para 3 The Church assumed the primary responsibility for the care of the sick during the Middle Ages. Hospitals continued to be used as rest houses, but they gradually acquired a bad reputation. They became known as places of filth and death, to be avoided at all costs, it is no wonder that early American settlers in the New World did not want to establish hospitals. It was not until 1713 that William Penn founded the first community hospital in the colonies in Philadelphia.
para 4 During the nineteenth century, medical advances changed all this.Louis Pasteur developed his germ theory, and Florence Nightingale made nursing a respectable profession. Since then, the number of hospitals has grown dramatically in the world. By 1873, in the United States alone, there were nearly 200 hospitals. Today, there are more than 7000.
para 5 There are many different kinds of hospitals. The most common is the general or community hospital. It treats patients of all ages and numerous illnesses and injuries. Most patients have acute problems and usually stay less than a week.
para 6 Other hospitals provide more specialized care. Some treat patients with chronic illnesses and offer facilities for long-term care. Others take patients of only one age group, such as children, or patients with one particular illness, such as tuberculosis.
para 7 Hospitals can also be categorized according to the nature of their financial support. Most hospitals in the world are financed by the government of the country in which they are located.
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