University of Cincinnati College of Medicine - Annual Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

Page 38 text:

tineut. In 1871. an nut-patient dispensary was established in connection with the hospital and in 1.895 a Branch Hospital was erected in Price Hill for the. care of patients suffering fmm pulmonary tuberculosis. The advent of the twentieth century found the hospital in very poor phy- sical condition. Due to inadequate appmpriations over a number of years, very necessary repairs were neglected. Although it had accommodations for four hundred and eighty patients. nmrerttrewding'' was a constant complaint and at times it was necessary for patients to sleep on mattresses thrown on the floors, of the wards. The place had had a wonderful history and had fulhlled a high purpose. It had numbered among its staff some of the greatest medical teachers of the century, but it had outlived its period of usefulness in a growing, ' CJW. HThen in the suburbs it Stuud, in the midst of meadows and woodlands; Now the city surrounds it. but still with its gateway and wicket. Meek. in the midst of splendor. its humble walls seem to echo Softly the. worth; rut the Lord, che poor ye have always with you. This condition of affairs called for action 011 the part of the Trustees. who appointed a committee to Hcarefully inquire into the necessary improvements needed in the old hospital. These improvements called for such a great ex- penditure that the committee advised against them and suggested the erection nf a new hospital. As a result. the campaign for the present magnificent institution was launched. In this project the city was fortunate in having auuther great far-sighted leader to guide the movement. The planning, building and equipping 0f the new lmspitat. new known as the 'iCinCinnati General Hospital asnwell as the Medicai College Building that followed, is as insep- artlbly linked with the illustrious name of Dr. Christian R. Holmes. as is the history of the original hospitai with that of Dr. Daniel Drake. After months of investigation of leading hospitals throughout the world, plans were submitted and accepted and the city voted bonds for the erection of the new edifice. The contagious group was completed in 1911, and on February 20, IDES, the entire hospital was formally surrendered to the city authorities. On March 1, hegan the transfer of patients from the old building and within a few days. the institution was functioning almost to capacity. In l917, the Out-Patient Dispensary was established in connection with the hospital. The Cincinnati General Hospital is today the finest example of modern hospital construction in the muntry. There is 110 other 50 complete in every detail or in which the provisions for every function have been so carefully planned and executed. Situated on a 67 acre tract in one of the city's pleasant suburbs. it was erected by the citizens of Cincinnati at an approximate Cost of six millions of dollars. It has provisions for the care of eight hundred and fifty patients and is in every sense. a modem municipal hospital. It func- tions to the fullest extent as a teaching hospital. corepemtes with every agency that has for its purpose the betterment of Public Health in Cincinnati, furnishes competent. adequate and efficient medical and surgical service to each patient admitted and plays an active part in the general programme for better health in the city. Page Thfrly-s'fx