Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/548

 HOSPITAL

488

HOSPITAL

Spanish and Indian towns (Bancroft, "Hist, of Mexico", II, 169; III, 759). The First Provincial Council of Lima (1583) and the Provincial Covmcil of Mexico (15!S5) decreed that each priest should contrib- ute the twelfth part of his income to the hospital (D'Aiguirre, "Concil. Hispan.", IV, 246, .3.5.5). The Brothers of St. Hippolytus — a congresation estab- lished in 1.585 by Bernartlin Alvarez, a citizen of Mexico, and approved by Clement VIII in 1594 — devoted themselves to the care of the sick and erected numerous hospitals. The Bethlehemites (q. v.), founded by Pedro de Betancourt (d. 1667) and ap- proved by Clement X in 1673, spread from Guate- mala over nearly the whole of Latin America, and rendered excellent service by their hosijital work until their suppression, as well as all other religious in Mexico, in 1820.

In Canada (q. v.), the earliest foundation was that of the Hotel-Dieu by the Duchess of Aiguillon (q. v.). This was established in 1639 at Sillery, and later trans- ferred to Quebec, where it is still in charge of the Hospitalieres de la Mis^ricorde de Jesus. The Hotel- Dieu at Montreal was founded in 1644 bj^ Jeanne Mance; the Cieneral Hospital at Quebec in 1693. There are at present eighty-seven hospitals in Canada under the control and direction of various Catholic religious communities.

The first hospital in the United States was erected on Manhattan Island about 1663 "at the request of Surgeon Hendricksen Varrevanger for the reception of sick soldiers who had been previously billeted on private families, and for the West India Company's negroes" (Callaghan, "New Netherland Register"). Pesthouses for contagious diseases were established at New York, Salem (Ma.ss.), and Charleston early in the eighteenth century. In 1717 a hospital for in- fectious diseases was built at Boston. A charter was granted for the Pennsylvania Hospital in 1751: the cornerstone was laid in 1755, but the structure was not completed until 1S05. The first hospital estab- lished by private beneficence was the Charity Hos- pital at New Orleans, for the founding of which (about 1720) Jean Louis, a .sailor, afterwards an officer in the Company of the Indies, left 12,000 livres. This was destroyed by the hurricane of 1779. The New Char- ity Hospital (San Carlos) was founded in 1780 and endowed by Don Andres de Almonester y Roxas: it became the City Hospital in 1811. Still in charge of the Sisters of Charity, it is one of the most important hospitals in the country, receiving annually about 8000 patients. The oldest hospital in the City of New York is the New York Hospital, foundetl in 1770 by private subscriptions and by contributions from London. It received from the Provincial Assembly an allowance of £800 for twenty years, and from the State Legislature (1795) an annual allowance of £4000, increased in 1796 to £.5000. Bellevue Hos- pital, originally the infirmary of the New York City Alms House, was erected on its present site in 181 1. St. Vincent's Hospital was opened in 1849; the present buildings were erected 1856-00, and accom- modation provided for 140 patients. The average annual number of patients exceeds .5000. There are now more than four hundred Catholic hospitals in the United States, which care for about half a million patients annually.

The multiplication of hospitals in recent times, especially during the nineteenth century, is due to a variety of causes. First among these is the growth of industry and the consequent expansion of city popu- lation. To meet the needs of the labouring classes larger hospital facilities have been provided, associa- tions have created funds to secure proper care for sick members, and in some countries (e. g. Germany and England) the insurance of workingmen, as pre- scribed by law, enables them in case of illness to receive hospital treatment. Another important factor is the

advance of medical science, bringing with it the neces- sity of clinical in.struction. In this respect the uni- versities have exerted a wholesome influence: no counse in medicine is possible at the present time with- out that practical training which is to lie had in the ho.spital. Conversely, the efficiency of the hospital has been enhanced by numerous discoveries pertaining to hygiene, an;psthetie and antiseptic measures, con- tagion and infection. 'I'he experience of war has also proved beneficial. The lessons learned in the Crimea and in the American Civil War have been applied to hospital construction, and have led to the adoption of the pavilion system. The modern bat- tlefield, moreover, has been the occasion of bring- ing out in new strength and beauty the spirit of self- sacrifice which animates the hosiiital orders of the Catholic Chiirch. The services rendered by the sis- ters to the wounded and dying are conspicuous proof of that Christian charity which from the beginning has striven by all possible means to alleviate human suffering. The hospital of to-day owes much to scientific progress, generous endowment, and wise administration; but none of these can serve as a substitute for the unselfish work of the men and women who minister to the sick as to the Person of Christ Himself.

De CiERANDO, De la bienfaisance publique (Paris. 18:59), IV: Ha.ser. Gesch. christluher Krtinkenpftege (Berlin, 1857): tJnL- HoliN, Die chrislliche Liebesthfitigkeit (Stuttcart. 1887: tr.. New York, 1883); R.\TSlNGEn, Oesch. d. kircblichen Armcnpflege (2nd ed., Freibure. 1884): Lallemand, Histoire de la charite (Paris, 1902 — ); Wai-sh, The Popes and Science (New York, i9S): Wylie. Hospitiils, their History, Origin and Construction (New York. 1.S77): Virchow, Ueber Hospitaler u, Lazarette in Ges. Abhandlungen, H (Berlin, 1879); BuRDETT, Hospitals and Asylums of the World (London, 189;i): Bechek, Gesch. d. Krankenhnuser in Neuburger and Pagel Handbuch d. Gesch, d. Medizin, III (Jena, 1905): Ochsner, Organization of Hospi- tals (Chicago, 1907); Kershaw. Specicd Hospitals (London, 1909); Toi.i.ET, Les edifices hospilaliers (Parh, 1892); Vioi.let LE Due, Diet, d'architecture (Paris. 1875), s. v. Hdtel-Dieu: Bar- rett. Ancient Scottish Hospitals in Am. Cath. Qunrterlu Review (Vol. XXXIV, No. 136; Oct., 1909); Clay. Medieval Hosiritala of England. JaMES J. WalSH.

Hospital Sisters of the Mercy of Jesus. — These sisters are established in religion under the Rule of St. Augustine (q. v.), the institute being dependent on the pope represented liy the bishop. Before the end of the thirteenth century the Hotel-Dieu of Dieppe (Diocese of Rouen) was servetl by Hermit Sisters of St. Augustine. They formed a secular congregation, lived on goods held in common anil on alms, and ob- served constitutions drawn up for their use. Apart from the services they rendered to the Hotel-Dieu, they were also employed in assisting the sick poor in all quarters of the city. To these primitive hospital- lers is connected, by "an unliroken chain of credible traditions, the Institute of the Mercy of Jesus, a branch of the order foundetl by the Bishop of Hippo. The constitution establishes" two classes of religious; lay sisters and choir sisters. The former are employed at the manual tasks of the community, in order to relieve the choir religious. They are not obliged to recite the Divine Office, neither do they nurse the sick. The choir religious are obliged to recite the Divine Office in common, and daily employed in attendance on the sick. They are obliged as far as health will permit to go at least once a day to the hospital to render some service to the poor. 'Two of their number take in turn the night-watch in the wards.

The chapter is composed of all who are ten years professed. They elect a s\iperior triennially, but her charge may not be prolonged beyond six years. They also elect the assistant, the mistress of novices, the treasurer, and four other advisers, thus form- ing the council of eight principal officers. Tht same officers may be retained as long as they have the majority of votes in the chapter. The costume of the sisters is entirely white with a lilack veil for the