University of Maryland School of Pharmacy - Terra Mariae Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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ARTHUR M. SHIPLEY, M.D. Superintendent University Hospital.

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DR. SAMUEL C. ClIICW. I ' kDi-icssoR or I ' kactici; OF Mkiucink. OiR C.RA.vu Oi.u Man.

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HOSPITALS Hospitals, in their present form, are essentially modern institutions. Although they date back to a period as remote as the beginning of what we term civilization, the present- day hospital resembles its earlier prototype in almost nothing. As far back as the earliest period of Greek history, accord- ing to traditional report, the sick were treated in the Temple of Aesculapius. Aesculapius and his labors are rather mythical, but he is said to have lived some twelve genera- tions before the first Hip[)ocrates, who was the grandfather of the great Hippocrates, born about 470 B. C. Re fore this, even as early in Je i h history as the time of Moses, very good health regulations were prescribed for the protection of the Hebrews, and somewhat later, a honic for the recep- tion of the sick was called I ' .clh Ilolcni. The best institu- tions of ancient times for the treatment of ill persons were in Komc, and there is prodf that some of them were even endowed. The term hospital formerly had a much wider meaning than at jjresent. It comprised not only houses for the ick, but also homes for the aged ;incl indigent, and many char- itable schools were called hospitals. A mmiher of r)r|ihan schools in Ivngland still retain their old name. The history of the develojinu ' nt of the moclcrn lios])ilil is very interesting. One of the earliest of recognized hospitals was in France, and the present Hotel Dicu is suppf)scd to have bad its origin as early as the seventh century. Later on, with the establishment of the universities, lios])itals became a portion of the teaching paraphernalia, and in this respect, Bologna probably led the way. For centuries, hospitals were largely owned or controlled by religious orders, and from prehistoric times hospitals and religion have been almost inseparable. This is, in a measure, true at the present time, although the purely secular hospital is now very commonly seen. Probably there is no more deserving object for the charitable e.xpeudilure of funds than hospitals. A man may or may not feel the need of religious instruction ; he may or may not resent our attempts at regulating the manner of his life ; he may or may not believe in the value of education, however overwhelm- ingly important this may seem to us; but there is not the slightest doubt in his mind about his need of lu ' l]) when he is sick: and the more he scoffs in herdlh. llie more urgenl the cry for help when he is ill. Hospitals are hotels iu which the guests are sick folks. It is necessary that the chief executive officer be a iihysician. .Many questions coiue up for discussion that only a physician understands, but it is utterly foolish and suicidal for the lios])ital, if the physician. ith iut any special training, thinks he can manage the hotel side. lM)r this part of the work an experienced hotel man is necessary. He under- stands the management of ser ant ' , the purchasing and di ' -tributioii of supjilies. the kitchen and many other tliing about which a i)hysician knows nothing. So that this is the chief explanation for the well known fact that as a 20