The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-01-29
THE MAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL.
The Legislative Comm itiee's Visit-The
Amount of the States Aid-Excellent
Con tiiieu of the institution.
AUGUSTA, Jan, 9.

| The Committee on Finance, of which Sena-
| tor Bailey of Cumberland is chairman, visited
the Maine General Hospital on Saturday last,
| and made thorough examination Of that in
| stitution.
An order passed the Legislature some time
| siEca requiring the committee to see what
amount of money has been appropriated by
| the state, what humber of patients the bospi
| tai could accommodate if all the rooms were
made available, and also to inquire into any
other matters they might desire SO that the
committee might have full understanding of
the management, capabilities and efficiency of
the institution. The trustees stated that mas
much as there had been grave charges against
the management of the hospital they desired a
full Investigation and would do every tbiug in
their power TO aid It,
1t appears that the state has appropriated in
all SIC, 900, part of which has gone into the
building and the balance has been used from
year to year to Keep the institution running.
This is exclusive of the arsenal lot, which the
state donated. There has been raised by pfi-
vate. subscription $4,000, fairs $4,000 and in
other ways about $4,000, SO that about $780,
Izs
making $4,000 which has been received in
donations There is fund of $4,000, the in
terest of which goes to help support the hospi-
tai. 1t is estimated that the buildings and
land have cost 100000, therefore the balance
must have been used to pay the running ex-
penses.
Tae number of patients is increasing year
ly. La 1875 the average number was Is; in
1876, 16, and in 1877 rising 49, Yet for some
reason the hospital has never received the num-
Der it was designed to accommodate. DR..
Hunt, the Superintendent. stated tn 1t sixty
could be easily taken cara of, and that seventy
five would not uncomfortably crowd it, The
doctor presented an estimate showing that
while the average number of patients had been
about Is for the year, and the cost $4,000, 40
could be treated at az additional cost of $4,000,
making tue cost of 40 patients $4,000. 1t
takes family of twenty persons to take care
of eighteen patients, and it would only take
four more for forty, while all the great items
or expense, like coal, gas, superintendent's
salary, &c., would cot be increased at all. The
additional expense for the larger number would
be the salaries OF two nurses, two work girls,
and the food the help and patients would con-
sumo. The hospital could be Immediately fill
ed with persons needing treatment if the
means were at hand to meet the cost The cost
psr head of patients treated has been high
some $1S per week-which is caused by the
limited number admitted, but give them means
so that they can receive all who apply and their
ratio, the Superintendent, says, will bs the
lowest in the country, some 81. While the hos:
pital cannot receive bat small proportion of
those who apply for treatment no urgent
cases are ever turned away, ADD no difficult
surgical operations are ever performed without
the consent and advce.of the surgical staff
The institution seems perfectly adapted to
the purposes for which it was built. Happily
the laws of sanitary science were perfectly un-
derstood by those who planned it and the heat
ing and ventilation are perfect. Undoubtedly
the cost of fuel for the humber of patients is
high, but this is no fault of the apparatus. II
the hospital was full, as it should be, the ratio
would be very low. Here is q hospital admir-
ably planned, with the very best medical and
surgical skill at its command, able to treat any
case in the most skllful manDer, yet not one
third of its room is utilized and its doors are
practically closed to those whom it would most
benefit simply for the lack of means The
trustees ask for $4,000 from the state and say
they must have it, or the hospital must be
closed. Would it not be better for the state to
give them $4,000 and bring into use some Of
the unused room and thereby vastly increase
its usefulness and extend its benefits to that
class who need it most. There appears to have
been no extravaganza practiced in the conduct
of its affairs, and l believe the committee are
fully satisfied with the trustees management
of the institution. RoDERIcK.