Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/622

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St. Vincent's Hospital is a structure of stone and brick, erected in 1892 ; has a frontage of 500 feet, a depth of 58 feet, is 6 stories in height and is fitted with modern improvements, required by such an institution. Upwards of four thou- sand patients are now treated yearly, about one-half of which are surgical cases. Every modern and up-to-date hospital equipment has been provided.

A necessity long felt by Portland physicians and medical students, has been met by including in the plans of the new wing an operating theater which will accommodate at least 150 medical students. The operating table will be placed under a skylight, thus affording an excellent opportunity for the students to wit- ness the work of the operators.

On another floor an X-ray room is provided for special work in this line.

Aside from the general operating rooms, there are placed convenient to the elevator and etherizing rooms, a number of private operating rooms for the use of patients desiring this privacy.

At times when the hospital was taxed to its utmost capacity, many have been reluctantly refused admission, but only when it was known that other institu- tions were open to them. However, at no time have the needy, sick poor been turned away. All races and creeds are equally welcome and receive the same care and attention from the sisters and nurses.

THE SANITORIUM.

In order to protect patients in the hospital from those suffering with con- tagious diseases, the sisters were obliged to open a sanitorium containing fifty beds, although it is still inadequate for the rapid increase of such cases. Many a sufferer has found in this sanitorium a haven of mercy and charity on his home- ward journey to eternity.

The personnel of the hospital and sanitorium consists of 60 sisters, 50 nurses, 4 house physicians and a corps of attendants. Since May, 1875, or during the thirty-four years of its existence, over 65,000 patients have been cared for.

No statement of the medical and surgical staff has been furnished for this work, which is much regretted.

TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NURSES.

A handsome new training school in connection with the hospital, modern throughout, is for the use of estimable young women desiring to become profes- sional nurses, and to whom a complete and systematic course of instructions, both theoretical and practical, is given.

The sisters having had to cope with untold difficulties and sacrifices, it is due only to their ability, integrity and industry that St. Vincent's is a leading institution in the northwest, for they have no appropriation or endowed beds as a revenue to rely upon, depending solely on their labors and endeavors to carry on the immense work; the benefits accruing from the patients who are able to pay are used for the support of the least favored.

On another page will be found the photo-engraving of "Mother Theresa," who managed the Hospital for over twenty-five years.

HOMEOPATHIC HOSPITAL.

The physicians of the Homeopathic School of Medicine, and their patrons, with a pride and public spirit that has outdone the "old school doctors," have raised the money and erected in East Portland a six-story fireproof concrete hos- pital building planned to provide all the accessories required by the most advanced practice and scientific medical research for an up-to-date modern hospital.

Several years ago the late Henry W. Corbett donated to the Homeopathic Hospital organization four blocks of land in South Portland, saying that it could be used for hospital purposes or sold as seemed best to the corporation.