USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the end of the century : a history, Volume 2 > Part 7
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A department for treating diseases of women and children was opened in 1877, with Dr. George W. Porter in charge; this department took the name of the Gynecological Department in the report of 1882. It became of great importance in the hospital work, and Dr. J. H. Davenport was subsequently associated with Dr. Porter. In January, 1882, Dr. Thurston was succeeded in the office of admitting physician and superintendent by Dr. Charles E. Woodbury. In that year an autopsy building was erccted through the generosity of Mrs. Elizabeth A. Shepard, at a cost of nearly $6,000, and a children's ward was opened.
Upon the death of George I. Chace, Samuel R. Dorrance was elected president of the board of trustees of the hospital in 1885. In
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the same year a gynecological cottage was completed at a cost of $1,454.74, which was the gift of Dr. J. W. Mitchell and some of his personal friends. In 1886 the General Assembly granted an amend- ment to the hospital charter, granting it authority to hold property producing an income of $100,000. Mr. Dorrance was succeeded as president, in 1887, by Royal C. Taft, who has since held the office. In 1889 Dr. Woodbury was succeeded by Dr. John M. Peters as admitting physician and superintendent, a position which he has ever since held, administering its responsible duties with rare judgment and sagacity.
After long feeling the great need of a separate building for out- patients, who had previously been taken into the wards, in 1890 Thomas P. I. Goddard made a donation for the erection of such a building at a cost of not more than $18,000; the final cost was a little more than $22,000 and the building was occupied in 1891. It stands near the entrance to the grounds, and contains a waiting room, sur- gical rooms, medical rooms, ophthalmic and aural rooms, and gyneco- logical apartments. At this time the department for treatment of the ear, nose and throat was separated from that for the eye, the latter continuing under Dr. H. G. Miller, and the former under Dr. F. P. Capron and two assistants. A department for treating diseases of the skin was opened at this time, under Dr. James Morgan.
Upon the death of George I. Chace he left by will $12,000 to be paid upon the death of his widow for the establishment of free beds in the hospital, and directed that the remainder should be left by her upon her death to such charitable purposes as she might direct in her will. Upon her death she gave one-half of the remainder of the estate, less $2,000, for either the erection of a building for nurses, or to be invested otherwise as a fund, the income of which should be devoted to the training of nurses. The trustees of the hospital resolved to devote the whole sum to building a structure for the nurses. The building was accordingly erected and first occupied on August 28, 1893.
In 1895 a special department was opened for orthopedic surgery, of which Dr. Frank E. Peckham was appointed surgeon. In that year a contract was made with the city of Providence under which a new building was to be constructed for cases of contagious diseases that might be sent to it by the city, the city to pay $17,500, the contract to terminate whenever the hospital should return that sum to the city in one payment; no interest was to be paid to the city. The building was erected at a cost of about $20,000, and was opened July 13, 1896.
In 1896 a department of neurology was opened under charge of Dr. Eugene Kingman. In 1899 Drs. Horace G. Miller and F. P.
KNOWN AS THE CITY WARD OF THE RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL FOR SCARLET FEVER AND DIPHTHERIA PATIENTS.
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1
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EPIDEMICS AND MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
Capron were added to the consulting staff of physicians. Dr. Miller had been in charge of the ophthalmic department since 1868.
During the past ten years the hospital has received many generous gifts from benevolent people who appreciated its magnificent useful- ness. In 1890 $10,000 were received from the Samuel M. Noyes estate ; $2,000 from Maria L. H. Cady, and over $3,000 from Sarah S. Whipple, in addition to the amount previously given. The gift of John Wilson Smith of $67,000 became available in 1893, and another from Mary Jane Sheldon of $5,000. The will of Julia Bullock left $10,000 in 1894, and in the same year $16,000 was received from William T. Sayles, of Pawtucket, for the establishment of free beds. In 1895 $6,500 was received from Sarah S. Whipple, and in 1897 the sum of $100,000 was received from the estate of Thomas P. I. Goddard, subject to an annuity of $2,500. The sum mentioned as previously received from Sarah S. Whipple was $23,925, in 1887, and in 1886 a fund was created by E. Aug. Allen, of $24,726.53, to be paid on the death of Ellen Maria Allen. The total hospital fund now amounts to $715,086.31 (in 1900), which is carefully invested in bank and rail- road stocks, bonds, etc .; but large as is this fund, there has always been a deficiency each year in the receipts of the institution to meet the expenses. This has, however, been regularly guaranteed by gen- erous citizens of Providence.
During a number of years past the want of more room has been very pressing, and in 1897-8 plans were prepared for a new pavilion, which was erected in 1899 and 1900 at a cost of about $175,000; it was formally opened on May 2, 1900, with appropriate ceremonies. A part of it is devoted to the Troup department for treatment of cancer.
The following statement of hospital statistics is valuable for refer- ence and interesting in its relation to the growth of the institution :
No. Patients.
Expenses.
1869
247
$17,142.04
1870
271
23,643.36
1871
287
24,486.56
1872
421
21.239.47
1873
429
28,801.62
1874
413
25,345.68
1875
444
26,298.00
1876
417
25,273.07
1877
415
25,500.26
1878
367
24,301.19
1879
425
24,062.81
1880
438
23,150.85
5
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
No. Patients.
Expenses.
1881
452
30,889.69
1882
670
38,155.03
1883
812
48,840.22
1884
674
43,434.67
1885
702
38,253.89
1886
691
37,548.95
1887
790
45,753.60
1888
826
30,263.29
1889
902.
48,424.19
1890
.1,089.
48,617.12
1891
1,061.
52,111.79
1892
1,322
55,792.11
1893
.1,476
60,907.08
1894
.1,730
69,316.20
1895
.2,046
69,493.43
1896
.2,283
65,434.08
1897.
2,421
81,771.67
1898
2,516
81,317.68
1899
.2,750.
87,238.28
The number of out-patients as given in 1870 was 1,709; in 1899 the number was 6,806.
The gross amount of the hospital fund is now $715,086.31, which is invested in bank stocks, railroad stocks, bonds, bills receivable and miscellaneous securities. For the year 1899 there were 1,577 am- bulance calls made from the hospital.
An institution that has been of great benefit to the city of Provi- dence is the Providence Lying-in Hospital, which was incorporated February 29, 1884. The incorporators named in the act were Oliver C. Wiggin, John W. Mitchell, George W. Porter, Benjamin A. Jack- son, and James G. Vose. The first report of the trustees was not pub- lished until 1887. Oliver C. Wiggin was chosen president of the board of six trustees ; Dr. Edward F. Walker, president of the medical staff, a responsible position which he has ever since filled. There was selected a board of six visiting physicians, and five consulting physi- cians. The first house physician was Dr. E. Flood; admitting physi- cian, Dr. R. H. Carver; matron, Elizabeth Huggins.
Organization of the institution was perfected in the fall of 1884, and after having secured what was known as the Gen. James estate, on Slocum street, the institution took possession of it in April, 1885. It was opened on May 15, and the first patient was received the next day. At the time of the first report, in 1887, fifty-four children had been born in the hospital and no mother's death had taken place therein.
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EPIDEMICS AND MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
The training of nurses was taken up, and they were sent out in emer- gency cases.
Early in the year 1887 the Joseph Fletcher property, on the corner of State and Field streets, was purchased and occupied in August of that year. With some additions and improvements since made the building is well adapted to its purposes. In 1888 a system of guarantees was established to provide for the annual deficiency ; the guarantee fund was divided into two hundred shares, the liability of each guarantor not to exceed $10. Since that time the annual deficiency has been thus provided for by benevolent people of the city. In the same year the hospital received the sum of $9,000 from the trustees of the late Col. Stephen T. Olney, which was paid under a provision of his will; the money was used to reduce the mortgage on the building. Measures were also adopted at that time to begin the training of obstetrical nurses.
In 1889 the offices of superintendent and matron were combined and Annie M. Webber chosen for the position. From the estate of the late Daniel W. Lyman the sum of $10,000 was received, and a gift of $1,000 from Joseph Banigan. In 1891 John W. Mitchell succeeded Oliver C. Wiggin as president of the board of trustees and has since held that office. By this time donations had been received for the hospital sufficient to create a permanent fund of $13,000, while the resources were placed at $18,386.93. From 1895 down to 1900 the annual amount of the permanent fund and of the resources have been as follows : 1895, permanent fund, $16,863; resources, $35,252.07. 1896, permanent fund, $16,863.00; resources, $35,919.34. 1897, per- manent fund, $15,563 ; resources, $34,383.90. 1898, permanent fund, $15,363; resources, $34,211.69. 1899, permanent fund, $13,223.00; resources, $34,054.72. In 1897 the hospital was benefited by a bequest of $10,000 from the late Joseph Banigan, and $1,000 from the estate of Mrs. Pallas S. Wheeler; in the next year the State of Rhode Island granted the institution $2,500, in consideration of its great usefulness, and has annually given a like amount since that year, for its care of paupers. The interest of the State is protected by the appointment on the Committee of Finance of two ex-officio members from the State Legislature.
In the year 1893 an infant's ward was added to the hospital, and in 1895 the building was changed and improved at a cost of about $5,000. The institution is now free from permanent debt and is con- ducted at an annual cost of about $14,000 a year, with annual deficit of about $5,000.
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
The first house physician, Dr. E. Flood, was succeeded in 1891 by Dr. James H. Akers, and he by Dr. Alex. K. Winter. In 1896 the position was given to Dr. George H. Crocker. He resigned within a year and Dr. Charles W. Higgins was chosen. In 1896 Ada B. Pike was chosen matron. This office was abolished in 1897, when Elizabeth B. Smillie was appointed superintendent, with Martha M. Russell, assistant superintendent. In 1899 Jane A. Wright was appointed superintendent, and two house physicians in the persons of Drs. Halsey DeWolf and H. G. Partridge, succeeded Dr. Charles W. Hig- gins. The first president of the medical staff was Dr. Eugene King- inan, who was succeeded within two years by Dr. Edward F. Walker, who has served with the utmost fidelity and efficiency from that time to 1900.
Since the training of nurses began in the hospital, nearly fifty have been graduated, the services of whom in the city and vicinity have been of incalculable benefit to the suffering.
The city of Newport has a hospital, which was established mainly through the generosity and public spirit of a woman, who started the movement in the spring of 1872. A committee was designated to bring the matter before the public, solicit contributions and take charge of the funds. Citizens and summer residents in the city re- sponded generously, and the sum of $24,123.40 was soon raised. The institution was incorporated in 1873, with a board of ten trustees, with the mayor of the city a member ex-officio. It was provided that the corporation should comprise this board and all persons who should thereafter give the hospital $100 or more at any one time. A site was purchased on Friendship street and a suitable building erected, which was opened for the reception of patients on November 22, 1873. Since that time a number of funds have been established which have greatly increased the usefulness of the institution. Among these are the
Littlefield fund of $23,600, the John Alfred Hazard fund of $25,243. the Samuel Clinton annuity of $5,000, the Robert Rogers memorial of $1,000, and others through which free beds are provided. During 1895-6 four new wards were added to the hospital; these were the Vanderbilt ward for men; the Ledyard ward for women and children; the Carey ward, for paying patients, erected in memory of Henry R. Astor Carey by his brother; this is a separate building; and the Van- derbilt surgical building, the gift of Frederick W. Vanderbilt. A de- partment for treatment of diseases of the eye, and another for diseases of the ear, was opened in 1896. The hospital is very complete in all of its appointments and facilities and is generously served by the physicians of the city.
1
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EPIDEMICS AND MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
The Woonsocket Hospital was founded through the generosity of Dr. Ezekiel Fowler, who died July 23, 1863, leaving in his will $6,000, which sum was more than doubled under the stewardship of the trustee, Latimer W. Ballou; and a fund of $28,000, left by George Law at his death in 1873, to be devoted to some worthy charity. When it was decided by his executors that it might be applied to the found- ing of a hospital an organization was effected, and in May, 1873, the following persons were incorporated as the Woonsocket Hospital : Dr. Ariel Ballou, Latimer W. Ballou, Thomas Steere, Paul Greene, Ira B. Peck, George C. Ballou, Stephen N. Mason, Willis Cook, Darius D. Farnum, Joseph E. Cole, Francello G. Jillson, Joseph B. Aldrich, and Reuben G. Randall. The corporation was authorized to hold not more than $300,000 in property, which was to be free from taxation. Un- successful efforts were made to enlist the town in the undertaking, which were repeated in 1880 and again 1884. In 1881 the trustees procured plans for improving the grounds, a tract of twenty acres having been purchased, lying about a mile out from the business center; this tract was afterwards enlarged to twenty-four acres and is admirably adapted for its purposes. It was originally forest covered, but a portion centrally situated was cleared and graded, and thereon in the fall of 1887 the erection of a hospital building was begun; the structure cost $20,000 and was dedicated July 9, 1888. The first medical staff was organized in September of that year, from the city physicians to the number of six. At the time of the dedication the Dr. Fowler fund amounted to $35,000 and the Law fund to an equal amount, while many donations of sums from $8,000 down to $1,000, including one of $5,000 made by Joseph Banigan on the dedication day, had been made previous to the opening. To these several have since been added. The entire fund is now about $100,000, the income of which goes to the support of the institution.
The women of Rhode Island were most honorably represented in the medical profession very soon after they were admitted into medical schools for study.
Of the many systems of practice of the healing art, the greater part of which are not entitled to the name of system, only one besides the Allopathic (the history of which has been given in preceding pages), has established a permanent existence and gained the confidence of a large part of every community.1 The system, or school, of medical practice founded by the immortal Hahnemann, known as Homeopa-
1This account of the rise of homeopathy was written by Dr. Sayer Has- brouck of Providence.
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
thy, found its way into this State soon after it became recognized on this side of the ocean as having real virtues that would prove success- ful in the cure of disease.
The first person who practiced homeopathy in Rhode Island was Dr. Lewis Parlin, a graduate of Bowdoin College in 1835, a brilliant scholar, versed in several European languages, and a man of excellent character. He began practice in 1839, but when Thomas Wilson Dorr began his unfortunate contest Dr. Parlin joined in the movement, and upon its failure he left the State and his later movements are not known.
In 1840 Dr. Josiah F. Flagg opened an office and practiced in Providence one year, removing then to Boston. He was endowed with mental qualifications of a high order and adopted his profession with enthusiasm. He served as chairman of the Committee on Organiza- tion of the American Institute of Homeopathy in 1844, was its first vice-president and later its president.
In 1841 a physician who was later to attain eminence in his profession settled in Providence in the person of the late Phineas Parkhurst Wells. He was born in Hopkinton, N. H., July 8, 1808, where his father was also a physician. The son learned the printing trade in Concord and Boston, whence he went to Newport to assist a relative who had secured the legislative printing. From his youth he had been inclined to medical study and finally entered the office of Dr. Gregory, of Newport, working at his trade in the intervals of his study. He completed his medical education in the school at Dartmouth and became also well versed in Latin and Greek. Graduating in 1833, he settled in Roxbury, Mass., but soon gave up practice on account of ill health. After a year or two in the drug business his health improved and he removed to Providence, where he soon was fully employed in his profession. In the midst of this early success he became interested in homeopathy, made careful and persistent investigation of the then new treatment and adopted it with enthusiasm. His success was pro- nounced from the first, but he removed to Brooklyn, L. I., in 1843, and there continued among the most eminent of his school until his death in 1891. He was very largely instrumental in founding the American Institute of Homeopathy and was president of the Boston session of 1859. He was one of the founders of several homeopathic institu- tions, dispensaries, hospitals, etc., and lectured in the New York Homeopathic Medical College. His death took place on December 23, 1891.
The next physician of this school to settle in Providence was
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EPIDEMICS AND MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
probably Dr. Abraham Howard Okie, who was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on December 31, 1819, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, medical department, in 1840. He then took up the study of homeopathy at the Allentown Academy (the predecessor of the Hahnemann Medical College), married Henrietta Rush, daughter of William Rush, of Philadelphia, and in 1842 settled in Providence, where he died after a surgical operation September 20, 1882. Dr. Okie was a man possessed of brilliant natural and acquired qualifica- tions, but somewhat erratic in temperament. He located in Providence at the instigation of the firm of Brown & Ives, through whose great influence and his own skill he at once took a leading professional and social position. He was one of the foremost in the organization of the State Homeopathic Society and occupied a position of influence both in and outside of his profession. He was a man of somewhat æsthetic taste, established a luxurious home and achieved great pro- fessional success. He was not a voluminous writer, but translated Ruoff's Repertory and Hartmann's Chief Remedies in a creditable manner. Late in his life he somewhat neglected meetings of his brethren, turned over to skillful subordinates the hard work of his practice and eschewed obstetrics. He is said to have been a "natural born physician, quick in diagnosis, ready in prescribing, broad and liberal in the practice of his profession, a leader of men, and having the confidence of his patients to an extreme degree.''1
At the annual meeting of the Rhode Island Medical Society (described further on) an amendment to the 7th section of its constitu- tion was adopted, from which the following is an extract :
"To prevent, as far as may be, all unqualified persons from prac- ticing medicine or surgery, and in order to discourage empiricism, it shall be unlawful for any Fellow or licentiate of this Society, in the capacity of either Physician or Surgeon, to advise or consult directly or indirectly, with any person whatever, who shall hereafter commence the practice of medicine or surgery within this State, until he shall have been examined and approbated by the Censors of this Society."
A fine of ten dollars was to be imposed in all cases of violation of this edict. While it was not directed at that early day against homeopathy, it became the basis a little later of whatever opposition was brought to bear against the new school, as will be shown. At the June meeting of 1851 of the Rhode Island Medical Society measures
1Dr. Sayer Hasbrouck's address before the R. I. Homeopathic Society, January 12, 1900, on its Fiftieth Anniversary.
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
were adopted directly in opposition to homeopathy, as seen in the following, taken from the records of the meeting :
"The Board of Censors beg leave to additionally report : that they have taken into mature consideration the subject referred to them at the last annual meeting of the Society, viz., The propriety of the Fellows to practice Homeopathy, so called : or to consult with homeo- pathic practitioners, as such ; and would briefly report, that they deem all theoretical speculations and discussions upon said subject inex- pedient, injurious, and, in truth, wholly unworthy the time or atten- tion of the members of the Society, and simply submit, therefore, the following resolutions, which they doubt not will meet their wishes, their unanimous concurrence, and hearty co-operation :
"1st. Resolved, That the Society consider all those who advertise .and practice Homeopathy, as such, irregular practitioners.
"2d. Resolved, That the 7th section of the first chapter of Medi- cal Practice and By-Laws, enjoys now as heretofore the highest respect and consideration of the members of this Society, and that its wise and salutary requirements be fully, strictly, unequivocally and promptly enforced."
This is the section before quoted. At the annual meeting of that year (1851) these resolutions were laid on the table for further con- sideration, and at an adjourned meeting held August 20, they were adopted.
In the year 1850 the Fiske prize was awarded to Dr. Worthington Hooker for his dissertation on "Medical Delusions". The paper was to a great extent an arraignment of homeopathy and pleased all of the opponents of the old school who heard or read it. At the annual meeting of the Rhode Island Medical Society a motion was made that a committee be appointed to "publish a thousand copies of Dr. Hooker's Prize Dissertation on Homeopathy", etc. This motion was finally witharawn.
At the semi-annual meeting on December 17, 1851, it was "voted to reiterate and confirm the resolutions passed at the adjourned meet- ing at Newport, in regard to the Fellows of this Society practicing Homeopathy."
Nothing further appears in the records bearing upon this subject until 1856, when the report of the censors contained the following :
"Application being made by Henry King, M. D., for membership of this Society, recommended by Dr. A. P. King, of Providence, it is voted that action on this application be postponed, for the reason that the person recommending the applicant has abandoned the regular profession, and adopted the Homeopathie system, and 'that the appli-
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EPIDEMICS AND MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
cant himself, from reliable information, is using homeopathic reme- dies; and we recommend that all those members who profess and advocate homeopathy and stigmatize the regular profession, be not considered members in good standing, and that they be deprived of all the privileges and benefits of this Society."
This action was about the end of opposition to the new system, as far as shown by the records of the old society, which, of course, repre- sented the whole State. The fact is that while homeopathy in Rhode Island, between 1850 and 1860, gained a firmer foothold and a larger degree of public confidence than in most other parts of the country, opposition to it by the older school appears to have been less bitter than elsewhere. One of the oldest and most reputable allopathic physicians of the present time in Providence, who was in practice as early as 1846, states that from a date soon after his arrival during a number of years, the homeopathic physicians of the city "had every- thing", as he expressed it, and that while they were opposed by the other school of practitioners, the opposition accomplished very little. Whatever change has since taken place in these relations between the two schools has been effected to a great extent by the death or de- parture of the veterans whose personal qualities and professional skill, combined with strong confidence in the system and determination that it should advance, with a lack of enthusiasm for the principles of the school as a whole in later practitioners.
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