USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Hyman's handbook of Indianapolis : an outline history and description of the capital of Indiana, with over three hundred illustrations from photographs made expressly for this work (1907) > Part 5
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Indianapolis Benevolent Society was organized Thanksgiving evening, November, 1835. The funds of the society are used for food, fuel and clothing, supplementing the relief of the township trustee, Flower Mission, German Ladies' Aid Society, etc.
The Flower Mission cares for the sick only. It usually falls to this society to step in where there is no other source of relief, and it is the one society in the circle of charities which must always be kept in funds.
German Ladies' Aid Society assists the poor among their own people.
Catholic Charitable Institutions-In addition to the church estab- lishment with their schools and halls, the Catholic Church has in In- dianapolis a hospital-St. Vincent's-one of the best equipped and con- ducted institutions in the country, a home for the aged conducted by the Little Sisters of the Poor, an industrial school for orphan girls and a Ilouse of Good Shepherd for fallen women and girls.
The Hebrew Charities are administered through the Federation of J:vish Charities. Among the notable charities maintained in this city
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
by the Jewish people are a foster home for the care of children, a shel- ter house, the Hebrew Ladies' Benevolent Society and a notable organi- zation of a sociable and educational character known as the Nathan Morris House.
Orphan Asylums-Several orphan asylums are maintained in the city. The Indianapolis Orphan Asylum was incorporated in 1851; the German General Protestant Orphans' Home, which is under the super- vision of the German Protestants of the city; the German Lutheran Orphans' Home, which is supervised by the German Lutherans of the city, and Home for Friendless Colored Children.
Board of Children's Guardians is a board authorized by the laws of the state to rescue children from vicious and immoral parents and place them in homes.
Alpha Home is for aged colored women who are homeless and friendless.
The County Poor Asylum is located northwest of the city, and the Poor Farm covers 220 acres.
Home for Friendless Women was organized in 1870. It is the old- est organization of its kind in the city. It is a temporary home for homeless women out of work and a permanent home for aged women.
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EAST ENTRANCE CROWN HILL.
Rescue Mission and Home looks after the welfare of unfortunates and carries on evangelistic work in its building at 47 and 49 East South street.
The Friendly Inn is an institution on West Market street where transients or tramps are taken care of. It feeds and lodges without question, but demands that some work must be done for the help given.
Summer Mission for Sick Children-This is one of the greatest charities in Indianapolis, and is conducted for the benefit of sick and weakly children and mothers who need an outing. The hospital and grounds are situated in Fairview Park, where ground privileges and free transportation are furnished by the street railway company.
Other Notable Charity Organizations are Maternity Committee of Plymouth Church, which furnishes clothing for infants, the Woman's Relief Corps, Day Nursery for Working Mothers, the Bureau of Justice, Indiana Humane Society, the Flanner Guild and the township trustee. who affords official relief to all who may after investigation be found worthy of assistance.
Children's Aid Society-This organization endeavors to find em- ployment for children ; also conducts the free bath house located on the canal. The society secured the old Schissel bath house through the
DEAF& DUMB ASYLUM
is "
ST. VINCENT INFIRMARY's
GERMAN PROTESTANT ORPHAN AST
PROMINENT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
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generous donation of $1,500 made by Hon. William L. Taylor, of In- dianapolis.
"Christamore"-The college settlement located on Columbia ave- nue was established in 1905 in the neighborhood of the Atlas engine works. It conducts clubs and classes for children and women, library work, socials, Sunday meetings, relief, neighborhood calls, kindergarten classes and other forms of settlement work.
Crown Hill Cemetery-This is one of the most beautiful and inter- esting resting places of the dead in the country. The organization hav- ing control of it was founded in 1863 and the cemetery was dedicated in 1864. It is located about three miles northwest from the center of the city and embraces over 540 acres. It contains the national ceme-
WEST ENTRANCE CROWN HILL.
tery, iu which are buried the Union soldiers who died in Indianapolis and those whose bodies were brought here for interment. There among the soldiers for whose welfare he worked so tirelessly lies the body of Governor Oliver P. Morton; also that of Thomas A. Hendricks, vice- president of the United States, and President Benjamin Harrison.
Other Cemeteries are the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Jewish and Greenlawn. The latter is no longer used as a place of burial, but is maintained as a park.
THE SANITARY ORGANIZATIONS
BOARD OF HEALTH AND HEALTH STATISTICS, HOSPITALS, CURATIVE INSTITUTIONS, INSANE AND OTHER ASYLUMS.
The general sanitary condition of Indianapolis is very good and the annual death rate of 13.61 in 1,000 is very much lower than that of many other American cities, During the year 1907 there were 2,975 deaths from all causes. Of these there were 239 deaths from violent causes, such as suicides, homicides and accidents, with which the sani- tary and general health conditions of the city have nothing to do. Fig- uring the death rate upon the basis of the last United States census, no city in the country of an equal size and population can produce better evidence of good sanitary conditions.
The Department of Public Health and Charities consists of a board of three commissioners, who are practicing physicians, appointed by the mayor at a salary of $100. They have charge of all matters relating to the public health and the enforcement of all laws in relation thereto, including the charge of the city hospital, city dispensary and all other city charities. The commissioners appoint the superintendents of the city hospital and the city dispensary, also the secretary of the board of health, who is health officer, with a salary of $2,000 a year. The commissioners nominate, for appointment by the boards of public safety as special sanitary officers, skilled and competent persons for live stock and meat inspectors and food inspectors, garbage inspectors, water in- spectors, etc., whose duty it is to carefully inspect all food supplies offered for sale in the city and to examine into the sanitary condition of all places where food products are prepared or offered for sale. There are thirteen sanitary officers under the control of the board of health.
The Quarantine Service is under the control of the department or public health and charities. The city council appropriates a special fund for the prevention of the spread of contagious diseases.
Hospitals-There are many hospitals in Indianapolis, including tbe institutions for the insane, the blind and deaf and dumb, that are sup- ported by the state. They are as finely equipped and as ably conducted . as any in the country, and there is no kind of bodily suffering that may not find skillful treatment and kindly nursing in one or the other
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INDIANA INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND.
of these healing institutions, where the most eminent physicians and surgeons give freely of their time and skill. The wealthy patient may command all the luxuries a fine private home could give, and the poor man may enjoy comforts and conveniences not possible in his condition.
The City Hospital is under the control of a superintendent ap- pointed by the department of public health and charities, assisted by internes who are graduates from the regular medical colleges and are selected by a competent board of examiners appointed by the board of health. The city hospital was built in 1856, and its beneficiaries are the sick poor of the city. The Indianapolis Training School for Nurse; is conducted in this institution under the charge of the hospital au- thorities.
Eleanor Hospital belongs to and is controlled by the Flower Mis- sion, and is maintained by public subscription. It is a private hospital for sick children of the poor and is located at 1806 North Capitol avenne.
Protestant Deaconess Home and Hospital is conducted under the auspices of the German Protestants. It is located on North Capitol avenue in one of the finest hospital buildings in the city. Patients are received from any place.
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PROTESTANT DEACONESS HOSPITAL.
St. Vincent's Hospital, located on the southeast corner of Dela- ware and South streets, is one of the greatest of the institutions erected and conducted under the auspices of the Catholic Church in this city. It is one of the best equipped and ably conducted institutions for heal- ing in the country.
The Methodist Deaconess Hospital, which is located on Sixteenth street between Capitol and Senate avenues, is conducted under the auspices of the Methodists of Indiana.
Indiana Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb was authorized by act of the legislature of 1844. It is located in the east- ern part of the city on Washington street. The grounds contain about 105 acres, and is one of the most beautiful spots about the city. The buildings are large and substantial and well fitted for the purpose for which they were built. There are over 300 pupils in the institute, with twenty-five teachers in the literary department, four industrial and four in the training department.
Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane is one of the most suc- cessfully administered institutions of the kind in the country. It was established by the state in 1847, and is located in the western part of the city on Washington street. The grounds embrace 160 acres, and
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CENTRAL INDIANA HOSPITAL FOR INSANE-WOMEN'S BUILDING.
present a beautiful parklike appearance, adorned with magnificent na- tive forest trees, shrubbery and flowers. The immense buildings occupy a slight eminence near the center of the grounds.
Indiana Institute for the Education of the Blind is situated in the center of the most beautiful residence section of the city. The build- ings and ground now occupy about four acres, although there are four more acres adjoining to the north that have been converted into a park. The institution was founded in 1847 by an act of the legislature, and the permanent buildings were completed in (853. The principal build- ing is five stories in height, with two four-story wings.
Asylum for Incurable Insane-In May, 1900, a new asylum for the incurable insane was completed at Julietta which has accommodations for 150 inmates. The building is fireproof, two stories high and modern in every respect. It is equipped with a steam heating, water and light- ing plant, and cost in construction $106,000. The farm which the insti- tution occupies contains 148 acres and cost $8.857.
City Dispensary is under the control of a superintendent, who is appointed by the board of public health and charities, and is assisted by five internes. These internes are selected from the regular medical
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CITY HOSPITAL.
colleges by a board of examiners. The dispensary maintains an am- bulance service and responds to emergency calls.
Bobbs' Free Dispensary, in connection with the Medical College of Indiana, is located on the northwest corner of Senate avenue and Market street.
Dr. W. B. Fletcher's Sanatorium was established in 1888 by Dr. W. B. Fletcher for the treatment of nervous and mental disease. This place was named Neuronhurst by the doctor, and is now located at the corner of East Market street and Highland avenue, on high ground, eight squares east of the soldiers' and sailors' monument. Here four years ago he erected a new building with accommodations for fifty pa- tients, which is as completely equipped with all appliances known to medical and surgical science as any similar institution in the United States. The percentage of cures from this sanatorium has been notably greater than that of any other similar institution in the country. Each patient is furnished with a separate room and a special nurse, with meals served to order in the room. The fee is from $100 to $200 per month.
Dr. Fletcher associated with him in establishing the Sanatorium Dr. Mary A. Spink, who has for the past twenty years worked side by
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side with him in the labor of ameliorating the suffering of the sick and nervous patients brought to the Sanatorium for treatment, and who will now have complete charge of the medical management of the institution, which during late years has been incorporated under the laws of the State of Indiana, and will be continued as a memorial of the labors of Dr. W. B. Fletcher in this line of professional work. It was Dr. Fletcher's will that the sanatorium should be continued; he so well recognized the necessity for such work as supplementing that accomplished by general hospitals and State Institutions. August 18th of each year will be celebrated as Founder's Day in the Institution.
Dr. Fletcher was born in Indianapolis, August 18, 1837. His father, Calvin Fletcher, was one of the earliest settlers, locating here in 1821, before the settlement had become dignified by a place on the map. He was a lawyer, and at once became prominent not only in his profession, but foremost also in the work to advance civilizing influences, notably in establishing a public school system and the introduction of the law establishing township libraries in every township in Indiana. Dr. Fletcher's school career began in a little log school house that was located at the spot now marked by the intersection of South and New Jersey streets; afterwards in the old seminary then located in the University park. In 1855 he studied, under Agassiz and Tenny, botany, zoology and other natural sciences and the study of medicine in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York from 1856-9, gradu- ating in 1850. He returned to Indianapolis and remained until 1861, when he was first among those to respond to the call for troops. His company was the Sixth Indiana, and he was detailed for duty on the staff of General T. A. Morris, and later transferred to the staff of General J. J. Reynolds. His war experience was of a brief but thrilling order, and before his first year's service he was captured, brought in irons before General Robert E. Lee, confined in prison, made two at- tempts to escape, was wounded in October, 1861, was tried, court- martialed, condemned to death and ordered to execution. He was for- tunately reprieved by order of General Lee pending an investigation, and by a providential occurrence and through the blunder of the notori- ous Captain Wirtz, his identity was lost to the confederates as a special prisoner. He was paroled and placed in charge of the gangrene hos- pital in Richmond, and in March, 1862, was paroled from the service, but during the entire war gave his best service to the sanitary com- mission, the state or the general government. In 1866-7 Dr. Fletcher visited Europe and studied in the hospitals of London, Paris, Glasgow and Dublin. For many years he has been professor of various depart- ments of the Indiana Medical College; later of the Central College of Physicians and Surgeons, and emeritus professor of nervous diseases in the Medical College of Indiana. He was a member of the American
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"NEURONHURST," DR. FLETCHER'S SANATORIUM.
Medical Association, of the State Medical Society, the New York Medico- Legal Society and of the State Microscopical Society, of which he was the first president. He established the city dispensary in 1870, and was for many years consulting physician of the city and St. Vincent hospitals. In 1882 he was elected state senator from this county, and in 1883 was made superintendent of the Indiana Hospital for the Insane. During
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his administration the institution witnessed great progress, the most notable innovation being the abolishment of restraint as a means of treating insanity. 1Ie was the first superintendent to appoint a woman physician to have charge of the female patients. He was a liberal con- tributor to the literature on the treatment of the insane and other branches of medical science.
Dr. Fletcher died in Florida April 25, 1907, after an illness ex- tending through several months, resulting from a stroke of apoplexy December, 1905.
This institution is essentially for the treatment of the sick and the nervous, especially for those on the borderland of mental disease, whose peculiarities or eccentricities render them less susceptible to successful treatment at home, or by the family physician, and those cases of paralysis whose helplessness militates against proper care out- side a hospital.
The strictest privacy is observed, and the building is so con- structed that there is no objectionable commingling of the various classes of patients undergoing treatment. Every effort is made by the management to give to each individual case the systematic daily care and attention best suited to the requirements of temperament and con- stitution, without losing sight of the necessities of restorative treat- ment.
The Sanatorium has a most complete hydrotherapeutic installa- tion where the remedial effects of various forms of baths are daily used. The methods of these treatments vary from the simplest tubbing or shower to a full Turkish bath with needle spray and plunge in the swimming pool, or the continuous bath so much used in Eastern Hos- pitals. The electrical equipment is complete and up to date, including every recognized form of electrical appliance and the use of photo- therapy, high frequency, and the restorative light baths of known value.
Systematic exercise is not overlooked. as it witnessed by the com- pletely furnished gymnasium in the building, where patients are given individual work by an experienced teacher under the daily supervi- sion of the physician in charge. The grounds of the institution are large and laid out with a view to afford pleasurable outdoor exercise at all times. The verandas are spacious, affording outdoor exercise rooms in day time and, by ingenious adaptation, sleeping accommoda- tions at night for nervous patients of tubercular tendency.
A Training School for Nurses is maintained in connection with the Sanatorium in which thirty young men and women are given instruc- tion in the scientific care of nervous invalids and in general nursing, as well as in giving manual massage. The diplomas given the nurses at the end of their three years of training are recognized by the State Board for Registration of Nurses, and a state license issued.
1
1.
'NEIIRONHURST''-OFFICERS' RESIDENCE-DR. FLETCHER'S SANATORIUM.
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"Norways," Dr. Albert E. Sterne's Sanatorium for Nervous Diseases-This institution is most delightfully situated in the eastern ยท portion of the city. Before it lies Woodruff park, with its beautiful drives and homes, its flowers, fountains and trees, making the view from the sanatorium particularly pleasant. West of it is Technical In- stitute park-the most beautiful and natural forest of trees in Indian- apolis. This large tract of forest protects "Norways" from the warm summer winds and dust and odor of the city, so that the atmosphere about the institution is especially free from taint during the warm summer months. To the north and behind "Norways" lies the Pogue run parkway, and further east Brookside park, each within a few moments' walk of the institution. At the same time the location of the buildings constituting "Norways" is the most salubrious in the city, for it is not alone surrounded by natural city parks, but stands upon the highest level, within the city limits. However, "Norways" does not necessarily feel the need of open or shaded ground aside from its own. Its domain comprises two acres of most beautiful lawn and grove. Even during the winter there remains the refreshing green of pines and hedge about the place. In summer, however, it is at its best as the foliage of trees and shrubs, the color and scent of many flowers, and the numerous comfortable outdoor nooks make it particularly inviting. While "Norways" has intrinsic beauty in its outer surroundings, its chief charm lies in the luxurious interior arrangements. There is no aspect here of the austere hospital, none whatever, save in those portions where medical or surgical work is performed. Everything is fitted out with a view to the comfort and pleasure of patients, without sacrific- ing in the least degree its aim for their thorough scientific treatment. The institution is composed of several buildings, some of which are isolated and detached, so that complete control and, where desirable, complete separation of various classes of patients can be maintained. This is an important feature of the institution regime. At no time are undesirable patients allowed to mingle with those upon whom the slightest deleterious influence might be exerted through contact, nor are patients allowed to speak of their troubles or symptoms to each other-a habit very commonly found and difficult to curb. The rules and regulations governing the sanatorium are as rigidly enforced as possible; yet, as these are in no sense severe, no great difficulty is en- countered in their enactment. At the same time "Norways" is distinct- ly an institution where the patients are most thoroughly treated, and while every reasonable effort is made to furnish quiet amusements to its clientele, it must not be sought by persons, sick or well, bent upon having a good time. It is a place wholly and solely for the care and treatment of those who seek a restoration to health and strength. To
"NORWAYS"-DR. ALBERT E. STERNE'S SANATORIUM FOR NERVOUS DISEASES.
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this end the sanatorium is particularly devoted. Large and commodious' treatment-rooms, equipped with the finest apparatus, some of which is not to be seen elsewhere, are everywhere at hand, and make it easy to accomplish any desired method of treatment. Trained nurses and at- tendants min- ister to the care and wants of all patients. The patients' bedrooms are large and airy, well ventilated and steam heated. Elec- tric light only is used. Every- thing necessary to the comfort and care of those used to DR. STERNE'S BUILDING FOR MENTAL DISEASES. luxury is pro- vided. Especial attention is accorded to the cuisine. While "Nor- ways" is primarily a sanatorium for the treatment of nervous diseases, both medical and surgical, there are usually so many complicating features about such cases that, of necessity, almost every variety of affection is encountered and treated at the same time. All forms of constitutional maladies are accepted at the institution, notably those prone to be benefited or cured by the use of electricity, massage, baths, diet, rest and proper care, such as rheumatism, diabetes, stomach and kidney troubles, all forms of paralysis and drug addictions. Dur- ing recent years the sanatorium has developed an entirely new method of treatment, namely, that of the actinic or ultra-violet rays of light. It is claimed for this method that it surpasses any other in its effect upon constitutional diseases. This is especially true as regards the first stages of consumption or any other form of tuber- culosis. In the treatment of malignant growths, like cancer, the X-rays are employed by experts only. Attention is directed to the new build- ing for the care and isolation of selected cases, a model of its kind and entirely separated from the rest of the institution. "Norways" was established a few years ago by Dr. Albert E. Sterne, and each year has added to its success and consequent enlargement so that at present it is almost quadruple the original size. Dr. Sterne is a graduate of Har- vard University and of the University of Berlin, devoting six and one- half years to the study of medicine in Europe. At present he is a mem-
PATIENT'S ROOM
LIBRARY
RECEPTION ROOMS
THE SUNNERV
SOME INTERIOR VIEWS OF "NORWAYS," DR. ALBERT E. STERNE'S SANATORIUM.
.
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ber of many medical and scientific societies, notably of the American Medical Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was assistant surgeon-general of the National Guard on the staff of Governor Durbin. Dr. Sterne holds the professorship of nervous and mental diseases at the Indiana Medical College, the School of Medicine of Purdne University, and is consultant to all the city institutions.
The Dr. Joseph Eastman Hospital, the first to be established in the State and one of the most complete institutions in the country for
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