The volunteers at Louisiana's world-famed Charity hospital have nicknamed the blood machine the ' 'monster."
They say the artificial kidney looks like a washing machine.
Arid they never get over being fascinated and amazed at the powerful X-ray machine for the treatment of cancer.
That's why these three newer and "most interesting" scientific aids in the field of patient care will be high points in the fourth annual Hostess Week tours through the hospital sponsored by j the volunteer advisory committee ' May 7 through 11. Tours will begin at 10 a. m., noon, and 2 p. m., Miss Gladys Mayer, publicity chairman, points out.
"Uniting Science and Patient Care" is the theme of National Hospital Week (May 6-12), and the volunteer committee wants the people of Louisiana to know and see what their hospital has to offer in the way of new scientific aids in patient care, Mrs. Murray Kops, committee chairman, points
out.
* * #
The "blood" machine, or auto analyzer, is in the pathology department. There are really six of these "monsters," all working on
different, chemical determinations on blood, urine, and spinal fluids all the time, Miss Patricia Sallas, chemist and chief medical technologist in the department of pathology, who has charge of the "monsters," relates.
The "monsters" are fast and accurate. Each one can do 40 chemical determinations in an hour, or around 1000 to 1500 a day, she says. A relatively small number of people can handle this, thus relieving technicians for special jobs. The "monsters" autograph the results on moving charts, eliminating the need for tedious logarithmic plotting.
The visitors will view the powerful X-ray machine in. its' specially constructed underground room with walls six feet thick because the rays are so power-
ful, says Mrs. Francis *X. Oro-fino, member of the advisory committee, who will be one of the Hostess Week guides, relates.
Two doctors, a technician ,and a surgeon are needed to operate the artificial kidney, Miss Mayer points out. Several hours are required for a treatment. * # *
Baby bottles are not exactly new scientific aids. They're as old as the hills, but volunteers never get over the fact that somewhere in the neighborhood of 4000
bottles have to be filled every morning in the 19-story structure dedicated to the treatment of mankind's ills. This will be another tour stop.
This year the committee is specially inviting women's church groups — all Jewish Sisterhoods in the city, Catholic women's groups, and Protestant church organizations affiliated with the
United Church Women here. That's because "they have given so much in the way of volunteer ervice."
Volunteer guides in buttercup yellow smocks will conduct the tours, including Mrs. Kops, Miss Mayer, Dr. Marion Hood, Miss Lucille Baker, Mrs. Joseph Bis-sell, Mrs. Robert Bulot, Mrs.
Bailey De Bardeleben, Mrs. Roger Derby, Mrs. Oliver Geisinger, Mrs. George Hopkins, Mrs. F. M. Isaacson, Mrs. Richard Keller, Mrs. M. Benjamin Kotch Jr., Mrs. Buxton Layton Jr., Miss Lucille Livaudais, Mrs. Irene Neina-ber, Mrs. Thomas Nugent, Mrs. Victor Olivier, Mrs. Wilson Reeves, Miss Carolyn Rowley, Mrs. Clem Sehrt, Toxie Trim, Miss Adrienne Weidenbacher, Mrs. Scott Vpson, Mrs. Orofino, and Mrs. James Levy, chairman in charge of Hostess Week.
PHOTO: MISS PATRICIA DALLAS (LEFT), DR. MARION HOOD, AND MRS. MURRAY HOPS taking a look at the "monster"
