The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-01-12 00:00:00

Dorottobire.

DORSET COUNTY HOSPITAL

Tbe annual general no., ling of the governors
of this valuable institution took place at the Hospital
on Monday afternoon, whoa there were present J.
Royer IL N. Middleton, C. W. Dishy, G. arry, E.
L. Kin 'W
clemley, J. F. Hodges, J. Toose, Levi Groves,
Emma., Arshdeemon Sanctuary, and the Revd& C. W.
Bingham, J. Fisher, H. Moak, M. Smith, T. Baker, E.
Laps, J. Faulkner, M. J. Green, James
Cr.. and G. L. Nash.
Prior to the Weiner of the meeting the Rev. C. W.
Bingham stated that the Hon. Henry Willealei who
had mimed to reside In the county bed sect a donation
of £25 towards the funds of the hospital. He then
proposed that, in the absence of the patron of the in.
titution' the *hair should be taken by J. Floyer,
which that gentleman consented to do.
The Rev. C. W. BINGHAM, the Chairman of the
ilanaging Committee, then read the following
ANNO•L IMPOST.
Never during the 2375.:' thst have elapsed sincethe
establishment of the hospital have more mandrill
tokens been exhibited of the general appreciation of its
benefit& by all classes in the *aunty. The almost aid-
ferns course of prosperity aid which It has
been permitted to run, makes it liPafre the committee
to vary the expressions of their annual statement
Still there can be no hesitation on their part in render-
ing thanks to a good and gracious God for the con-
tinuance of His favour, and in attributing to Him, to
whom alone it is due, all the glory and all the praise.
The constant efforts of the Committee to keep the
admissions within proper bounds have only been so far
succeesfid as to redoes the weekly average of In-patients
from 51 1,.-thirteeeth's to 50 elaystethirteenthe
Their total number, nevertheless, has exiseeded that of
any previous year by more than 60, and the number of
out-patients haw also been largely in advance—being
more than 100 beyond that of 1862; and, draw to say,
more than 200 beyond that of either 1880 or 186 L
Two legacies have been received, vim, £4O from Mrs.
glimbeth Ashwoith, a highly- widow in com-
paratively humble life, at Syriel;clr..Nicholas ; and
E 450 from an old and most generous benefactor to the
hospital, the Rev. George Raymond, rector of Symonds-
"Rees sum; according to the usual practice with re-
peat to legacies, were funded immediately on their re-
ceipt, although certain payments, made in the course of
the year, m4ht fairly have intercepted them, and have
been charged epos the capital of the institution, vim,
£ll9 for the building of the golden wall, sod
£ll5 10a 3d. for connecting the hospital with the main
drainage of the borough.
This, however, has been rendered altogether unneces-
sary by the liberal amount both of the donations and
17:IMMonad collections. Amongst the former will be
O from the Rev. C. Fox, £lOO from Illis. Charles
Machine, of Bath ; and the truly munifieent and
unsolicited contribution of SW from the Marquis of
Weetminster. The latter, too—many of them being
thank-offerings for the late abundant harvest—hare
reached an amount far above their average, and much
exceeding that of any previous year, exeept when they
have been made in compliant* with a pectoral letter
from the Lord Bishop.
The heartiestthanks of the governors are doe both to
the clergy and their people, who have combined to
make this most welcome and seasonable addition to the
resources of the charity.
The great mutt is, that after disbarring all
liabilities, and retaining a balance in the treasurer's
bands of2ll Is. 4c1., a further sum of £4OO ha bete
funded, amounting altogether to £B9O, and raising the
fended property of the institution to £9,007 Bs. Ild. In
the new three per cents.
\ray few circumstances have occurred in the proceed-
ings of the year which i'mmaod any special observation.
It has been deems d advisable to avail ourselves of the
recent improvements in the principles of nursing, intro-
duced under the auspices of the eminently practical and
benevolent Mice Nightingale. A nurse, highly moon,
mended by the Council of the Nightingale Fund, in
bonnexion with St. Thomas's Hospital, has been pro.
cored, asd her whole demeanour hitherto has fully
justified the coat of the arrangement.
The committee rejoice it the restoration of Dr.
Cowdell's health, and beg anew to express their grati-
tude both to him and the other medical officers for their
kind and unremitting honorary services.
The honeeenrgeon has continued to devote himself
most amiduously and efficiently to the performance of
his duties, end no little credit must be accorded to him
for the cheerfulness and ability with which he dim
charged them when necessarily much increases! during
the illness and absence of the physician.
Of the excellent matron's value in all respect& it has
become almost superfluous to speak. Her name has
long been honoured in those many cottage homes, whose
inmates know from experience the blessings adminia-
tered by the Dorset County Hospital
(itigned,) C. W. BINGHAM, Chairman.
Mr. Hingham continued: Such was the report, but
verbal,. it might be aileisahle before he proceeded to
make any remarke upon it just to read the treasurer's
report. From this it appeared that at the commence-
tuent of that year there was a balance in hand of
Lilt Bs. ; dividends, £245 Ba. sd. ; donations,
£n9l4fis. ' • and congregational collections, L'357 10. sd.
He found that on looking back to the year 1861 the
congregational collections amounted to only 1240, and
that was a considerable increase on any preceding year,
except when the Bishop had sent • pestoral letter. Lent
. year the collection tail increased from £240 to
£337 10a. sd. The subscriptions had been almost pre-
cisely the same as the preceding year, amounting to
61.093, which was within £1 of the sum subscribed last
year. The donations for the past year amounted to
1664, £lOO being from Mrs. C. Hutchings. £4O from the
Rev. C. Fos. and 000 from the Marquis of West-
minster, together with several smaller sums. The
total receipts of the income of the hospital had been
12,118, and £490 hail been vested In legacies. If they
looked into and compared. these items with those of
preceding years they would find that nothing could be
more economically managed than the domestic affairs
of this institution. This state of affairs was owing in
• great measure to their excellent matron, and to the
assicance of Mr. Brow., their clerk, who looked sharp
after the matron and every one else. If they con,-
pared and went into the items of expenditure ache had
done, taking into consideration the increased number
of patients, and the price of provisions, nothing could be
more satisfactory than the way in which the domestic ex-
peni tu re blether. managed. There was otie item to whii h
he would draw their attention, and which the Committee
felt they had no control over—that was the expendi-
ture for wines and spirits. The Committee were bound
to see as far as their eyes would carry them, that what.
ever wines and spirits were ordered by the medical
officers should be properly administered, and that
there should be no waste. But it was impossible for
them to say to the medical officers that they should not
order such. He said that for the year 1862 the
enormous sum of el3l 6e. was expended in wines and
spirits ; but this year it had only been 651 Hie, which
was an immense decrease. He, however, believed that
£l3l would have been spent for the same purpose last
year if there had been as many patio o require them
as there were in the preceding yi ar. It was simply a
question of requirement. There were patients, who,
after going through an operation, were in that condition
that it was found absolutely necessary to sustain them
by stimulants, therefore, lie contended that if they had
the same patients last year as in the previous one, the
expenditure for wines and spitits would have been as
great.
The Rev. H. Mootr said that since remonstrance
had been made, the expenditure on that head had not
been so great.
The Rev, C. W. BINGHAM then continued Ills remarks
by stating that the decrease in the expenditure for drugs
had been great. For 1862 it was £lB6, whilst lad year
It was £l7l, and eves with a larger number of patients.
The cost of surgical instruments last year was £l3, whilst
that of the former was 631. For the saute periods the
cost of lint, tow, km., was £3O against £l4, so that
there had been evident economy in that department.
He need not refer to every item of the expenditure, but
the total amount was 61,770 last year, against £1,870 of
the prompt one, which was flop decrease. The total
expenditure, including an investment of .6890, was
£2,934 8.. 6d., with • balance of £29 Is. 41. in heed.
They felt last year that they were going too far, and that
it was necessary to keep the admiseions within due
bounds. He, however, believed that if the hospital was
to be useful to the county they mud keep their number
of 5C patients, lie thought that was the demand made
upon it per week. Ile did not believe it was a bad thing
for the hits; ital to harry patients, because it prevented
some chronic ones taking up their residence there, who
would Ise better in other /flimsy. Alluding to the num-
ber of out-patients, he said there had been an increase of
101, there being 414 main.t 515 of last year, against
306 in 1860, and 305 in 1861. Last year the number of
In-patients was 446, whilst forth,. previous year there had
been 381), showing im increase of 77. He had been talking
with one of the honorary surgeons Mr. Tudor, yr ho said he
believed the increase in the number of out-patienta was
due to the manner in whieh they were received and
treated by the house-aurgeon, and this was his belief
also. The songnigiational collections was a enhject upon
which the committee could dilate for a long time. He
felt thankful to the clergy for making those collections.
Speakilig fron his own experience, he said there was DO
charity for which poor people were more willing to eon-
tribute than the hospital, and he could not me why
every clergyman could not preach once every year for
this institution. If they did ise it would be safe,
pro-
vided they could get such • reedy flow of congregational
sollections has had been made last year. As they had
hmard, the result had been that nearly £9OO had liven
funded, together with a balance of £29 in band. The
funded property amounted to 1.2.097 As. Ild. There was
£9OO due to the hospital from two legacies. after
paying the legacy d uty L5OO from the late William
Manfield, Esq., of Dorchester, and £5OO from the
Rev. C. Cox. of Bearninater. In one sense he
rejoiced in this, and in another he did not, be-
cause their excellent matron had told him she should
die happy if she could see the hospital worth
610.000. He, however, hoped she would live long, and
see it worth £20,000. After • few ("tither observations
he moved that the report be received and adopted, and
printed under the instructions of the committee.
H. N. MIDDLSTON, seconded the proposition.
The Roe M .1. Gusts intimated that it would be • gond
thing if collections made in small parishes amounting
to two guineasPentitled them to the usual privileges
Instead of two soul half guineas.
The 1t.,. C W. BINGHAM replied that Mr. Green
could make a propoaition to that effect.
The rummy/4m remarked that he thought they must
all feel that the re nit warn one of the most satisfactory
they had ever heard read in that room. Alluding to
the remarks of the Chairman of the Managing Com-
mittee. as to the endeavours which had been made to
beep the number of in-patients within bounds, Mr.
Floyer said they teemed to think it was still further
desirable to out &mu the number of patients beyond
those at present admitted. Looking at the financial
statement he thought the members of the committee
would agree with him in saying that there was no
necessity for endeavouring to limit the number of patient.
from that which they had last year. What he thought
would confirm them in that view were the details of
the income and expenditure. The Chairman of the
Committee had put the statement before them so
fully that he (the speaker) did not think he could
improve upon it, but still be might be allowed to pia
it before them in another point of view. He had
&twee' looked with jealousy at donations being
reckoned into the annual income, and, look* at the

sheet before them, he did not think there was any
neewaity for so doing, becalms they had donations to
the amount of am, and legacies amounting to £490,
making the total amount more than £l,lOO. If they
looked or the other wide they would find the expendi-
ture for ordinary purposes,and with the balance in hand,
that it fell awn, of the total expenditure of previous
years by £I,OOO. so that it had not gone beyond the
Income of the year, leaving out donations and legxci.e.
This was the mold satisfactory state of things they had
ever been able to report to the governors, and the only
thing they had to consider was that alluded to by the
Chairman of the Committee. If the congregational
collections could be maintained at what they stood upon
the sheet DOW presented, he thought the position of
the hospital would be a sound one, one upon which they
might look with oonfidence for future years, and that
the governors need not endeavour to keep the number of
patients below that of last year, which number the
Chairman of the Committee had said was the number
required by the county. He thought it was important
to keep up their number to the requirements of the
county, and it was a point which be hail always looked
to with much interest, and he believed this report
would enable them to do so. The Chairman then put
the resolution adopting the report, which was carried
unanimously.
The Rev. M. J. flaxen then put his resolution, that a
congregational collection of 1:2 2s. in small parishes
should entitle the parishioners to the same privileges to
the hospital a. • oolketion of f:2 12s.
The Rev. E. }Entre seconded the proposition, which
after some short diacussion was adopted.
Upon the proposition of the Rev. R. LUDLOW, the
Committee of Management were appointed for 1864,
and votes of thanks awarded to the mediad officers for
their kind labours, to the late committee, and to
Mr. Floyer for his kindness in presiding on that
occasion.