THE BIG HOSPITAL
THIS HOSPITAL IS MY HOME, by Dr S. iF Cutolo; Victor Gollancz, English price "THIS hospital" is Bellevue in New York, a huge 2700-bed establishment known as the cradle of American medicine; and Dr Cutolo is its Deputy Superintendent, so is well qualified to speak of its traditions, functions and its famous personalities. This he does in the manner of a jigsaw, breaking up aspects of the great place into chapters, and within them digressing frequently into personal reminiscence, anecdote and "human interest" in a very American manner. The style is most readable, even if the train of thought becomes a trifle derailed at times. The stories are absorbing, and many separate people of special interest are described, mainly the patients, who, after all, are the important personnel of a hospital. The book is dominated by statistics, since Dr Cutolo is still, after 25 years, obsessed and overawed by the sheer size and complexity of his charge; that, at least, is the impression he gives. He finds it rewarding, like most doctors, and tells us why in some detail. Naturally in a metropolis of the size of Bellevue, general outlines are almost too big to see; and even their short-term psychiatTic beds outnumber those of any mental hospital we are acquainted with.
Famous events, major disasters like the Normandie burning, are covered faithfully from the receiving end; and the gamut below these is filled in as well as possible. Some research work, and some major operations, are fully described; a special section on the morgue facilities will. appeal to detective story readers; while the ambulance and "catastrophe unit" might serve as models for some of our own emergency squads. Overall, one gets the impression that for all its immensity, Bellevue is much the same in its administration, its troubles and foibles, incidents and accidents, its nursing shortages, its internes and physicians, as most other city hospitals. Since these are all fascinating, this shouldn’t deter prospective readers |
one whit.
N.O.
E.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19570531.2.20.3
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 929, 31 May 1957, Page 13
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333THE BIG HOSPITAL New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 929, 31 May 1957, Page 13
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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