The scientific development of the Presbyterian Hospital / by W. Gilman Thompson.

  • Thompson, W. Gilman (William Gilman), 1856-1927.
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The scientific development of the Presbyterian Hospital / by W. Gilman Thompson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    THE SCIENT^^^IC DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL. BY W. GILMAN THOMPSON, M. D. (An address read before the Presbyterian Hospital Alumni Association, April 10, 1909.) There are three fundamental types of hospitals: First, those which are mere boarding houses for the sick. The majority of hostpitals in New York are of this type today, and nearly all, like the Presbyterian, began as such. Second, those in which instruction is furnished in greater or lesser de- gree to students or practitioners of medicine, thereby broad- ening the philanthropic work of the institution by training a better class of practitioners for the community. Third, hos- pitals in connection with which scientific work or research also is conducted, having for its aim the development of medical science and discovery for the benefit of the world at large—through investigation, experimentation and pub- lication, Thus it happens, as stated in a recent rep>ort by Dr. T. C. Janeway to the Scientific Medical Council of the De- partment of Charities, the functions of the ideal hospital may be grouped as: Administrative, educational and scien- tific, the administrative function referring to the philan- thropic care of its own patients, and being enhanced and in no wise hampered by the other functions when added to it. For whether the managers or trustees of a hospital openly favor rnedical education within the hospital walls, or not, the institution cannot help exerting far-reaching educational influence. The patients and their visiting friends are edu- cated unconsciously in the: value of cleanliness, order and regularity. The nurses and transient staff in the value of thoroughness, system and discipline, and the permanent staff and trustees themselves derive education from the many philanthropic, economic and scientific problems which pre- sent for solution. It becomes therefore a logical conclusion that the encouragement of teaching and scientific research