MSU Independent Newspaper 1898-01-15

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VOLUME VI. COLUMBIA, MISSOURI, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1898. NUMBER 1.
THE NEW HOSPITAL.
The progressive spirit of Columbia's best
citizens continues to make itself felt. At
7:30 o'clock on Tuesday evening, January
11 at the court house, the new hospital idea
burst forth from beneath the crusts of the
x hitherto inaction when Mayor N01 veil called
a laige and enthusiastic house to order.
Pursuant to a call by Dr. W. A. McAles-ter- ,
these citizens came together to formulate
ways and means of instituting this much
"needed hospital in Columbia. Mayor
Norvell vas made permanent chairman, and
Dr. R. L. Reid was chosen secretary of the
meeting. Business began at once in an
earnest aid determined fashion.
Dr. McAlester was called to the floor to
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state the object of the meeting and set the
ball rolling. He stated briefly that the
. object of the meeting w as to get an expres-sion
from the citizens of Columbia and
Boone county relative to this great question
of erecting a hospital in Columbia. Then
in a forceful way he reviewed the institution
of hospitals in the past, showed how they
had been hotbeds of disease, and thus be-came
an opprobrium to the communities in
which they existed. -- But old things had
passed away, and all things had become
new. ' This state of affair no longer
exists. Scientific medicine now demands this
home for the sick where the best results
in the treatment of disease can now be ob- -
tained. Among other things he said the
30,000 people of Boone county should or-ganize
and sustain this hospital on the broad
basis of equality to her citizens. Faithfully
and logically he presented its claims, by
showing how the cost of treatment would
be minimized to our citizens ; how it would
furnish the best of talent, and how the en-vironment
and proximity to the University
and colleges argued greater success than do
the city hospitals where the bustle and stir
and costly accommodations militate against
the end to be obtained, viz., the best treat-ment
at a minimized cost to our citizens.
He then closed his remarks by an appeal to
the citizens of Columbia and Boone county
to constitute themselves committees of one
to carry forward the plan of organization.
Dr. W. T. Moore then responded with an
excellent speech, in which he said: "This
subject appeals to all, 'Whosoever sowfs
liberally, reaps liberally.' " Then he made
the bulk of his argument cluster around twro
points from Drummond's ,k Ascent of Man,"
viz., struggling for our own lives, and
struggling for the lives of others. He
showed conclushely that benevolence is the
highest form of self interest, admonished the
old bachelors to put their money into this
enterprise, which he considered the next
best thing to getting manied. He showed
beond question the necessity of such an in-stitution
in connection with the medical de-paitm-ent
of our Unheixity, and expiessed
faith in the public spirit of our citizens in the
promotion of such work.
Dr. Paul Schweitzer followed in his clear,
logical way. in which he discussed the
feasibility cost, and humane aspect of the
question under consideration. He refened
to the fact that oui money spent on such in-stitutions
would be spent at home. The
number of medical students would be in-creased,
as our theoretical and laboratory
advantages here already offei superior ad-vantages
in many lespects to other medical
institutions in Missouii and elsewhere. He
said that biick and moitar alone vseie not
the lequhements, but that skill, intelligence
and heart were needed and could be found
in our midst. Under the humane aspect of
his speech, he was convincing in his argu-ment
that certain diseases could not be safely
treated in our homes, and that the speedy,
painless treatment of the hospital, under the
strict eye of antiseptic precautions, meant
safety to ourselves and to those around us.
Rev. Winders discussed the question
briefly as to the point of increase in the
number of college and university students,
and claimed that the greatest advertisement
given such an institution would emanate
through those channels.
W. A. Bright then addressed the chair,
and called for the opening of the subscrip-tion
lists, an evidence of the spirited enthu-siasm
which is bound to erect this much
needed institution.
Walter Williams then sanctioned Mr.
Bright's suggestion.
Col. Hickman and Dr. Hatcher made
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good speeches and added much good humor
to the occasion.
During the meeting Dr. McAlester re-ceived
a letter from E. W. Stephens w7ho
wras unable to be present. The letter as
read wTill appear at the close of this article.
Dr. Moss then moved that a committee of
seven be appointed, of whom the may 01 was
to be one, and endowed with power to
appoint sub-committe- es, and the duty of
which was to formulate plans relative to
cost and management of proposed hospital.
The motion wTas seconded and carried, after
which Mayor Norvell appointed the follow-ing
committee: Dr. A. W. McAlester, W.
(Continued on page si?.)