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“…rope-matting carpets…”

From the minutes of the October 9, 1874, meeting of the Board of Lady Managers, held at the Arthur H. Aufses, Jr. Medical Archives and Mount Sinai Records office at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, New York.

“…the paint job…”

From the report of the Board of Lady Supervisors, recorded in the pamphlet celebrating the 1874 anniversary of Woman’s Hospital, p. 33. The pamphlet is held at the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes for Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

“…a new charity bed…”

From the report of the Board of Lady Supervisors, recorded in the pamphlet celebrating the 1874 anniversary of Woman’s Hospital, p. 33. The pamphlet is held at the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes for Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

“…thanks for past mercies…”

An approximation of the sentiment of the entire speech.

From the report of the Board of Lady Supervisors, recorded in the pamphlet celebrating the 1874 anniversary of Woman’s Hospital, p. 34. The pamphlet is held at the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes for Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

“…details of the new pavilion…”

The new building was called the Baldwin Pavilion—though it was not named for Sims’s former nemesis in Alabama, William O. Baldwin.

From the report of the Board of Governors, recorded in the pamphlet celebrating the 1874 anniversary of Woman’s Hospital, p. 30. The pamphlet is held at the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes for Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

“…Thomas hurried through the report…”

From the report of Gaillard Thomas of the Woman’s Hospital Medical Board, recorded in the pamphlet celebrating the 1874 anniversary of Woman’s Hospital, p. 36. The pamphlet is held at the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes for Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

“…felt his mind begin to detach…”

I am taking some liberty, here and below, in describing Sims’s mindset at the gala, but even his sympathetic biographer described him, at this moment, as being a little out of his mind.

Harris, S. (1950). Woman's surgeon: The life story of J. Marion Sims. New York: Macmillan, p. 301.

 

“Something similar had happened…”

See “…a divine mind working through him,” above.

“…the evils of hospital life.”

From the remarks of Cornelius R. Agnew, the year’s invited speaker, recorded in the pamphlet celebrating the 1874 anniversary of Woman’s Hospital, p. 50. The pamphlet is held at the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes for Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

“…the exhaustive, inhuman inquisitiveness of the medical profession.”

From the remarks of Cornelius R. Agnew, the year’s invited speaker, recorded in the pamphlet celebrating the 1874 anniversary of Woman’s Hospital, p. 51. The pamphlet is held at the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes for Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

“…fiber of the American character.”

From the remarks of Cornelius R. Agnew, the year’s invited speaker, recorded in the pamphlet celebrating the 1874 anniversary of Woman’s Hospital, pp. 50-51. The pamphlet is held at the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes for Health in Bethesda, Maryland.