Hospital, founded by a
distinguished Methodist physician of Philadelphia, the Wills Hospital
for diseases of the eye, the Howard Hospital for Incurables, and the
Children’s Hospital for the relief of sick and suffering children.
In addition to these are the “Preston Retreat,” one of the most
touching charities of Philadelphia, and the “Maternity Hospital,” which
has been founded to rescue unfortunate women in the terrible extremity
into which their sin has driven them. Outside of Philadelphia there
is the splendid hospital recently opened at Harrisburg, “The Western
Pennsylvania Hospital,” “The Mercy Hospital” of Pittsburgh, the Hospital
of Wilkes-barre, the Hospital of Scranton, the Reading Hospital, “The
St. Joseph’s Hospital” of the same city, the “St. Luke’s Hospital” of
Bethlehem, and the “York Hospital,” of York, Pa. The work of these
hospitals it would be impossible to describe within the limits of an
article like this. The patients within their walls not unfrequently
receive, gratuitous, treatment equal to that for which the rich must pay
enormous prices.
But it should be mentioned in this connection that in Philadelphia there
are two Homes for the Training of Nurses, physicians having long since
discovered that their skill and industry is frequently thwarted by the
ignorance and incompetence of ordinary nurses. The women who are admitted
as pupils to these homes must pledge themselves to the work for which
they are prepared. They are taught by lectures, and by actual work in the
sick room, how to handle and care for the sick; and when their education
is completed their names are placed upon a register, so that those
desiring trained nurses may secure them by application to the matrons of
these establishments. A more important charity hardly exists within the
state.
This article may be fitly closed by reference to those institutions which
are founded for the care of children afflicted with that which is worse
than disease—with a tendency to crime. Of these there are two now in
operation—the House of Refuge in the city of Philadelphia, and the Reform
School at Morganza, Washington county, Pa. The House of Refuge expends
annually about $130,000, and the Reform School about $190,000. The total
number of inmates in the House of Refuge is 671, and of the Morganza
School 339, making an aggregate of 1,010. Perhaps there is no sadder
chapter in the report of the Board of Public Charities than that relating
to these schools. The statistics deserve careful study, and show how
unwarranted are many of the assertions constantly made about the criminal
classes. For instance, nearly one-half of these children are of American
parentage, and of the 490 children committed, only 24 could read and
write well; whereas only 125 were absolutely illiterate. Two hundred and
eighty-five were committed for that which is set down in the statistics
as “incorrigibility.” It would be curious to know just what this means,
and whether, after all, the real fault was not chargeable to the parents
rather than to the child. I can conceive of nothing more terrible than
that which I fear lurks underneath this item.