THE 
RULES AND REGULATIONS 
OF THE 
lEfstern Jjeirasgltam Jflsprtal, 
TOGETHER WITH THE 
ACT OF INCORPORATION, 
i) 
LIST OF OFFICERS, 
AND 
PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS. 
PITTSBURGH: 
PRINTED BY AV. 8. HAVEN. CORNER MARKET AND SECOND STREETS 
18 5 3 Gffims 0f tin Instittttiitt—185<3* 
PRESIDENT, 
THOMAS BAKEWELL. 
VICE PRESIDENTS, 
JOHN GRAHAM. GEORGE BREEU. 
SECRETARY, TREASURER, 
JOHN HARPER. JOHN HARPER. 
MANAGERS, 
T. BAKEWELL, 
JOHN BISSELL, 
GEORGE BREED, 
WALTER H. LOWRIE, 
JOHN GRAHAM, 
ALEX. LAUGHLIN, 
THOS. SCOTT, 
JOHN IRWIN, 
GEO. W. JACKSON, 
FRED’K. LORENZ, 
S. LOTHROP, 
WM. LARIMER, Jr. 
THOS. HANNA, 
R. EDWARUS, 
J. K. MOORHEAD, 
JACOB PAINTER, 
W. BAGALEY, 
CH’S. F. SPANG, 
JOS. PENNOCK, 
WM. WILKINS, 
W. W. WALLACE. 
J. H. SHOENBERGER, 
UAYIU SHIELDS, 
LIFE MANAGERS, 
CHARLES KNAP, 
JAMES ANUERSON, 
E. W. H. SCIIENLEY. 
CONSULTING PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS, 
Ur. AUUISON, 
“ GAZZAM, 
Ur. WM. F. IRWIN, 
“ SELLERS. 
VISITING PHYSICIANS, 
Dr. BRUCE, 
“ EDRINGTON, 
Ur. TREYOR, 
“ JOHN WILSON, (Peebles Tp.) 
Ur. KING, 
“ MOWRY, 
VISITING SURGEONS, 
Ur. SCHENK, 
“ J. H. WILSON. 
STEWARD, 
JOHN P. LANGDON. RULES AND REGULATIONS 
OF THE 
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL. 
CHAPTER I. 
Appointment and Duties of Visiting Committee. 
ARTICLE I. 
At the first meeting of the Board of Managers after the 
annual election, they shall be divided into twelve monthly Visit- 
ing Committees, to consist of four members each, two of whom 
shall retire at the end of each month; the duties of which Com- 
mittee shall be as follows: 
ARTICLE II. 
The Visiting Committees (of which two members shall form a 
quorum) shall meet once in each week at the Hospital, on such 
day and hour as the Board of Managers shall appoint, and in 
cases of peculiar emergency, special meetings shall be held at 
the call of the Chairman of the Committee. If any member of 
of the Committee is unable to attend any of its meetings, he 
shall procure some other Manager to attend in his place. The 4 
Committee shall visit the wards and rooms in the Hospital, (ex- 
cept those occupied by the Steward and Matron) every week, 
and at such visit receive from the Stewart a list of the patients, 
and see each of them if practicable; in which visits they shall not, 
unless at their own request, be accompanied by any officers of 
the Hospital. They shall carefully examine the state of every 
part of the Hospital, and ascertain whether its officers and at- 
tendants fulfill their duties faithfully and humanely. 
ARTICLE III. 
The said Committee shall decide upon the price of board of 
any patient, which shall in all cases be as low as the funds of 
the Institution will permit, and shall be graduated as nearly as 
possible by the circumstances of the patients, and the accommo- 
dation they may require. They shall also designate which of 
the beds in each ward shall be reserved for free patients, after 
the Board has decided upon the number of beds to be so con- 
sidered. 
ARTICLE IV. 
The said Committee shall authorize the Steward and Matron 
to employ such nurses and other assistants as the number and state 
of the patients may require, subject however to the approval of 
the Board of Managers; and shall upon representation of the 
Steward, Matron or Physicians, provide such articles of fumi- 
niture, food and medicines, as may be requisite for the establish- 
ment, and shall draw orders on the Treasurer for payment 
thereof, and of the current expenses of the Institution. 
ARTICLE V. 
The said Committee shall give such directions to the officers 
of the Hospital, and establish such regulations for the manage- 
ment of the same, from time to time, as they may consider best 
adapted to effect the objects of the Institution; Provided, the 
same shall not be repugnant to the Charter, or to the By-Laws 
of the Corporation, or the rules and regulations of the Board; 
and in case of indecent or immoral conduct, intemperance, or 
disobedience of the orders of the Physician, on the part of the 5 
patients in the Hospital, they shall report the same to the Board 
of Managers, who may direct the removal of such patient from 
the Hospital; and in case of such improper conduct on the part of 
the nurses or attendants, the Committee shall forthwith dismiss 
the same from the employ of the Hospital. 
ARTICLE VI. 
The said Committee shall examine the accounts of the Steward 
every month, and certify to the Board whether the expenditures 
have been proper, and shall present at each monthly meeting of 
the Board a full report of the proceedings of the Hospital, the 
number of patients received, cured, or dismissed, the cases of 
decease in the Hospital, and other circumstances of importance 
that may have occurred during the month previous to such report 
being made. 
ARTICLE VII. 
The Visiting Committee shall certify the admission of patients, 
and the terms thereof, and shall require an obligation with surety, 
in such form as the Managers may prescribe for the payment of 
board, medical attendance, medicine, charges in case of death or 
removal, and other expenses incurred by, or for the patient; or 
they may receive such security by the deposit of money as they 
may deem sufficient, the same, except in special cases, not to be 
less than six weeks board; the balance, if any remaining in the 
hands of the Committee, to be returned to the patient, or his 
heirs, in case of his removal or decease. 
ARTICLE VIII 
The Visiting Committee shall keep a book of minutes at the 
Hospital, common to all the Committees in succession, in which 
shall be entered at each weekly visit, the names of the members 
present, also the names and description of all persons by them 
admitted, received, removed or discharged, and all who may have 
died, or left the Hospital—whether the same be free or pay 
patients; and all other business which shall come before them; 
which book shall be laid before the Board of Managers at their 
monthly meetings. 6 
CHAPTER II. 
Admission of Patients to the Hospital. 
ARTICLE I. 
Applications for the admission of pay patients must be made 
to a member of the Visiting Committee, on whose certificate, 
countersigned by the Visiting Physician or Surgeon, they shall 
be received into the Hospital by the Steward, who, in conjunc- 
tion with the Visiting Committee, shall take the securities speci- 
fied in the first Chapter, seventh Article. The price of board 
and medical attendance in ordinary cases for private rooms, shall 
be six dollars per week, and for the general wards three dollars 
per week. No infectious or contagious disease can be admitted 
under the provisions of the Charter. 
ARTICLE II. 
All persons suffering from accident or injury, shall be received 
into the Hospital, within twenty-four hours of the occurrence of 
such accident, without the usual forms of application. 
ARTICLE III. 
Patients laboring under attacks of insanity, can only be re- 
ceived under special arrangements made with the Visiting Com- 
mittee. 
ARTICLE IV. 
Applications for the admission of free patients must be made 
daily at the Hospital, at 12 M. (Sundays excepted.) The 
patient, if able, should in all cases apply in person; if unable to 
attend, the application may be made by a friend, and if neces- 
sary, the patient will be visited by the attending Physician or 
Surgeon, who shall ascertain whether the applicant be a fit sub- 
ject for admission. 
Admission can only be obtained when free beds are vacant, 
and by a certificate of the Visiting Physician or Surgeon, coun- 
tersigned by a member of the Visiting Committee, and addressed 7 
to the Steward. Every applicant shall engage to comply with 
the rules and regulations governing free patients. No persons 
shall be admitted to free beds, except cases of acute disease, or 
recent accidents, but no cases of infectious or contagious disease, 
or Syphilis, can be received, nor patients who have been inmates 
of other Hospitals within three months before their application, 
nor can any patient be retained longer than two months without 
a special vote of the Board. 
ARTICLE V. 
Each person who now is or may hereafter become a Manager 
for life, shall have the right to a free bed, to be occupied by 
such person as he or she may from time to time designate, pro- 
vided such person may be adjudged by the attending Physician 
or Surgeon, to fall within the provisions of the Charter and By- 
Laws of the Hospital, and shall comply with, and be subject to 
the rules and regulations governing free patients. Such free 
beds shall be designated by the name of such Manager for life, 
and shall not be occupied at any time without his or her consent. 
ARTICLE VI. 
Any individual or association hereafter paying one hundred 
dollars per annum in advance, shall be entitled to a free bed 
for one year, subject to the provisions and restrictions prescribed 
in the preceding Article. 
ARTICLE VII 
In consideration of the State appropriation, there shall be ten 
beds set apart in the general wards of the Hospital for free 
patients, to be filled in accordance with the provisions of the 
fourth Article of this Chapter. 8 
CHAPTER III. 
Duties of the Steward. 
ARTfCLE I. 
He shall, under the direction of the Visiting Committees, 
have the general care and superintendence of the Hospital, its 
buildings, furniture and appurtenances. 
ARTICLE II. 
He shall, under the direction of the Visiting Committee, pur- 
chase fuel, provisions, furniture and stores, and shall be respon- 
sible for their safe keeping, economical use and expenditure 
thereof, and shall keep an accurate account of the same, to be 
laid before the Managers at their monthly meetings, and shall 
procure all medicines, surgical apparatus and Liquors, upon the 
written orders of the visiting Physicians or Surgeons. 
ARTICLE III 
He shall collect and receive, under the direction of the Visit- 
ing Committee, all dues from patients, and shall pay the same 
over weekly to the Treasurer. He shall keep a true and exact 
account of all his receipts and expenditures, which he shall lay 
before the Visiting Committee whenever required, and before 
the Managers at their monthly meetings; and previous to enter- 
ing on the duties of this office, he shall give bond, with surety 
in the sum of one thousand dollars, to account for all sums of 
money or other property which may come into his hands. 
ARTICLE IV. 
Under the direction of the Visiting Committee, he shall hire, 
pay and discharge, and shall oversee and direct all attendants 
and servants, in, or about the Hospital; and shall particularly see 
that they are kind and attentive to the patients, obedient to the 
directions of the Physicians and Surgeons, aDd decent, moral 9 
and sober in deportment; and shall report all proceedings under 
this rule to the Visiting Committee at their next meeting. 
ARTICLE V. 
He shall visit all the wards every morning and evening, and 
oftener if necessary, and see that they are clean and in good 
order, and shall take care that no wine, spirits or tobacco be 
used by the patients, unless by express direction of the medical 
attendant. It shall be his duty to appoint for each patient the 
bed and ward he or she shall occupy, and change the same from 
time to time, as occasion may require; but always subject in this 
respect to the orders of the Physician or Surgeon under whose 
care the patient may be. 
ARTICLE VI. 
He shall enter in a book to be kept for that purpose, the name, 
age, residence, and disease of each patient admitted or received, 
the rate of board with the securities therefor, the time when 
received, removed, discharged, eloped or deceased, and whether 
cured or relieved. He shall from time to time report to the 
attending Physicians and Surgeons for their action, the names 
of all free patients who have been in the house more than six 
weeks; and to the Managers for their action, all cases of free 
patients, who have been in the house two months; and at every 
monthly meeting of the Managers he shall lay before them a re- 
port containing the above particulars. • 
ARTICLE VII. 
On the death of any patient, he shall cause the body to be 
conveyed to a room provided for that purpose, there to remain 
until delivered to the friends of the deceased, or to the Sexton 
or Undertaker, to be decently interred, for which he shall be 
particularly responsible. He shall also, in all cases, give imme- 
diate notice of the decease to the attending Physician; from 
whom he will take directions tcspecting the notice to be given 
to the friends, which must be, when practicable, before the inter- 
ment; and no body must be removed or interred until twenty-four 10 
hours have elapsed after death, except by the instructions of 
Physicians, or at the express request of the relations. He shall 
forthwith report to the Visiting Committee whether the deceased 
left any clothes or articles of value, and shall follow their direc- 
tions relative to the same. 
ARTICLE VIII. 
He shall see that all orders and prescriptions of the Physi- 
cians and Surgeons, concerning the diet, conduct and exercise 
or bathing of the patients are exactly and punctually observed, 
and shall see that a bath is administered in all eases where it is 
practicable and safe, before a patient is admitted into the wards. 
ARTICLE IX 
He shall see that no patient goes out of the Hospital without 
permission. He shall not permit any person to visit that part of 
the Hospital appropriated to patients except at such hours as 
are mentioned in Chapter fourth, or as the Visiting Committee 
may prescribe; unless in case of emergency, or by a permit from 
the President, Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer, Man- 
agers, Physicians or Surgeons of the Hospital, and he shall 
cause the gates to be locked at a reasonable hour in the evening, 
as directed by the Visiting Committee. 
The Steward shall occupy with his family and attendants such 
apartments only as the Visiting Committee shall assign him; his 
table shall be supplied at the expense of the Hospital, in such 
manner as the Visiting Committee shall direct; and his salary' 
shall be paid quarterly. 
ARTICLE X. 11 
CHAPTER IV. 
Visitors, Patients, Clergymen, fie. 
ARTICLE I. 
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a. m. to 3 
p. m. friends may be admitted to visit patients, it being under- 
stood that no patient shall receive more than one visitor at a 
time, and that no female patient shall be visited by a male friend, 
other than her father, son, husband or brother; or such clergy- 
man residing in the county as she may desire to see. No person 
calling to visit any member of the family of the Steward, or an 
attendant, shall be admitted to visit the wards, without the spe- 
cial permission of the Steward. 
ARTICLE II. 
Whenever from any cause it shall be considered inexpedient 
for any of the rooms to be exhibited to visitors of the Institution, 
it shall be so reported to the Steward by the Physician or Sur- 
geon, and with the exception of rooms thus designated, the 
Steward may at any time exhibit to visitors such parts of the 
establishment as he may think proper. 
ARTICLE III. 
Such free patients as are able, in the opinion of the Physi- 
cians or Surgeons, shall assist in nursing others, or in such servi- 
ces as the Steward or Matron may require; and if any persons 
refuse to perform such acts, or to comply with the rulos and 
regulations of the Hospital, their names shall forwith be reported 
to the Visiting Committee. 
ARTICLE IV 
No nurse, attendant or visitor, shall speak of the health of 
any patient, in the presence of such patient. 12 
ARTICLE V. 
The smoking or chewing of tobacco, is prohibited in the Hospital. 
ARTICLE VI. 
The names of all persons visiting the Hospital, will be record- 
ed in a suitable book when they enter, and unless accompanied 
by a Manager, or member of the Medical Staff, will be attended 
through the Institution by the Steward or Matron, or some per- 
son specially deputed by them for that purpose. 
ARTICLE VII. 
To prevent improper interference with the orders of the 
Physicians or Surgeons, visitors are positively forbidden to sup- 
ply patients with fermented or distilled liquors; nor can any 
article of food be furnished to patients by such visitor, without 
the permission of the medical attendant, or in his absence, of 
the Steward or Matron. 
ARTICLE VIII. 
Clergymen residing in the county, of all denominations, ex- 
cept in cases forbidden by the Physician or Surgeon, may, at all 
reasonable hours, have access to such patients as may desire 
their attendance. A N A C T 
To Incorporate the Western Pennsylvania Hospital. 
Whereas a number of the citizens of this Commonwealth, 
actuated by a sense of religious duty, and the benevolent 
disposition to extend aid, comfort and relief to indigent and 
afflicted humanity, have made large voluntary contributions, in 
money and real estate, with a view to the foundation and endow- 
ment of a public hospital, to be appropriated for the reception 
and care of the insane and afflicted, as well as the sick, helpless 
and infirm, and the contributors having formed themselves into 
an association for the above object, have now, by the petition of 
their Board of Managers to the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives, prayed for the passage of an act of incorporation: 
Therefore, 
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Re- 
presentatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General 
Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the 
same, That the present managers, elected by the contributors, 
together with their Presidednt, Vice Presidents, and other mem- 
bers and contributors to the above mentioned charitable associa- 
tion, be, and they are hereby made and constituted, a body politic 
and corporate, in law and fact, under the name, style and title of 
“Tiie Western Pennsylvania Hospital,” and shall have and 
enjoy all the rights, powers and privileges, incident by law to a 
corporation, for the purpose of establishing, maintaining and man- 
aging an hospital for the reception and care of the insane and 
afflicted, as well as the sick, infirm and helpless. 
Section 2. That the control, government, management and 
domestic economy of the said Institution, and of the business 
and concerns of the Hospital, shall be vested in a board of 14 
twenty-one managers, (seven of whom shall be a quorum for the 
transaction of business,) who shall be elected at the first an- 
nual election under this act, on the third Tuesday of April next; 
one-third of whom shall be for one year, one-third for two years, and 
one-third for three years, and at their first meeting thereafter, the 
said board shall elect from their own number a president, a first vice 
president, and a second vice president; and at all subsequent an- 
nual elections on the third Tuesday of April, seven managers shall 
be elected by the contributors to serve for the three succeeding 
years, and no manager shall be ineligible to reelection; to which 
number shall be added those contributors who may acquire a right 
to become members of the Board of Managers, agreeably to the pro- 
visions contained in the next succeeding section; and if an election 
shall not be held in any year at the time hereinbefore appointed, the 
corporation shall not for that cause be dissolved, but an election 
shall be held as soon afterwards as may be, such notice being 
given as shall be required by the Rules and By-Laws of the In- 
stitution, and until such election, the Officers and Managers in 
place shall continue to act and conduct the business and affairs 
of the Institution; and in cases of any vacancy in the Board of 
Managers, by death, resignation, removal from the State, or 
repeated omission to attend their meetings, the Managers shall 
have the power to fill such vacancy by the nomination of another 
contributor, until the next annual election. No person but a 
contributor shall be elected a manager. 
Section 3. That any contributor, who has already or shall 
hereafter subscribe the sum of one thousand dollars as a single 
benefaction, or who has already subscribed a less sum and shall 
increase the same to one thousand dollars, or who shall hereafter 
subscribe a less sum and subsequently increase the same to one 
thousand dollars, on payment of the same into the treasury, 
shall be entitled to become a manager for life, and shall have the 
right to nominate and send in one patient to the Hospital. Pro- 
vided, the person so nominated shall be of the condition, and fall 
within and comply with the rules that may be established for the 
government of the Institution; and the same privileges and rights 
shall be conferred on any person who shall subscribe and secure 15 
the payment of one hundred dollars per annum for life, or for 
the period of fifteen years. 
Section 4. That the said corporation shall have power and 
authority to adopt and use a common seal, and to alter the same 
at pleasure, and under aforesaid name, style and title of “The 
Western Pennsylvania Hospital,” may sue and be sued, plead 
and be impleaded in all courts of record and elsewhere; may 
purchase, acquire, receive, take donations of (by will or other- 
wise,) hold and enjoy real, personal and mixed estate of any 
kind whatsoever, and may sell, convey, lease and encumber the 
same for the use, objects and benefit of the said Institution. 
They shall also, by their Board of Managers, have power to 
contract for and to erect all necessary buildings, and to make all 
the accommodations, arrangements and conveniencies requisite 
for the reception and care of patients; to make and declare a 
code of By-Laws for the government of the Board of Managers, 
of the patients, and of all the officers and persons appointed 
and employed in and about the Hospital; and they shall have 
power to appoint and to prescribe the functions and duties, and 
to compensate and remove at pleasure from their employment 
all the officers and attendants deemed necessary for the proper 
order, discipline, arrangements and management of the Hospital. 
The said Managers shall have the general control, government 
and management of the business concerns and economy of the 
Hospital, shall prescribe the kind and character of patients, and 
the terms and conditions upon which they shall be admitted into 
the Hospital or removed and discharged therefrom. Provided, 
That no person shall be admitted having any contagious or in- 
fectious disease. They shall have power also by their code of 
By-Laws to appoint and give public notice of the time and place 
for holding general meetings and elections by contributors, to 
constitute committees, and appoint visitors of inspection and su- 
perintendence to the Hospital, to control its finances, to order 
the payment, by instalments or otherwise, of the subscriptions 
made by the contributors, and to appoint and compensate, if 
they shall think proper, a Secretary and Treasurer, to prescribe 
their respective duties, and to oblige the latter to give bond, with 16 
one or more sureties, for the faithful discharge of his official du- 
ties. Provided, That the said By-Laws and ordinances shall 
not he inconsistent with the constitution of the United States 
and of this State. 
Section 5. That no member of the Board of Managers 
shall receive any pay or compensation whatsoever for attendance 
or discharge of his official duties as a manager; and all persons 
contributing twenty-five dollars shall be members of this Corpo- 
ration, and entitled to vote for the members of the Board of 
Managers, or at any general meeting of the contributors, and 
shall be eligible to be elected to the management of its concerns. 
Section 6. That at all the elections for managers, the votes 
shall be by ballot, and each member of the Corporation shall be 
entitled to one vote only, and the persons voted for having the 
highest number of votes shall be declared elected, and a written 
return of each election shall be certified and given to the Board 
of Managers, and entered on their minutes. 
Section 7. That those persons whose conditions and dis- 
eases render them the proper objects of charity or care of the 
said Hospital, may be received from any part of the Common- 
wealth of Pennsylvania, without preference or partiality; but in 
cases of serious accidental wounds, provided they occur within 
the said Commonwealth, the residence of the part}" shall be no 
objection to admission and surgical aid; and in deciding upon the 
admission of patients, there shall be no discriminations as to re- 
ligious denominations, and clergymen shall always have access 
to patients of their own religious persuasion, subject to the gen- 
eral By-Laws in reference to the admission of visitors. 
Section 8. Whereas, experience and the present general 
impressions seem to indicate that it would be more expedient 
and conducive to humanity, and the benevolent objects in view, 
to keep separate and distinct the insane patients from the other 
classes of the afflicted: Be it, therefore enacted, that the Board 
of Managers of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, if they 
shall hereafter deem it more expedient and humane, shall have 
power to make the separation and erect distinct establishments 
for the said two classes of patients. Provided, That the same 17 
shall be approved and sanctioned bj the contributors to the In- 
stitution, at a general meeting to be convened at Pittsburgh,upon 
a reasonable and public notice to be given by the Eoard of 
Managers. 
Section 9. That the estate and property of the said Hospi- 
tal shall be exempt from taxation, so long as the same shall be 
used, conducted and employed as a public Hospital or Asylum 
for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned; nor shall the ground of 
the said Hospital be subject or liable to have any public road, 
street, lane or alley laid out or opened through it as long as the 
same shall be used and employed for the purposes aforesaid. 
Section 10. That the Act of Assembly, entitled “An Act 
to incorporate the Western Pennsylvania Hospital Society and the 
Pittsburgh Board of Trade,” passed the third day of April, one 
thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, be, and the same is 
hereby repealed, so far as relates to the said hospital society, 
and all other acts relative to a Western Pennsylvania Hospital 
be, and they are hereby repealed. 
WILLIAM F. PACKER, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
WM. WILLIAMSON, 
Speaker of the Senate. 
Approved the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight 
hundred and forty-eight. 
FRS. R. S1IUNK. 
Secretary’s Office, J 
Harrisburgh, April 1th, 1848. ) 
Pennsylvania, ss. 
[L.S.] I do certify that the within and foregoing is a true 
copy of the original Act of Assembly now on file in this office. 
In witness whereof, I have hereto set my hand and affixed 
the seal of said office, the day and year above written. 
J. MILLER, Sec. of the Com.