"Suffering and poverty

"Are partners two, O God!"

--Excerpt from peasant song

The above verse graphically describes the condition of the Polish hospital in Chicago, located at 258 West Division Street. He values health who loses it. And woe unto him who, with an empty stomach, frozen, penniless, and naked, with fever in every bone and pain in every muscle, staggers along on God's earth, not knowing where to rest.

Our Polish settlements grow slowly, but in a natural manner. First the church, then a priest, a school, societies, daily papers, a high school, organizations, and, finally, illness and trouble, which floats to the surface as does oil; a 2hospital becomes necessary. So it has gone on this blessed earth from the time of Jesus Christ; it is thus now and ever will be.

A hospital! Maybe some of you will shake your heads and say "what do the Poles need a hospital for?" Others will say, "Let each take care of his own sick. A hospital is for lazy people, for tramps, for ne'er-do-wells. A respectable person wouldn't think of going to a hospital."

Were you ever, brother and sister, in any hospital? Do you know what poverty on this earth means? Have you forgotten your Christian feeling of charity, and closed your heart like an oyster in a hard shell? Where the sun shines it makes a shadow. Where people live, there "suffering and poverty are partners two, O God!"

On May 6th, 1894, the Venerable Sisters of Nazareth opened the first hospital for the poor, suffering Poles in Chicago. They followed the path developed by centuries of Christian understanding. They did not open the hospital for material profits; they did not buy a building for cash and expect dividends on their 3investment. No! A thousand times, no! Taking pity on the innumerable poor among our Polish people, they heeded the voice of Christ, who promised eternal happiness even for a glass of water given to the thirsty.

We need not bother with meaningless phrases.

The hospital exists. What does it look like? What do they do there? How do they treat the sick? How much must a person pay for service, if he is able to pay? How many are treated without charge? Who are the doctors? Briefly: What should the public know about so important and necessary an institution as the Polish hospital?

We are forced to divulge information which had never been dreamed of by our older Polish citizens.

During the year and a half of its existence the Polish hospital has treated 223 patients.

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Only fifteen of these died, mostly of incurable maladies, such as cancer and tuberculosis, or from severe injuries. Of seven very critical operations, of which ninety-five per cent usually die, five recovered completely, one died, due to an enormous tumor, and one is still being treated in the hospital, and with God's help will also recover health.

Of the 223 patients registered in the hospital about one half are being treated without charge.

The others pay only five dollars a week. The charge for a private room is two dollars extra. So the highest charge is seven dollars a week.

The following doctors are employed in the hospital: First is Dr. Charles Davis, educated in Paris, well known in Chicago as a surgeon, and specialist in female diseases; helping him are Dr. Kuflewski, Dr. Laibe, Dr. Mueller, and Dr. Ziolkowski. Formerly, Dr. Midowicz and Dr. Lande also treated patients. All the doctors are offering their services free of charge. In addition, they give free advice to 5those needing it, every day and Sunday:

Dr. Kuflewski, from 10 to 12 A.M. daily, free of charge;

Dr. Laibe and Dr. Miller, from 4 to 6 P.M. daily, free of charge;

Dr. Davis, from 3 to 6 P.M. every Sunday afternoon, free of charge.

Students of medicine are permitted by the Sister Superior to attend the clinics during the above hours, free of charge. On Sundays the crowds in the hospital are tremendous. At times one hundred persons, suffering from various ailments and diseases, come to Dr. Davis for advice, without paying a penny.

There are ten beds for men and fourteen for women. In addition, there are a few private rooms. There are twenty patients receiving treatment in the hospital at present. Many of the sick are brought to the hospital by the police in patrol wagons. Many also are sent by the Polish pastors in Chicago. Patients have been treated from every Polish parish from South Chicago to Avondale, and from Cicero to St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish. Let no ignoramus imagine that the hospital 6serves St. Stanislaus Parish only. There are comparatively few patients from this parish. A much greater percentage comes from other parishes. Protestants and Jews are also treated. Visiting hours are on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, from 2 to 3 P.M. Of course, in case of necessity, visitors are permitted at any time, even at night.

The Reverend Resurrectionist Fathers are the spiritual directors of the hospital, also (just to satisfy the inquisitive) without charge. How many times the priests come to visit the sick, only God knows.

Sister Salomea, the superior, has asked us to appeal for more kindhearted young ladies as nurses.

The sisters alone (there are thirteen of them) cannot do all this hard work themselves, even if they do have a maid, a janitor, and a few washwomen. The care of the sick, by day and by night, demands a lot of sacrifice. There are times when the poor sisters do not sleep for days, and yet must be on their feet all the time.

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The hospital will gladly accept girls who are healthy and God-fearing, who are willing to nurse the sick. Other hospitals do the same thing. The girls need not become nuns. They work, and at the same time, they learn how to nurse the sick. The sisters across the street from our printing office will gladly give such girls room and board. There is no pecuniary remuneration until the girl is thoroughly proficient. This takes from three to five years. She must learn cleanliness, cooking, how to help at operations, and exhibit an angelic honesty and sincerity in all matters.

The Polish hospital is also a home for the hungry. The kitchen of the hospital might truly be called a tramps' hotel. Many destitute persons are served meals daily. Some sit down at tables, and feel perfectly at home. Many poor children come with baskets for food, and the sisters never turn away a hungry human being.

"Suffering and poverty are partners two, O God!"

Now we are curious to know the financial situation of the hospital.

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Who is supporting it?

The five-dollar-a-week charge paid by half of the patients is not sufficient. Every sensible person will agree that this is so, without an argument. The hospital is encumbered with a debt of $25,000, on which the sisters must pay interest. The cost of drugs amounts to eighty dollars a month. Add to this light, heat, service, and payroll costs, and there you have it,black on white, a statement of the condition of the hospital.

The sisters haven't even a telephone yet, because they are doing everything possible to keep the debt down. In the night time they are escorted by the police whenever they find it necessary to summon doctors. The sisters collect the food for the sick and the poor as they can.

Mr. Pstrag helped the hospital a great deal by giving the sisters a horse. This hospital horse has become quite a robust animal. And is he smart! He goes out begging with the sisters every day, and he naturally stops before every grocery, 9bakery, or butcher shop. He doesn't ask whether it is a Jewish or a Christian shop. But he surely must work hard, because so little is given. Shaking his mane, he seems to say, "How can I get fat if the wagon I am pulling is empty?" Isn't he smart?

The hospital wagon was in an accident a couple of days ago. An electric car struck it and demolished it completely. The sisters almost lost their lives. The horse was not injured, but his oats surely tasted better afterwards. The cost of repairing the wagon was $87.00.

Who will pay this?

Brethren, we've got to do something about it! The public should be made to understand that the hospital is in trouble. There is hunger. They need help now.

In one of our future editions we will publish a list (it is small) of kindhearted 10contributors to the Polish hospital. You will understand then how great a field there is for your generosity.

Remember the poor sufferers!

To lend money to Jesus Christ on interest is the best possible mortgage. To offer Him something for charity and for strangers, is not a mortgage, but a receipt for good deeds.

So, brethren, to work, to work! You societies, everybody who has any money for luxuries, send it to the Polish hospital! God will repay you!

F.