History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 123

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 123

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ALEXIAN BROTHERS' HOSPITAL. - The order which conducts this institution was established in Germany in the fourteenth century, during the prev- alence of the plague known as the " black death," and for the purpose of ministering to its victims. It has since been devoted to the care of the sick and insanc. The St. Louis branch was established in October, 1869, and chartered March, 1870, with Brother Stanislaus Schwiperich as its first president, and Brother Prochus Schutte as secretary. The first house occupied (a small one) was bought with the grounds in 1870 ; the pres- ent building (the corner-stone of which was laid June 6, 1873) has a front of one hundred and seventy-six feet by a depth of thirty feet, and was opened for pa- tients June 4, 1874. The building, which is situated at Jefferson Avenue and Osage Street, is of an im- posing exterior, and is fitted up with every appliance for the care and comfort of its inmates. It will ac- commodate one hundred patients. The grounds con- tain about four and a half acres, and bear eloquent testimony to the industry and gardening skill of the brothers. During the year 1881 nine hundred and thirty-six patients were treated. The hospital is open to people of all denominations, and the poor are re- ceived without charge, but those able are expected to pay. It is mainly supported, however, by collections and donations. The present officers are Brother Jodacus Schiffer, president ; Brother Hubert Cremer, vice-president ; Brother Dominicus, secretary ; Brother Prochus, treasurer. The hospital is attended by Drs. Gregory, Lutz, and Wesseler.

THE ST. LOUIS LYING-IN CHARITY AND LYING- IN HOSPITAL .- This charity was incorporated Nov. 30, 1874, its object being " to inaugurate an institu- tion whereby a mother with a family of dependent children could be, in the hour of her extremity, at- tended to and relieved of her suffering, as also onc whereat the sick and helpless of her scx could at all times apply for medical and surgical aid."

A board of directors was appointed, consisting of Drs. John B. Johnson, president ; George J. Engel- mann, secretary ; John T. Hodgen, Philip Wcigel, A. Wislizenus, and G. Baumgarten. The medical

staff consisted of Dr. George J. Engelmann, physi- cian-in-chief; Dr. G. Baumgarten, consulting physi- cian ; and Drs. E. M. Nelson, Edward Evers, W. Wyman, W. E. Fischel, A. M. Bierwirth, and I. N. Love, attending physicians. The members of the graduating classes at the St. Louis School of Mid- wives volunteered their services to nurse patients of the charity during the following year.

A committee of prominent ladies from different parts of the city was organized, and took an active part in raising funds, and in other ways extending the influence and usefulness of the organization, while the leading druggists filled gratuitously prescriptions written by the medical staff for patients of the charity. The first patient was attended at her own home under the auspices of the charity Jan. 22, 1875.

One year after the organization of the out-door department it was dcemed practicable to inaugurate the hospital. This was done by renting the building 2834 Franklin Avenue, now occupied by the Chil- dren's Hospital, which was partially furnished and opened Dec. 1, 1875.

In March, 1877, the hospital was moved to the building on the northwest corner of Clark Avenue and Fifteenth Street, where the work was continued until the close of the year 1879, when it was found necessary to give it up for lack of means to continue it. During the five years of its existence a great deal of good was accomplished.

THE MISSOURI EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY Was founded in 1876 by Dr. R. Gebser, and incorporated in August of that year. Dr. Gebser carried on the infirmary at his own expense for three and a half years, until his death, since which time it has been kept up by Dr. W. A. Frazier, who was associated with Dr. Gebser. The infirmary is located at 1304 Chestnut Street, and has been the means of affording relief to a large number of worthy poor.

CONVENT AND HOSPITAL OF. THE FRANCISCAN SISTERS .- In 1865 four sisters of the Order of St. Francis (better known as Franciscan Sisters) came from Germany and built a convent near Carondelet, south of the River des Peres. This was burned in 1877, and the sisters removed to St. Louis, pur- chasing from Father Henry, of St. Lawrence O'Toole's Church, the lot (one hundred by onc hun- dred and twenty-seven and a half feet ) on which their convent now stands, at the southeast corner of O'Fal- lon and Fourteenth Streets. The sisters who first came in 1865 afterwards returned to Germany, but not before others had come to supply their places. In 1877, Sister Bernarda Passman, banished from

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HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

Germany for political reasons, came to St. Louis, and was made Mother Superior, which position she has since retained. In January, 1878, the Order at St. Louis was chartered, with Sisters Bernarda Passman, Alfonsa Cormann, and Cecilia Hawig as incorpo- rators. Their house was erected in 1878-79, and Pius Hospital (as they call it) received its first pa- tient on Jan. 1, 1880. The sisters, of whom there are now twenty in the establishment, also provide board and lodging for servant-girls out of place, at low rates and on easy terms of payment.

ST. LOUIS PROTESTANT HOSPITAL .- In the spring of 1881 a " Medical Mission" was organized under the supervision of a committee from the board of di- rectors of the Young Men's Christian Association. Rooms were fitted up in a building that belonged to the association, a small stock of drugs was procured, and a medical staff was appointed consisting of Drs. L. H. Laidley, E. M. Nelson, F. R. Fry, E. W. Saun- ders, and M. H. Post. Circulars were sent out, and one of the physicians was in attendance at certain hours every day. The dispensary work was carried on under this form of organization, except that Dr. Saun- ders withdrew from the medical staff, until about the end of the year, when the work was enlarged by fit- ting up the remaining rooms of the building as a hospital for the reception of patients. In the autumn of 1882 an organization was effeeted under the name of the St. Louis Protestant Hospital Association, and a charter was procured. The incorporators were E. O. Stanard, E. H. Semple, Charles W. Barstow, J. G. Chapman, S. M. Dodd, George W. Parker, W. P. Mullen, E. P. V. Ritter, George A. Baker, F. L. Johnston, George S. Edgell, James H. Wear, and I. M. Mason.

The officers of the Medical Mission transferred to the new association all their medicines and hospital stores and furnishings. The following gentlemen constitute the medical staff of the hospital, in connec- tion with which the regular dispensary service is still maintained : Drs. L. H. Laidley, E. M. Nelson, M. H. Post, G. Armstrong, W. G. Moore, P. Y. Tupper, and Frank P. Johnson.

It is still the day of small things with this institu- tion, but it promises to become one of great value and usefulness.

ST. LOUIS INSANE ASYLUM .- In St. Louis City and County, up to within a few years, no provision for the insane poor had been made, and the county authorities were finally compelled to make such ar- rangements as enabled them to send their insane to the State asylum at Fulton. This plan, however, was found expensive and inconvenient, and the ne-

cessity of having a county insane asylum was plainly suggested. The matter came up before the County Court at different times during the years of 1861 and 1862, but no definite action was taken until the 20th of April, 1864, when the motion of Judge Fisse, sub- mitted Dec. 10, 1863, to erect a county insane asylumn, was taken under consideration by the court. The original motion contemplated a building with a ca- pacity for one hundred patients, but when the matter came to be discussed it was generally admitted this was insufficient to mect the wants of the county. In the mean time, William Rumbold, county architect, was instructed to prepare plans to be submitted to the court. On the 21st of July, 1864, the first allowance in connection with the project was made by the court for the purchase of a tract of land in the vicinity of the county poor-house, which was deemed advisable to include in the ground, consisting of one hundred and forty arpens. The inception of the enterprise was attended with the usual delays and difficulties. On the 21st of August, 1864, the plan prepared and submitted by Mr. Rumbold was approved, but the work did not commence till late in the fall. The site ehosen was an elevated piece of ground a short dis- tance west of the county poor-liouse, being part of what is known as the county farm, from which there is a wide prospeet on all sides of an undulating and fertile country. The work progressed steadily, and as the design of the architeet, in character and ex- tent, became evident the magnitude of the under- taking began to excite alarmı. Mr. Rumbold always maintained that the building eould not have been made smaller and meet the wants of the county, and that the future would even render necessary a further increase of accommodation, and time has shown that even he underestimated the demands that would be made upon the asylum. Mr. Rumbold died during the progress of the work, and was succeeded by Ed- ward Mortimer, superintendent, and John F. Durham, assistant.

The general appearance of the edifice is that of a massive, substantial structure, built to endure, and for a practical purpose rather than for architectural display. It consists of a centre building five stories in height, with wings three stories in height branching out at the east and west sides. Each of these wings termi- nates in what architects call " an arm," or, more in- telligibly, a building broader and higher than the body of the wing, and forming a cross at either end of the cdifice. The projections thus formed, and also by the centre building, which is considerably broader than the wings, relieve the structure from monotony of appearance. The centre building is ninety-six

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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

feet by seventy-six feet. The body of each wing is seventy-six feet in length by forty-four feet wide, and the arms arc sixty-seven feet in length by forty fect wide. The total length of building is three hun- dred and thirteen feet ten inches. The foundation walls are built of stone, and are constructed of solid masonry, and descend six feet below the surface of the ground. The basement walls are also of stone, and are strong and solid ; their height to floor of first story is eleven feet. At the highest point, the altitude is one hundred and ninety-four feet. In the arms of the wings there are five stories. There are in the entire building about four hundred and thirty-seven windows. On the first story, in either arm of the wings, and also in the main buildings, there are large windows, adorned by beautiful stone pillars of the Corinthian order. The main entrance is on the north side, to which there is an approach of massive stone steps, and is also handsomely ornamented. The walls are of brick, with stone facings, and the stone used in the construction of the base is all North St. Louis limestone, and is a handsome and compact material. All the other cut stone is from Joliet, Ill. On the south side of the centre building there is an open portico, supported by brick piers running up the entire height of the main building, thus affording a pleasant out-door promenade for patients on cach story.

The lower part of the dome is of brick, and the dome proper of iron rib work, similar to that of the court-house, covered with copper. There is also an observatory, from which a magnificent view may be obtained.

The interior of the building is admirably arranged for the treatment of insane persons, and is well sup- plied with every convenience. The ventilation is ex- cellent, and the water supply ample. The boilers and engines, the main kitchen, laundry, and officers' quar- ters are located in a brick out-building about one hun- dred feet distant from the main building, which is con- nected with it by a subterranean railway running through a tunnel of about one hundred and four feet in length, through which food and other necessaries are carried to the main building. The cost of con- struction, etc., was about seven hundred thousand dol- lars. The building was first occupied April 23, 1869. The only fault to be found with the asylum is that it is inadequate to the demands made upon it. In the re- port of N. de V. Howard, superintendent, to Charles W. Francis, health commissioner, April 1, 1881, he says, " I must again call your attention to our crowded condition. Although one hundred and nine patients have been discharged and sixty-six transferred to 99

other institutions, there are still three hundred and forty-three in a house which was built to contain two hundred and fifty. I can't pack them much closer. The number admitted, two hundred and fifteen, is larger than that of any preceding year. It should be borne in mind that an insane asylum is not like a hotel in that it has 'always room for one more.' If the insane are herded together like sheep they may be expected to fight like tigers. If the overcrowding here becomes much worse you must prepare for the occurrence of homicides and other serious accidents in spite of all the surveillance that can be exercised, and then the cry of bad manage- ment will be raised. In my violent hall I have only five available single rooms : it contains thirty-nine patients. One small associate dormitory contains seven patients every night."

The superintendents have been successively Drs. Charles W. Stevens, T. R. H. Smith, William B. Hazard, J. K. Bauduy, E. S. Frazer, and N. de V. Howard, the present incumbent, who has served for seven years. Drs. Bauduy and Frazer were what were then styled " visiting superintendents," Drs. Fichten- kamp, Leffingwell, and Howard being successively the " resident physicians."

THE HOUSE OF REFUGE .- The present building, on Louisiana Avenue, between Gasconade and Osage Streets, was erected in 1858, and cost about sixty-four thousand dollars. It originally consisted of a centre building four stories in height, with wings on the east and west sides of three storics each. When the institution was opened it had a capacity of about three hundred inmates and all the necessary business offices and apartments. Previous to its erection, the building used for house of refuge purposes was the small structure some little distance east, and now used for the female branch of the institution. On the 15th of February, 1865, the east wing and centre of the new building were destroyed by fire. The value of furniture, clothing, and bedding was five thousand dollars. There was an insurance of twenty thousand dollars on the building, which was applied to restoring the west wing. This wing is the principal branch of the institution, and is occupied by the male depart- ment. The old building is still occupied by the girls' department. The daily average of childreu for the year ending April 10, 1881, was two hundred and thirty-four. The amount expended in the main- tenance of the institution during the same time was about thirty-five thousand dollars. John D. Schaef- fer is the superintendent, and the managers are the mayor, ex officio, Theophile Papin, John Schnell, James E. Cowan, and George Bain.

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HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR .- In May, 1868, several French sisters arrived in St. Louis and estab- lished the order of Little Sisters of the Poor. The location of their first house was on Morgan Street, near Eighteenth, but it was subsequently removed to its present location at Nineteenth and Hebert Streets. The incorporators were Hortense Marie, Marie Bar- nard, Barbara Vackeus, Elizabeth Vergne, Elizabeth M. Neville, Frances Schever, Elizabeth Stern, Marie Brent, Marie Garabalda, and Anselme Bouvidase. The object of the institution is to aid the poor and care for the aged and infirm. The institution was char- tered July 14, 1870, and the corner-stone of the present building was laid in the following year. The structure was finished in 1875, and dedicated Oc- tober 24th of the same year. Although commodious, it was insufficient on account of the increasing num- ber of poor and infirm inmates, and in September, 1882, the corner-stone of an addition which nearly equals the original house was laid. Sister Hortense Marie became first president of the board of officers. She was followed by Sister Marie Blanche, the present manager.

Medical Journalism .- The greatest part of the literary effort of St. Louis physicians has found ex- pression in the pages of medical journals, and the St. Louis periodicals of this class have contained much of real valuc to the profession. In the order in which they were established, the various medical journals of the city have been as follows :

St. Louis Medical and Surgical Journal .- The first number of this periodical, which was the first medical journal published west of the Mississippi River, was issued in April, 1843. Many other medi- cal journals have been started in St. Louis since its advent, but most of them have had a brief cxistence, while the. Journal has continued to the present time, increasing in influence and circulation. Its publica- tion was temporarily suspended during the war, but with that exception and the omission of one issue at the time of the great fire that occurred during the epidemic of cholera in 1849, it has appeared regularly from the time of its establishment to the present day. The founder of the journal was Dr. M. L. Linton, who was at first the sole editor and pro- prietor, but after a time he associated with himself Drs. McPheeters and Fourgeaud, the former of whom continued to assist Dr. Linton in the management of the journal until the war. At the close of the war the journal was revived by Dr. T. J. White, who was succeeded in the editorial chair by Dr. G. Baum- garten, who conducted the publication with marked ability for three years. In 1871, Drs. Edgar and Gill

assumed the editorial and business control. In 1878, Dr. Edgar sold the journal to its present proprietor, Dr. Thomas F. Rumbold, under whose management it has been enlarged and its circulation greatly in- creased. It is at the present writing in the fortieth year of its publication, and is in a very prosperous condition. For three years prior to 1883, Dr. A. H. Ohmann-Dumesnil was associated with Dr. Rumbold in the editorial management. A feature of special interest and value in the journal for several years has been the publication of full reports of the discussions at the meetings of the St. Louis Medical Society. These discussions are reported by short-hand, and then corrected and revised by the publication com- mittee of the society, thus securing a complete re- port of the meetings, and preserving in a permanent form much valuable medical truth that would other- wise fail to be brought before the profession.

The Missouri Medical and Surgical Journal was started in May, 1845. It was under the editorial management of Dr. R. F. Stevens, and was a twenty- four-page monthly, the subscription price being two dollars per annum. Towards the close of the year it passed into the hands of Drs. J. N. McDowell and Thomas Barbour, the latter of whom assumed the entire charge in 'April, 1846, Dr. McDowell's time being taken up with the preparation of a work on sur- gery and surgical anatomy. In May, 1847, Dr. Coons was associated with Dr. Barbour in the conduct of the periodical. At the commencement of the third volume the proprietors congratulated themselves on having a subscription-list of three hundred, and upon the fact that during the preceding few weeks they had received " some fifteen or more new sub- scribers." In September, 1848, this journal was merged into the St. Louis Medical and Surgical Journal.

The St. Louis Probe was established in 1850, by Drs. Coons and Atkinson. It had only an ephemeral existence, and we have been unable to learn any par- ticulars in regard to it.

The St. Louis Medical Reporter was established in 1866 under the editorial management of Drs. O. F. Potter and J. S. B. Alleyne. It was a thirty-two- page semi-monthly. It continued for three years, and was then discontinued. It was ably edited and well printed, and illustrations were liberally used. Changes in the publishing house and editorial man- agement had an unfavorable effect, and after the completion of the third volume the publication was discontinucd.

The Humboldt Medical Archives was established in 1868 by Drs. A. Hammer and J. C. Whitehill.

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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

It was designed to be an exponent of the teachings of the school of pathology of which Virchow was the leader, and to take an advanced position in all pro- fcssional matters. Dr. Hammer's connection with the Archives ceased at the end of the first year, but Dr. Whitehill continued to edit and publish it until 1874, about which time he left St. Louis. During a part of this time he was alone, but most of the time he had assistant and associate editors, among. whom were Drs. E. A. Clark, E. F. Smith, E. H. Gregory, J. S. Moore, L. Ch. Boislinière, E. Mont- gomery, A. Hammer, J. S. B. Alleyne, and Thomas Kennard. After the first two volumes were pub- lished the word " Humboldt" was dropped from the title, and the journal was known simply as the Med- ical Archives.

The St. Louis Clinical Record was established in 1874 by Drs. W. A. Hardaway and A. B. Shaw, the latter of whom only remained in connection with the journal one year. After two years the journal passed into the hands of Dr. W. B. Hazard, who carried it on until the middle of 1882, at which time the pub- lication was discontinued.

St. Louis Courier of Medicine .- In the fall of 1878 a number of physicians in St. Louis, together with some of their friends, formed an association under the style of the Medical Journal Association of Missouri. The object of the association was to estab- lish and sustain a first-class medical journal, which should be devoted exclusively to medical and scientific matters, and maintain the highest possible standard of literary merit with the best attainable mechanical ex- ecution. The officers of the association during its first ycar were John T. Hodgen, president ; H. N. Spencer, secretary and treasurer ; P. G. Robinson, G. A. Moses, and John P. Bryson, executive com- mittee.

The name chosen for the new journal was The St. Louis Courier of Medicine and Collateral Sciences. The first number appeared in January, 1879, under the editorial management of Dr. A. J. Stcele, with Dr. W. A. Hardaway as associate editor, and Dr. E. W. Schauffler, of Kansas City, as correspond- ing editor. At the end of that year Dr. E. M. Nel- son was appointed editor, and has filled that position ever since. Drs. G. A. Moscs, John P. Bryson, Isaac N. Love, C. A. Todd, W. A. Hardaway, and W. C. Glasgow have been members of the corps of editors for one or more years, the present staff com- prising Drs. E. M. Nelson, W. A. Hardaway, John P. Bryson, and W. C. Glasgow, together with several corresponding editors in other leading Western cities.

At the end of the first year the membership of the association was extended and the name was changed to " The Medical Journal Association of the Missis- sippi Valley." In 1881 the association was formally incorporated under the name of the Medical Journal and Library Association of the Mississippi Valley. In accordance with an arrangement made in the establishment of the Courier of Medicine, the ex- changes and books for review are preserved in a library, to which all members of the association have frec and unrestricted access for purposes of consulta- tion, and already quite a valuable reference library has been accumulated. This is at present kept with the library of the Medico-Chirurgical Society in the hall of the latter. After publishing the Courier for two years an arrangement was made with the medical publishing house of James H. Chambers & Co. by which they assumed charge of the business manage- ment, while the association retains control of the lit- erary management, appointing the editor and directing the general policy of the Courier.

The arrangement has proved a very satisfactory one. The influence of the Courier is constantly in- creasing, and it has become a very handsome property, as well as a credit to those who have been concerned in founding and carrying it on.

The Alicnist and Neurologist is a journal devoted to a consideration of affections of the mind and ner- vous system. It is a quarterly, owned and edited by Dr. C. H. Hughes, whom long experience as super- intendent of the State Insane Asylum and years of special study of all forms of nervous disease have qualified to edit such a journal witlı credit to him- self and satisfaction to the readers. The Alienist and Neurologist is making a fine success in every way and constantly gaining in reputation and value.

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History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 123

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358