The advances made in almost every branch of medicine and surgery during the present century have far exceeded those of any similar period in the history of the world, yet woman, borne down by peculiar and loathsome sufferings, has sighed in vain for relief until within the last few years. In 1852, Dr. J. Marion Sims, originally from Alabama, made known to the profession the result of his long and patient investigations of some of those hitherto incurable ills that afflict woman. He had discovered the surgical remedy whereby with one or more operations a disease of the most distressing character, that had for ages baffled the skill of Europe, was radically cured. The announcement was hailed with high satisfaction by the medical fraternity. The successful treatment of these cases, it was found, required the careful management in minute detail of such trained nurses as are rarely found in private houses. Secondly, the operator, in addition to the knowledge and skill of a good surgeon, must possess peculiar adroitness of manipulation, the gift of very few, requiring large and constant experience not often attained in a general hospital. Third, the successful treatment of man patients could be conducted nowhere but in a hospital. From these considerations it was deemed expedient to establish an institution where this treatment could be made a specialty. The subject being laid before a number of weal benevolent ladies of New York, they entered upon the task founding an Institution with a very commendable zeal.

In February, 1855, the Woman's Hospital association was formed, with a board of managers consisting of thirty-four ladies, a work of woman for the benefit of her own sex. On the 4th of May, 1855, the association opened a hospital in a hired building, with forty beds, and conducted its operations for over twelve years on this limited scale. During that period, however, over twelve hundred patients were discharged, either cured or greatly relieved, besides the hundreds of out-door patients treated. The city generously contributed a block of ground lying on Fourth avenue and Fiftieth street, and in May, 1866, the corner-stone of the Woman's Hospital was laid. On the 10th of October, 1867, the new building was thrown open for inspection and for appropriate services, and on the 15th for the reception of patients. While the building was being erected, the property occupied on Madison avenue was sold, and the patients removed to Thirteenth street, where they continued eleven months. The new Hospital is one of the prettiest buildings on the island. Its basement is of polished stone, the four additional stories of brick, with angles and pilasters ornamented with finely wrought vermiculated blocks. The windows are beautifully arched, the ceilings higher than in any other hospital in the city, and an elevator ascends from basement to fourth floor, to the great convenience of patients, nurses, and visitors. The building contains 75 beds, and cost, with its furniture, $200,000. The upper floor is devoted to charity patients from New York State only, who are required to render some service in the labor of the house, if able.