Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, March 9, 1890, Page 20

Oneof the Greatest Medical Istittions inthe Gonfry, OMAHA KEEPS IT. ItH.§ fibfi;firiors and But Few Equals. YEARS OF HARD WORK Turns m( i:ozzons Housa Into an Invalids’ Hotel, IT COST $100,000 But It is the Finest and Largest Anywhere. OPEN DAY AND NIGHT. In Charge of a Skillful Staff of Physicians. A RELIABLE BUSINESS. The Most Central Insfitc in the United States. THE AIM OF A LIFETIME Realized in the Completion of. the New Build'ng. ALL MODERN OONVENIENCES Have Been Placed in the Institute Building. ROOM HEATED EVERY ‘Vapor, Electrio and Other Baths Given. *ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY-FIVE Number of Rooms For Patients. Is the AND AIRY LIGHT ROOMS Compctent Nurses to Care for the © Sick. THE PRIDE OF ALL OMAHA The Omaha Medical and Surgical In- stituto Throws All Western Kstab- lishments in the Shade—Loc: tion,0th and Harney,Umaha, A Matter of History. The purchzse made recently by Dr. J. W. McMenamy, president. of the Omaha Medival and Surical Institute, of the famous Cozzons hotel, of this city, brings to mind many interesting remin- iscences both as to Cozzens, the Insti- tute, and the old doctor himself. It was away back in the 60’s, during the building of the Union Pacific rail- road that that world-renowned and ec- centric character, George Francis Train, sat at lunch in what was then known as the Herndon house, but since transformed into the Uunion Pacific headquarters, when a breeze from an open window blew through George’s whitkers, which caused him to take a very severe cold, Mr. Train swore to be aveneed for this liberty of the July wind and 1umediatély hired all the workmen he could command, bought a half block of ground one block south of Farnam, and in sixty days ate his first meal in the Cozzens. It was well built, with a high basement and three stories in height, ornamented with baiconies, vorticos, towers, ete., which have stood the test of the elements up to the time it was purchased by Dr. MeMenamy, who has added snother tower and two balconies on the north side and made improvements that run up into the thousands of dollars. Train’swhim cost him #30,000, and the increaso in the value of the ground, improvements, oto., will bring the cost to Dr. McMenamy to about $100,000. Steam heat has been placed in every room, about 125 in all, in the building; also eleotric hghting apparatus. Then there are bath rooms innumerable, in which paticats may enjoy the electrio, vavor, steam, hot or cold baths to their hoart's content, oras long as the autending physician will pormit. The new Institute building 1s located on the corner of Ninth and Harnoy streets, and is presided over by Dr, J. W. MoMenamy, physician in charge, and is assisted by Dr. W, H. Preston, Dr. J. P, Williams, Dr. Chas. F. Sin- clair, Dr, Isaae Sinclair, Dr. F. Gruug, and Dr. McLaughlin, who are recog- nized by modical authorities as being one of the most skilled medical staffs in the country. Including nurses,physicians and other attendants, regularly employed there are forty-seven people in the Omaha Medical and Surgical Institute who care for the sick the year round, Dr. J. W. McMenamy, the president and founderof the Omaha Medical and Surgical Institute, ficst saw the light of day in the year 1846, and is conse~ quently forty-four years ola; not a very old man to be suve; in faot, a man just in the prime of life, but the Rreater share of that life has been de- voted to the practice of his chosen pro- fessiou, first as a practicing physician, avswering calls at all hours of the day from his own immediate neighborhood during his first year or so, but gradu- ally, step by step, he maae himaelf felt, until it was no unusual thing for him to be called hundreds of miles to attend to some difficult surgical operation or some other ailment which we humans fall heir to. But the life of ‘a regular vrac- titioner is no bed of roses, and Dr. MeMenamy soon began to look for some way of caring for the sick that would insure him a4 small amount of restat least. A medical institute then sug- gested 1tself and after mature delibera- tion he began a tour of inspection through the leading ecities of the west, north and south. He was so much pleased with the charming ity of Omaha that he at once decided to locate here, and accordingly the Omaha Medi- cal and Surgical Institute came into existence. At the corner of Twelfth and Howard stroets this great institution first began its honorable career. The building was a small two-story brick and still stands, but the quarters soon became so cramped THHL T UARAAT ORI Y TBEK SUNDAY, MAROH 9, 1890, ~TWENTY- with its modern appliances, the best of medical skill, the large, bright and airy rooms and pleasant surroundings, Omaha and Nebraska has an institution of which they are justly proud. The Omaha Medical and Surgical Institute is & permanent medical institntion, con- ducted by thoroughly educated physi- cians and surgeons of acknowledged skill and experience, and all other med- ical establishments in the west sink into insignificance when compared with this institution, which is one of the largest and most complete in the United States. These are plain faggs which aro sus- ceptible of proof. It is an acknowleged fact that while in every community are found physi- cians skillful and experienced in the treatment of fevers and other acute dis- eases, the most intelligent and candid of them, as well as their patrons, ac- knowledge a scarcity of doctors capable of treating intricate chronic diseases or performing difficult surgical operations, and many physicians will admit that thonsands are suffering from so-called for meals delipered in rooms. This is not a hmplh\lrb t an invalids hotel, sup- plied with every appliance, apparatus, instrument and comfort known to the medical world for the relief and cure of disease and deformity, Those who-are unable to visit the Institute, ang: treated by letter, their long experience in treating cases by correspondence has enabled them to tront cases soiothifically without seeing them. Fill out'question blanksas far as your disease i§'concerned, then in your own language’ tell just what you would say if you were here. (Every- thing is confidential; you need not hes- itate to tell them everything.) They send medicine to every part of the Union both by mail and express, with such clear and explicit directions for use that no mistake can occur. Their remedies are securely packed in & box with plain wrapper, and sent by express unless otherwise directed. They send medicines in liquid forms, which are compounded in their own drugstore from ued prosperity of the institute is the best evidence of its succoss. The physicians of the Omaha M edical Institute are specialists of the advanced type, fully up with the times,whose skill ability and success has placed them in the positions they now occupy at the head of their chosen profession. The skillful specialist bears the same relation to the common practitioner of medicine that the skilled mechanic does to the common laborer—the one by his superior knowledge in medicine and surgery, as the other in somo of the trades, rises above his fellows by his genius and skill, and is therefore, from his acknowledged superiority, able to choose the branch of his profession or trade to which he feels himself best adapted and his tastes are inclined,and throw all his powers and energies in that direction, and being able to com- mand a better price for his labor and skill, is therefore able to supply him- self, the mechanic, with better tools and machicerythe physician, with systom or restore a deformed part, is when the Orst touch of the paralyzing, blighting hand of disense is felt, since health and life depend upon having our digcase treated in season. Still the sick delay the treatment, not realizing that delays are always dangerous, and procrastination is not only the thief of time, but life. They heed not the timely warning of reason and friends, nor their pains, which are the voices of tho sentenials of life. Your case may be curable this month—not neyt; today =not tomorrow. It matters not to the sick how beauti- ful the world or enchanting its musie, or how beloved by friends, they can neither appreciate nor enjoy them. Pain and aisease are their companions all the live long day, while tho grim vis- ageof death haunts them in visions of the night, and morning returns but to renew their sufferings. We seldom think of the great event of death until the shadow talls across our own path, sweeping from our sight —_ —— AND 50 EPI b A The New Omaha Medical and Surgical Institu'e, Corner Gth and Harney Streets. that the building once known as the Creighton hotel. at the corner of Thir- teenth and Capitol avenue, was secured, and when the doctor estabblished his in- stitute there he congratulated himself that he bhad enough room. Indeed, it is quite a large building, being 100 feet square, two stories and large bas But in & few years it became necessary to vent rooms in other localities to ac- commodate the patients, and this being very unsatisfactory to both paticnt and physician, the large three-story brick building on the corner of Thirteenth and Dodge streets was leased. For a time there was room and to spare, but the business increased to such enor- mous proportions that the doctor, who had by this time become tired of shift- ing around from ptace to place, dacided to either buy or build an institute build- ing to which he could erect additions as necessity required. The new building just overhauled answers the purpose a: 1 as if it hae been built for a medical institute. Of course the building has heen changed a great deal and has en- tailed the expenditure of a large sum of money, but it is absolutely the very best equipped building of the kind in the country.. The accompanying illus- tration fairly represents it, though the east and south wings, which are equally as large as the front, could not be shown in one picture. The vacantlawn on the north side, facing Harnoy street, will soon be adorned with mammoth flower beds and a large and handsome fountain of the latest pattern. The institute fuces Ninth stree! d corners on Har- ney and can be reached by uearly every street car line in the city. The cable and horse cars from the Union Pacific, Chieago, Burlington & Quincy; Bur- lington & Missouri River; Kunsas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs hicago Northwestern; Chic: Pacifie; Omaha & St. Louis; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul dopots, all pass up Teath street within a block. While those who come to the city on the Chi- cugo, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley; & Pacire, or Missourl Pac y reach the Institute Luild- @ by taking the Sixteenth street elec- trie motors, one block west of the Web- | ot depot, and asking the con- ductors for a transfer check to the Dolge street cablo, which runs down Tenth street one block west of the [n- stitute. But it is not'eeen necessary to do all that if, when a pationt has decided to come to the Omuha Medical and Sur- gical Tustitute, he will drop a postal cued in the postoffice, nddressed prop- ¢, stating the day he will arrive and upon what railvond, there will be no in- convenience at all, for the Institute carringes meet every incoming train, day or night free of charge. Every care is taken to secure the comfort of the patients from the moment they come for treatment until they are aischurged ns cured,: All may rest assured that it will be done 1f science and skill can wecom- plish it The west has loog needed an institute for the cure of the sick, and in the new Omaha Medical and Surgical Institute completely } 2o, Rock Tsland & | | valuable remedi | them. | tions. incurable diss of scientifle treatment and medical and surgical skill. It is also a fact that many of the newly discovered and most are totally unknown in many sections of the country; that while the public are in possession of the latest inveations in wechanics and agriculture, and have discarded the old cumbersome 1 inery of their ances- tora, the most important of all nces, Medicine, is, in many localities, in the hands of men behind the age in which they live. 1t is with a full appreciation of these facts that the Omaha Medical and Sur- gical Institute was established by skilled specialists and supplied with the latest and most valuable discoveries and in- ventions in Medicine and Surgery, and that much-sought-after boon, Health, thus placed within the reachof all that n be cured by science and skill. They have the facilities, np:):u'ulus; and remedies for the successful treat- | ment of every form of disense requiring | either medical or surgical treatment for its cure, and ionvite all persons in search ot reliof 1o come and investigate | for themselves, or to correspond with them. Loug experience in treating! cases by letter, enables them to treat | persons scientifically without scoing | Lach disense has certuin unmis- takable signs or symptoms which, when told to the scieatific physician, point out to him the exact nature and location of the disease and enables him to choose the proper remedies to elfcct a cure— often without seeing the patient. At all times, under all circumstances, and in all vocations, merit commands honor, worthiness commands respect, and ability co -mands success; and the success which has attended the Omaha Medical and Surgical Institute in the pust in effecting cures where others have failed the best evidenceo of their | skill and ability, and their standing | and reputation among business men is | the best evidence ¢ their integrity and responsibility, They invite all to correspond with or visit them before taking trontmoent else- where, believing that a visit or consul- tation will convince any intelligent per- son that it is to their advantage to pluce themselves under their cave. | Cases troated by corvespondence re- ceive the most careful attentien. Each casn is analyzed and examined by ques- A record by number is kept in the private office of each case and the remedy used. While it is al- ways desirable to see a patient, their thorough knowledge of the human boly and its ailments enables them to pre- scribe with certainty and success in many disonses, if a description of the case is given, Thereare, however, a class of diseases that cannot be treated scientifically without personal consultation, such as Deformities, Piles, Uancers, Discases of the Eye, and all cases requiring surgi- cal operations or the use of instrumeunts, electric baths, ete. Patients visiting the city for treat- ment can obtain room and board in the Institute building at $7 to 810 a woek for-board and room. No extra charge They are concentrated extracts, thus being in small bulk, but can be seat in the form of pills if preferred. In regard to their responsibility, they are straight forward. honorable T treating their patients as phy u should treat his pa- tients—with . candor and honesty, as well as ability and skill; furtherwore, they are responsible financially, which anyone can determine for themselves by inquiring of the commercial agercies, who have agents in every town, or the city banks, or the daily papers, Hundreds of persons living at a dis- iance from large cities are obliged to Teave home to seck scientific medical or surgical aid for special diseases, defor- mities, or surgical operations, and it is to meet the wants of such persons, as well as their own benefit, that the Omaba Medical and Surgical Institute advertises its advantages, location, ete. A judicious advertisemeat 18 a direc- There is a certain prejudice against doctors who advertise (in many cases well founded), t has been re- sorted to by many orant quacks and patent medicine vonders. But the prejudice does not tend to medical colleges stitutes or manufacturers of surgl pliances, itstruments, ecte., any than it does to schools, rai hotels, or any other legitimate business or enterprise, provided it is done in a seusible, trathful, professional manuer, The publishing of testimonials, offers of large sums of money for a cuse that cannot be cured, accounts of miracu- lous cures resorted to by pretenders, is disgusting and brand them as impos- tors. The Omaba institation’s books and circulars ave. written for the purpose of fmparting corrdit ideas of disease to those in seargh’ of relief in as few and plain . ,words as npossible, After reading: tbhem, patients will be able'' to explain their situation underdtifdingly, and the in- stitute physicians ean advise them as to the curability of the disedse, or whether can be curedat home or will have t the institute. i Experience is.worth everything. Knowledge gainod by consulting with, critically examining and successfully treuting thousniids of persons of every age, sex, profession and oceupation, af- fected with everywrestentable form and stage of disease and deformity, enables them 10 assure those suffering with the maladys that they have succeeded in reswring health to a large majority of cases treated, even after other skilled and energetic physicians have failed to effect any permanent chunge for the better, It is to theirinterest to cure their pa- tients; no physician or medical estab- lishment can exist any length of time unless patients are treated with skill, honesty and success; therefore thoir anexity to cure their patients and ob- tain their friendship and recommenda- tion 18 not only a matter of nonesty but of business principals, and the contin- | dividual of the " mind, than the preservation of life. ete—and so perfect themselves in their respective branches. while the common laborer, either in mechanics or medi- | cine, must turn his hand to anything that offers in order to earn his daily bread, his services not being in de- mand as he lacks superiority over the masses. The successful physician, me- chanic and merchant alike, must ex- pect the enmity of those whom they have outstripped in the race for supe- riorty— For “bse envy withers at anothers joy And hates that excellence it canno réach.” When you decide to be treated place yourself under the care of the specialist in a reliable medical establishment, who makes the study and treatment of your class of diseases the business of his life; pay him the regular reasonable fees (never submit to extortion), follow his directions carefully, notify him of ,and that when one part of the human any change, report personally or by let- ter frequently, and if your case is ocur- able, in all human probability you will be cured. ases, solely from the want pure drugs, and certain in their action. ( superior instruments, apparatus, books, | forever those nearest and dearest. [f the graves that dot the prairies of the West could give up their secrets, many of us would be astonished beyond mea- sure to know how easily might have been cured the disease that sapped the life-blood and caused to droop into that quiet grava the loved ones in the very prime of life. Would that the thous- ands whose very existence is made miser- able, almost unendurable, from pain and disease, could be brought to realize that the human system 1s but a delicate piece of machinery, placed under their own supervision, to be used by them us an earthly habitation, and when it is worn out, by their breauking the laws of health, by over-eating, by over-work or exposure, or contracting disease or by accident, then the machinery will cease to work, the body will perish and death supervene. If invalids could be brought to a realization of these facts, machivery becomes diseased or out of repair, the surrounding parts become affected just as certainly as running a Though they have thousands of let- Wagon with the tire off the wheei soon ters and testimonials from patients the Omaha Medical and Surgical Iustitute does not publish them—first, because it is considered unprofessional; second, they never use the names of patients as reference, either in books, papers, cir- culars or conversation, ness on their merits and skill, be'i ing that the magnitude of their bus! ness, their superioradvantages. reputa- | They do busi- | ruins the whole structure, and that the longer the repairing is put off, the faster the body or machinery wears away, the more difficult it is to thoroughly repair it; when the people come to see that their bodies are ander their care to preserve or keep in repair, and act accordingly, then will the task of the physician become lighter, and he man will cease to die before he has tion and experience, place them beyond jlived out half his days. The great suspicion or the necessity of putlishing testimonials. A love of life is inherent in each in- race, add no other eurthly object can ever become more | dear to the natural feelings of a snne' In | consistency with this inborn desire to| live, the preservation of health would | seem a proper object of careand wateh- ful thought on the pavt of euch individ- ual, and an object, too, in regard to which each would always possess the deepest solicitude to be fully and right- | fully informed. Strange as it may' seom, difectly the opposite of what we' would naturally exp is true. Theve ' is no subject that pertains to our wel- fave, in refercace to which we act so ignorantly, or with so little apparent thought and eare. Most men seem to live in utter disregard of the laws of health, as if rockless of its pros tion, Ivdifference to Lealth, and neg- lect of proper means to regnin it when lost, is therefore the most prominent cause of prematuro death., They can- | not be made to realizo that debilitating | habits can injure them and that when disease has them in its grasp every hour is of importance. Delays are dan- gerous. Neglect of the proper remedies may result in a lifo time of suffering, deformity or death, The causes of dis- ense may be for a time latent, unseen or unfelt. Its seeds or germs are sown or deposited 1 the tissues and fluids gf the body, and if not discharged, or neg- lected, may bécome incurable, As time vast never returns, so an organ of the body once destroyed is mever restored. The time to eradicate disease from the cause of tho failure of many persons suf- fering from chronio discnses to get well, is that they or their physicians do vot realize or understand, that many of their pains, aches and peculiar feelings are not separate disenses, but symproms of disease, and that to cure such a case it is necessury to ascertain to a cortainty the organs affected and the nature of the disease. The scienco of pharmacy and chem- istry has advanced rapidly within the last ten years. Previous to that period, when a physician wished to administer any vegetable. root, leaves, bark or berry, he was obliged to give the erude plant to be made into a decoction or tea, the powdered herb, or the streng exteacted by alcohol, called a tincture. Phese mothops were very uncertain in their aclion, often disordering the stomach, and were loathsome to the taste, 70 sonsitive to many invalids. B, she experiments of pharmaceutists and chemists have demonstrated that ta real medicinal strength of plants is not distributed throughout the whole herb, but is locuted in certain parts, just as the strength of wheat or oats is contuined in the seed or kernel. The, farmer does not grind up the straw, stock, root and kernel, but by machin- ery removes the grain containing the siremgth and nutrition, and by grinding and sifting, obtains the purest of that, and 80 makos his bread of the real strength of the vegetable. Following this principle, the chemist removes the woody fibre, separates the true medici- nal principles from the inert or useless parts, and obtains the active principle containing all the strength of the plant or herb in a very concentrated form, The real strength of ofie ounce of root or leaf may thus exist in from § to1 grain of the active principle. These active principlesare dissolved in elixirs und cordials, and they will be borne by the most sensitive stomnchs and are pleasant to the taste, and more certain in their action than any other form of medicines; can by hermetically soaled in bottles und exported from foreign countries without dangor of injury, and will keep for an indefinite time. The crude herb is always in danger of be- coming injured from damp, heat, im- proper care, ete. Theseare not homao- apathie remedies, although many of them are used by that school, and claimed as such. They are the standard medicines of the most scientific medical men of the world today, If your mer- chant or machinist should offer you ma- chinery of half a century ago, you would be disgusted with him; yet you are taking into’ your stomachs from your doctors and druggists the same crude roots and preparations used by your forefathers, and, indeed, by the abor- igines of the country. The Omaha Medical anl Surgical In- stitute uses the concentrated extracts and active principles, Nearly all their medicines are of purely vegetable ori- gin. Tney use nothing thut can possi- bly injure the system. Their medicines are prepared under their own supervi- sion by an experienced chemist, phar- maceutist and botanist. They therefore run no risks fromthe ignorance or care- lessness of druggists. They know that their remedies are properly com- vounded, fresh and active. They keep a complete history of each case taken. the name, number, date, disense, contract, P. O. address, etc. BEach preparation of medicine given is numbered, and the preseription put on record, s0 that no mistake can possibly oceur. ’ In the whole range of science, art or medicines, there has not been one-hun- dredth part of the improvement that has taken place in the art of surgery in the past five years. To prove this, it is only necessary to refer to the statistics of the great hospitals and surgical in- stitutes of the world, which show that the average number of deaths from sur- gical operations was thirty-five per cent previous to the new methods of opera- tion and treatment (physicians will un- derstand that refore; is mado to anti- septic surgery), while now the average 18 reduced to less than twelve per cent. In order to understand the antiseptic methods it will be necessary to explain that the great source of dunger from surgical operations, and the great evil that former generations of surgeons feared but could not comqat, was py:emia (blood poisoning), erysipelas and gan- grene. These diseases, or the fear of suppucation (the forming of pus or mat- ter) with its dreadful consequences, does not now stay the hand of the sur- geon when an operation is necessary as 1n days of old, when it was a lust resort and a forlorn hope. Now, if such a condition takes place, it is the fault of the surgeon, either in ignorance. care lessness, or a lack of proper means at his command, and in this age no sur- geon should run the risk of operating without proper arrangements. The antiseptic method is the discov- ery of German surgeons, and is ed upon these woll-understood facts. All the tissues and fluids of the dead ani- mal body will become putrid or decom- vosed, if kept warm and moist, or if living insects find their way into them. Thut the proper disinfecting or anti- septie fluid is used is of the groatest im- portance. The instruments used, the hands of the operator, and the part of the body to be operated upon, should bo thoroughly washed with this fluid before the operation, and all the dressings sat- urated with it. No surgeon should run the risk of performing any important operation in & room not prepared ac- cording to the rules laid down by au- thorities upon antiseptic sugery. Oper- ations verformed in crowded charity hospitals are not usually successful from the fact that such measures are not and cannot be carrvied out. It will be seen that the most skillful surgeon cannot operate with the same chance of success at the home of a patient that hoe in a properly constructed medical estub- ment, The surgical department ‘of the Omaha Medical and Surgical Tnstitute is supplied with all the apparatus and chemicals necessary in Antisoptic Sur- « Their operating room is con- stantly fumigated, and the walls, floor and table washed with disinfecting lnd daily. Their instruments, ncedles, su- ture silk, drainage tubes, sponges, ete., are kept in jars conta ning a solution, ready for iustant use. Thoir success has been most satisfactory in the thou- sands of operations performed, such as removal of tumors, dead bone, wens, polypus, stoue in the bladder,operations for hernia or rupture, cancer, variocele, hydrocele,. smputations, operations for deformitios, ete., ete. They have not had a case of suppuration, blood poison- ing, or erysipelas, and they are able now to perform with perfect success, operations which ten years ago would have been extremely dangerous and often fatal, There are never loss than six doctors in the building, with trained 8, nssistants, ete, ons living in the country, miles away from physicians, will readily see that it is safer, surer and cheaper in the long run to visit them for operations when necessary. Do not confound them with charity hospitals, which are usually crowded and in churge of young, inexperienced men, who work for nothing to get practice, and cannot afford to give you the time, attention and remedies necessary, und have not the skill and experience to give you. There is wo surgical operation pe formed upon the human body but the v can perform with skill and success, and they are supplied with the instruments necessary, of the latest invention, But The Omaha Medical and Surgl- cal Institute is for the treatmont of all chronic as well as surgical discases and their manufatory of surgical braces and appliances of ull kinds for the cure of deformities has given them a fine repus tation, If you think of taking treat- ment anywhere it will be to your best interests to correspond with the Omaha Medical and Surgical Institute,