Excerpt from The Modern Hospital: Its Inspiration: Its Architecture, Its Equipment: Its Operation
In resigning the manuscript of this book to the publishers, the authors do so in full appreciation of its many shortcomings and of its unfinished character. In mitigation of the offense, they beg to recall to the public mind the sparsity of hospital literature, and the many rapid changes that are taking place in the science of hospital administration, that would render the literature of today valueless for tomorrow. If the wisdom of the many splendid hospital administrators has not been called into requisition more frequently in its pages, it is because there is practically no literature from the pens of these men to draw upon for inspiration.
If one of the authors has many times employed illustrations from the institution over which he has the honor to preside, it has not been in any vainglorious spirit, but solely for the reason that he has been more familiar with the workings of that institution than with many that perhaps be doing things far better, and many of its methods of operation are expressions of his own conviction.
This book has the tremendous weakness of being a record almost wholly of the experiences of two men, and the authors have seriously pondered the question of how far a discriminating public will be willing to follow the experiences of an individual through a book the size of this. In justification, it may be urged that the history of mankind is a composite of individual life stories, and it is only an infinitesimal number of these millions of members of human society who have here ventured to record their own experiences, not in the hope of permanent fame or glory, but merely with the hope that there may be contained within its pages some new though, or some old thought clothed in new garb, that may help some perplexed and tired worker, and if this shall come to pass, the book will not have been written in vain.
It will be noted that in many parts of the book reference is made to articles manufactured by individuals and firms, and the names and addresses of these firms are given. The authors and the publishers are quite aware of the opportunity that this arrangement offers for criticism, and perhaps for charges by interested people that it has been done by way of advertising, and perhaps for a price. In answer to this, the authors, for any purpose in connection with this book, but the authors and publishers fee that if a recommendation of any article is worthy of serious attention on the part of the reader, then the reader has also a right to all the information at the author's disposal, and this information must include the name and address of the person or firm from whom the article may be purchased.
No attempt has been made in this book to achieve a literary success. It is merely what its name implies - a book about the modern hospital, the inspirations that bring it into being, its architecture, its equipment, and its administration.
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