The Portland daily press., 1877-12-21
MAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL.
Investigation of the Financial Manage
nient by the Board of Visitors.

| The Board of Visitors of the Maine Genera
| Hospital met at the Hospital yesterday morn
| ing, by invitation of the Directors to hear thu
| charges and criticism made in regard to its Fl
| nancial management.
The Board consisted of His Excellency Gov
ernor Conner, Gen. 7. w. Hyde President oil
the Senate, and Hon. E. B. Neatly, Speaker Of
the House Of Representatives. There was
large attendance of city physicians as we'll as
the Directors of the Hospital and citizens gen,
orally. The members of the Board arrived a.
about 1890 o'clock and were at once addressed
by DR.. J. T. Gilman chairman of the Board OF
Directors, who said that charges had been
made against the management of the hospital
of such nature that it was thought best to
have them considered by a proper tribunal.
These charges were grossly incorrect but were
of so serious nature that it would not do to
longer overlook them as they were very detri-
mental to the present and future condition OF
the institution. The officers, who are RESPONSE
BILE, believe that your report will meet the APP
probation of all, and we have thus asked you
to make thorough investigation. We shall be
glad to render you every facility to make such
an investigation. The books are open for the
thorough perusal of the Board.
Governor Connor, as presiding officer Of the
Board, called for specific charges if aoy wer e
to be made by the gentlemen present.
DR.. Tewksbury responded to the invitation
but said he had no charges to make, but want
ed to define his position. In former years he
made complaints to the Directors, which he
hoped were formal enough to receive attention,
but he had not yet heard from them, and the
abuses complained of were not remedied. The
first year of the Hospital the price charged pa
tents was $17.41 per week. In 1876 the price
was $l4.80 and tbs last year it had been $13S4,
which is higher than charged at any other Hos
pital. These prices he then and now consider
ed too large. While know of no charges to
make think SIS per week is too much to
charge. If, however, the thing is all right,
have no further complaint to make. L have
had nothing to do with any communications
which have been published in regard to the
Hospital. There are several thugs L should
like to know in regard to the institution. 1
should like to know the cost of the building;
what the state has given; what the steam works
cost, and what was done with the money real
lied by the fair given several years ago. If
statement in regard to these matters can be
II,
that the institution is too highly differed; that
there are too many here and that the coal bill
is excessive | have told what complain of
and think L have now done my duty. There is
one item which costs$3000 which is too much to
lose. On being asked by Governor Conner
what item he referred to he said that of the
resident physician. He is simply boarding.
house keeper and the two physicians under
him have the entire charge of the patients. He
has nothing TO doiwith the medical or surgical
affairs of the hospital and is not needed.
In reply to nterrogations DR.. Tewksbury said
that for the past two months he had not been
connected with the Hospital He had been
visiting surgeon but never director. He had
never said DIR. Hunt lived too well. He merely
wished to show that the hospital could not af-
ford and did not need the office The Superin-
tendent is nothing but steward, and he needs
no horse to make purchases, when there are
horse-cars and all supplies can be sent to the
hospital He admitted that there were free
beds for the poor.
AS there were no other parties who wished to
be heard, the Superintendent, Dr.. Hunt, made
a very comprehensive statement in regard to
the financial affairs, especially upon the cost of
each patient per week. He said he should rot
consider the matter of whether resident ply
stefan is wanted or not, as that was for other
persons to decide. He claimed that the COM
parison with other hospitals was not a just ole,
as it did not take into account the larger num-
Der OF patients treated, which reduced the av-
ersge cost. He then read the following stats
tics as to the average number and average cost
per week in other institutions for the past three
years: