Document text
Forms to be Filled out for Each Interview
FORM A
Circumstances of Interview
STATE
NAME OF WORKER Joseph Vogel
ADDRESS
DATE April 5, 1939
SUBJECT Visiting Hours at a City Hospital
1. Date and tim of interview
April 5, 1939 from 2 to 4 P.M.
2. Place of interview
Kings County Hospital
3. Name and address of informant
A variety of persons
4. Name and address of person, if any, who put you in
touch with informant.
5. Nano and address of person, if any, accompanying you
6. Description of room, house, surroundings, etc.
FOLKLORE
NE; YORK
Approaohing the hospital, entry, upstairs, downstairs, and
outside again.
(Use as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms, each
bearing the proper heading and the number to which the material refers.)
FORM C
Text of Interview (Unedited)
STATE
NAVE OF WORREn Joseph Vogel
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
April 5, 1939
Visiting Hours at a City Hospital
THE APPROACH
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
(Two women) Look, a playground. It's an excellent idea. While
the mothers go upstairs in the hospital they can leave the children
here to play.
What good does it do me? I can't leave my Annie here alone.
It's too packed. Where you got room for so much children?
Say, you can't have a thousand swings, after all. They have
to take chances. Come on, we're standing in the way. Leave the
people pass.
(On the walk toward the entrance of the hospital) Rey, Mike,
like that? Somebody spit blood on the sidewalk. Bahl
Looks like somebody got T.B. They oughta clean it
Is attracting flies.
Yahl Then the fly go on the eat. Come
line inside today. Have to wait.
(Guard at doorway) Yeah, you kin go in this way.
on your right. Hey, you, where you going? Namr,
that door down there. Don't sit on there, kids.
how you
up.
on, quick. Is hip
Go through the door
information is through
Cone on, get your feet
off there.
Yeah, mister, it's plenty crowded today, but it's nothing compared
to Sunday. They come in the thousands on Sunday. They come in the thousands
on Sunday. Naw, they don't give no trouble. Once in a while a couple of
drunks comes around and I chase 'em away. The women leaves their kids out here.
They bring their kids here, you would think for a good time. Why don't they
leave the kids home? (A woman with two children) Mister, you think they'll
leave me go up to the maternity ward?
Not with the kids, lady.
They'll leave me go up if I leave the children here?
Sure, try it. Don't do no harm trying. Is the lady expecting a
delivery?
No, she had a delivery already. They had to give her three blood
transfusions. You think they'll leave me see her?
Well, it don't do no harm trying. Go up to the raternity ward and
they'll tell you.
(The guard expostulating) You see, some people don't think. She wants to go
up and see a lady with three transfusions. They won't let her in, if you want
my opinion. Some people got no consideration for the sick.. They come here
for curiosity and it don't do the sick no good.
Come on, kids, get your feet off there. Don't sit there. Run along
and play.
Gee, it's a swell day. Real spring weather. It makes everybody
feel good.
*******10**
(Insides a small waiting room with about 25 children on benches in one corner.
An elderly woman in charge.) Who'll sing? Who knows haw to sing? Who'll sing
us a song? Will you? Oh, come now, children, somebody must know how to sing.
What about you, can you sing? Whatl Can't you sing us a song? Don't you know
any song? All right, listen, children. The little boy there is going to sing
us a song. Quiet everybody. What's the name of the song you're going to sing?
Oh, don't be bashful. Nobody's goinq: to do you anything. Stand up, like a
nice good boy. Oh, don't disappoint us. Well, what about the little girl there
on the end of the bench? Will you sing a song for us? You surely must know a
song. You don't? My! Well, who'll sing? Who knows hovrto sing? 'Who'll sing
us a song?
(Guard at entrance to hallway leading to elevators) What ward, lady? Turn to
your right and go to D. Sorry, if you want information ask at the information
desk. Where you going there, mister? Where's your pass? Oh, I see, okay,
turn to your left for ward A. Now don't rush me. Take your time. Please,
don't give me no argument. I'm too busy now. Turn to your right, that's right,
lady. Take the elevator to the fifth floor. Don't ask me. Now look here,
what do you want me to do, go up with you? A fine mess I'd be in if I went up
with a couple of thousand people. Ward C, lady, that's right, go straight
ahead.
(Two young women in the hallway) Ooo, I hate to go up. It gives me the creeps
when I see all dose sick people. I wouldn't mind it if Milly was in a private
room. But you have to be in a room where there's other sick people, and they
look at you 0000, it makes me feel
Oh, come on, don't be a fraidy-cat.
(At the elevator) Get in back of the line, folks. Right there. Are you a doc-
tor, mister? I thought you was a doctor with dat tling in your pocket. Get
in line over here. Now wait a minute,lady, you can't push in here. Uott:ITL do-
ing, you can't push in ahead these other people. Yah, you, who you think I'M
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talking to? WHo's fresh? D'you think I'm doing this for my health? There's
gotta be some order or nobody'd get on the elevator. All right, go on com-
plain.
Ever see anything like that? She's insulted. Let her walk out, what
do I care? Okay, here's the elevator. Now take it easy, folks. Keep in line.
Hey, there, don't push. Take it easy. Don't push, please I said DON'T PUSH1
(Nursery wards waiting -room) Jes yuh look oveh der. Dem nurses dey wearint
gauze on their face. Puttin' diapers on de kids. Kickint up de le7,s, dam
kids is. Jeez, neveh saw so many in all rah life. Lus be hunterds. Ho -w- they
know which is who? Jes yuh look at dat man. The nurse put -tin' a white gown
oveh his head. Mighty careful dey is. Ton'er where is Frank's baby. Dey won't
let me in der, not unless I'se de father.
Ha, hal Dals a hot ones
(Two women on the bench) I asked already. They don't let re in. Particular
they got all of a sudden. "It's my nephew, my sister's baby,"
they care.
T said. A lot
It's the first baby?
The first? It's already the toid, thank God.
A easy case she had, Hah?
Easy? thank God, everything came out all right. By the first baby
it was harder. They used instruments, they ,ave ether, and now you should see..
a boy, it's a pleasure to look at. Some brisi You should've seen. It was in
the hospital, downstairs in the basement. It was something to see.
Yeh, a bris it's something.
Yeh, it's something. 1/01:: shouldn't it be something?
(Man trying to gain admittance to nursery) I'd like to go in to seeT---
You the ladder?
No, I'm the
Sorry, you can't come in now.
But why can't I----?
Sorry, mister, the only on/es can come in now is the husband and
the mudder and the fadder.
(The back stairway) Come on, two more to go to the sixth floor. We shoulda
gone up mid the elevator.
Boy, is I puffin.
Match it, somebody's comin, down.
Look like he wuz a doctor.
Mebbe wuz an interne. Dis place iE fulla internes.
boyl What dlyuh say? Le's Rol
Cominl, boy. Up we goes!
(Two attendants going down) Cook special meals, me eyel Some nerve asking
me that.
You shoulda spoke your mind. I wouldn't let 'em p!et away with
that. Nothinp_. doing.
I sure told 'em something. What they think, we got nothing else
to do only cook special meals? You would think they was someborly. important.
Yeah, soon as they begin feeling better they think they own the
place. What I tell 'em is, "This is a hospital. I only take orders. Anything
special you speak to your doctor."
That's telling 'em something.
(An interne and a nurse) I witted five minutes.
Is that so? Think of it, you waited five minutes.
Yes, five minutes. As long as that.
Is that so? All of five minutes, imagine that.
Yes, imagine that. Tthee-hee-heel
(Maternity ward: a group of nurses in a small room) Ouch, it tickles. Go easy,
now.
Hold your head back, dear.
Don't get them mixed up, will you?
What are they looking for, streptococci or anything?
Say anything, I guess.
Ouch, you pushed it too far.
It can't be helped, darling. You're next, Mary.
nurse explains) They're taking nose and throat cultures. There's been a lot
01 pneumonia going around and they're trying to find out if any of the nurses
are carriers.
(Two Eirls coming along) Look, Helen, what those nurses are doing. They're push-
ing cotton 117,, their noses.
Must be a disinfectant.
I'll bet it's they shouldn't breathe in germs.
Maybe it's they shouldn't breathe out germs.
Gee, in a hospital must be lotta germs around.
Don't be silly.
They use disinfectant. Can't you smell.it?
Smells like chloroform to me.
Silly, they don't use chloroform any more. They use ether.
All right, so I smell ether. Coming?
(A man and two women) Hold da flowers up. You spoil 'elm. They gonna spoil anyhow.
The florist toll me they last five days. Held 'em up.
That's nice, flowers. They smell nice. Look nice too.
Yeah, sure. Mrs. Tomasella she goons like 'em. She like flowers.
Gotta whole garden in backa house.
Don't talk so loud. Which way we go?
-7
(Two women standing near wall) She's laying in the hospital and you would
think the neighbors would call in her husband qnd give him a bite to eat,
poor man he's in the house by himself and so Mrs. Kowalski from upstairs calls
him in to give him a bite to eat and what do you think, she gives him sardines.
Now .I ask you, a nerve a woman's got, to call in a man, his wife laying :n the
hospital, and give him a can sardines what he can get in a cafeteria. If it
was me I'd say to her, "Mrs. Kowalski, it's very kind you call me in to give
me a bite to eat, my wife laying in the hospital, but thank you just the same
for your can sardines. Pfoo on youl"
(A mixed group coming off elevator) Yeh, this looks like the right place.
There they are, you can see them from here.
Boy, there's a lot of 'em there. Think they'll let us in with a
crowd like that?
Gee, it turned my stomach. They shoulda told us we was on the wrong
floor. All those old women laying there like dead. They must have cancer or
something. Blyou see that woman with a pipe sticking out of her nose. I wonder
what that was.
It was a rubber pipe went down to her throat. I'll bet she can't
breathe so they stick a pipe in her nose for her to breathe.
God, suppose the pipe slips out. I din't see no nurse around. She'd
croak before anybody'd notice it.
ANT, forget it.
(Random remarks) There's a woman all alone. Wonder she's got somebody to visit
her. I'd feel god -awful if was lying in a hospital with all these visitors
and nobody came to visit me.
So he spends fifteen dollars on the goods, he's gonna make a big
profit on it, see? So what happens? He gets stuck with the goods, he can't
get rid of them if he wants to give 'em away, and there's fifteen bucks shot
to hell.
-8-
4. She'll feel better now. Don't worry. What's the use of worrying?
You saw with your own eyes, she had color in her cheeks, she looked a million
times better. She'll feel better now, take my word for it.
(Administrative offices: the Superintendant's secretary speaking) Now I have
explained to you about all there is to be explained about the organization
of the hospital, which is the same but on a larger scale than the small hospital.
All these departments are dedicated to the welfare of the patient. That is the
important thing. Yes, a lot of people come here asking for information. Yester-
day a reporter came who was interested in the women's angle: what interested
her was, for instance, that last year our laundry washed over 7 million pieces.
We get a lot og highschool kids who ask me to give them material for essays,
but I shoo them out. They are not of course interested as you are in the work-
ings of the whole hospital. The thing to remember is that our 3,000 employees
are all dedicated to the service of the sick. We have about 400 NPA workers
here who are a great help. We don't know what we'd do without them. Not long
ago they were going to close down the 'TPA hospital project and we all felt
bad about it. Oh yes, we all signed petitions. Now only last week 70 WPA
workers were dismissed on account of Congress economizing. Our employees
pitch in and do extra work, because they are devoted to the care of the sick.
No, I don't think you have to talk to the employees, because I can tell you
whet they'll say: "The hospital is dedicated to the welfare of the sick."
That's what it all comes down to, they'll all tell you the same thing. The
ambulance driver? Oh, he'll tell you the same thing. The thing uppermost
in his mind about his job is that the purpose of his job is service to the
sick. Yes, that's what it is, I see you understand: service to the sick.
Any questions you have, I'll be glad to answer, any tire you come
back. You will of course let me see your paper so I can check up on facts.
That's a rule we have, if anybody writes about the hospital we want to check
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up on the facts.
Yes, that's the thing to remember: primarily our hospital is de-
voted to the care of the sick.
(Downstairs at entrance to emergency ward) Hey, look at the cops. Four cops.
Boy, must be a accident or something.
Maybe it's a murder.
Maybe it's a gangster.
What they need so many cops for, if a gangster is in the hospital?
Ah, these gangsters is tough guys. You gotta hold 'em down.
Maybe we'll read about it in the newspapers.
(The cops) He comes into the barber shop with them trick neckties. I got the
aprong over me, he don't know who I am. "Nothing doin'," I says, "I got plenty
of ties." He keeps after me, you know haw these peddlars are. But I don't
say nothing, see? Then the barber whispers in his ear, "Hey, buddy, he's a
cop." Wow! You ought& see him beat it. He-ha-hai
You ask him for his license?
I was saving that, but the barber scared him out.
Yeah, I had one like that. Remember, about two years ago
(A nurse) Those cops? Oh, every ambulance brings in a cop. They don't mean
nothing.
(In the hallway) Where's Jimmie? I told you to keep your eye on him. Where'd
he Eo? Why din't you watch him? I oughta slap your face.
(Two girls) Don't cry. Why you crying? Your mother said you shouldn't cry.
Don't cry, Agnes. Please don't cry.
(Guard at exit) Swell day all right. 'Bout time we got the sun. Makes you feel
good. This thing on my hand? I had a boil and I scraped it tgainst a door, so
-10-
I got it bandaged up.
Hey, come on, kids, don't stand by the door. Move over, will yuh?
Yuh folks will be down any minute now. Sure, they coming out now. Go on,
you, you manna get stepped on?
Yeh, it's a swell day all right.
(Man sitting on stone fence outside) Sure. Nice day. Sure. Lotsa people.
Sure, bigga hospital. Me no speak English.
(Another man sitting on fence) Yeh, it's good and sunny. Oh, yeh, it's a fine
hospital. They treat people Wery gentle. It's not li1 it used to be years
ago. Then it used to be if you go in the hospital, it's goodbye. You had one
chance in a million to come out alive. Wery bad conditions used to be. Like
dogs they used to treat people. But now it's a big difference. They talk to
you nice, real democratic. Negroes, Italians, Jews, everybody is treated nice.
It goes to show you, if plenty people corplain you get soivice. Then LaGuardia
came in and he made things over. Yeh, now is nice. Rep.]. democratic.
(Along sidewalk) Toss it over here. Go ahead, Frank, you run bases.
Hey, don't throw the ball like that. Now I gotta ch4 it.
Mollie, stop running like wild. Stay by papa.
Uh, such a beautiful day. It's a pleasure to breathe such fresh air.
Mmmml Smells so good.
Mama, buy me popcorn.
You wanna get sick? Stay by papa.
He tolla me itsa no good. I tolla him don't you believe it. He
tolla me fuh two dollars he buy da real stuff. I tolla him, looka here, you
tl ink
I don't know nuttin, yah?
A little girl like that, it's a shame. They don't know what's the
matter. Puss on the hip. The big specialists can't do anything for her. She's
been laying in the hospital three months, and now they say she'll have to stay
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another two months until it heals by itself.
Try to get compensation. TrYI
I'll get it. And if dey don't give it to me I'll break der bones.
That's haw yuh get results.
I'm feeling all right, thank God. An end comes to everything. Haw
you feeling?
Not so bad, thank God.
*******101*
(On the corner) Look up there, darling. You see her by the window/ .You see
she's sitting in bed by the window/ Look, she's seeing us. Wave your hand,
darling. Wave your hand.
END