The Portland daily press., 1879-10-15

The annual meeting of the corporators of the
Maine General Hospital was held in the
Aldermen's Room at p. M, yesterday. I he
President, Mr.. John B. Brown, occupying the
chair. DR.. Gilman, the President of the Di-
rectors, presented the annual report of the
Board, CT which the following is a summary:
DIRECTORS REPORT.
The directors of the Maine General Hospi-
tai IN submitting their ninth annual report,
congratulate the corporators and its many
friends throughout the State upon their pres
ent prosperous condition.
AT the commencement of the year debt
exceeding eleven thousand dollars impended
over us which your directors regarded as Sc
rious obstacle to the prosperity of the institu-
tion and determined to extinguish it at the
earliest possible day. They at once pledged
themselves for more than third of the amount
needed, and the balance was promptly and
generously furnished by residents of this CITY,
cial basis than ever before, and enters upon
the new year free from debt, and with small
balance in its treasury. One hundred and
seventy-six patients coming from all parts of
the State, have been under treatment during
the year; Seventy-four admitted on the free
lists-and it is proper to say in this connection,
that they could not have possibly been received
and supported without the liberal grant of five
thousand dollars from the State, and private
contributions generously bestowed for the eS-
tabliShment of free beds.
The records of the hospital show that from
this large number of beneticiaries, nearly all
returned in due time to their families and sew
eral avocations, much improved, and by far
the greater part with restored health. Some of
them were unmarried men and women. with
out permanent habitations and dependent up
on daily work for their daily bread. Others,
and the larger part, were heads of families, to
whom the conditions of health and bodily
strength were necessary to enable them to
meet the actual necessities of life. They could
not have been successfully attended at their
homes, as large proportion of them required
for theirrestoration or relief both skillful sur
gerry and hospital treatment and care.
In view of these facts, we respectfully ask
the many patrons OF the institution and espec-
tally our Legislators, if the same amount of
money could have been more wisely and
satisfactorily bestowed, whether regarded in
philanthropic point of view, or as an economi-
cal investment in the interest of the State.
Hospital Sunday" contributions amounting
to nine hundred dollars, have thus far been
sent to our treasurer, for which we return our
warmest thanks: viz. .zrg -
(Here occurs list of donations from Al par
ishes, which will be found severally acknowl-
edged in the pamphlet containing the Direc-
tors Report.)
We must confess, however, to feeling of
disappointment that SO small proportion of
the eight hundred and more church organiZa-
tions existing in the State, have responded to
our CALL The failure, if it may be so regarded,
we do not attribute to lukewarmness on the
part OF parishes or pastors, but rather to the
fact that they place too low an estimate upon
the importance of small collections, overlook
ing their value as expressions of confide nee
and regard, and forgetting ALSO that if widely
extended the aggregate amount would be a
large acquisition to the fund for the benefit of
the poor.
The pastor of a small parish in the interior
of the State recently said to one of your direct
ors, II received your circulars and have great
faith in your institution. 1t u.s. indeed noble
charity, and emnently entitled to the sympathy
and aid of a Christian community, but my par
ish consists of few members and is comparative
ly poor, and knowing that contribution if
taken would necessarily be very small,
decided after consultation, to let it pass
The same consideration and method of reas-
oning have doubtless had their influence upon
many other parishes in the State and have led
to similar decision. We desire again to re-
peat what we have more than once said that
large contributions are only expected from
those who are able to bestow them and that
the smallest offerings, such as will come with
in the means OF all who may be interested in
the object, will always be gladly and CRATE
fully received.
The permanent fund, derived from gifts and
requests, the interest of which can only be
used for hospital purposes, now amounts to
eighteen thousand two hundred and twenty
one dollars and seven cents-six thousand dol
lars having been added to it since the last an
nual meeting-and is invested in unquestioned
securities bearing six and seven per cent. in
terest.
We gratefully acknowledge the establish
ment OF seven free beds during the year, the
required funds having been kindly supplied
from the following sources: (The names ap-
pear in full in the pamphlet.)
Every year attests the importance of the La
dies Auxiliary Committee. They occupy
place which could not otherwise be filed in
their constantly increasing interest in the well
fare OF the patients, the kind words of sympa-
thy which they alone can adequately express,
as well as by various gifts in culinary delica-
cies, books and flowers, which they bestow with
q generous hand.
They also render material aid, in the annual
collection of money. no matter how small the
amount from individual sources, which gOe s
into the free bed funds. The great value of
their disinterested services we know are thank
fully acknowledged.
Surgical cases largely predominant, one hun
dred and seventy operations have been per-
formed during the last year, and their gravity
and importance will be recognized by refer
ence to the appended list.
The medical and surgical stats are composed
OF gentlemen actively engaged in their profess
sional pursuits,-four of them also having i'm
portant positions as professors in the Medical
School of Maine. Each physician and sur
geon makes at least one daily visit, and as
many more as the necessities of the patients
may require. In all important surgi cal cases
full consultation is uniformly held, and no
operations are resorted to without the concur
renee, and, unless unavoidably prevented, the
presence of the entire staff Sometimes and
not unfrequenJly, three or four consecutive OPP
erations are performed, occupying several of
the most important working hours of the day.
Their duties, often laborious and exacting, are
faithfully discharged without any pecuniary
compensation. We have called your attention
to this particular topic, knowing that the actual
amount OF daily work which these gentlemen
humanely and gladly bestow, can only be APP
preciated by those who are familiar with the
details of hospital life.
We are constantly striving to bring the cur
rent expenses down to the lowest limit COM
patible with wise economy and the best in
terestS of the Institution.
The gross expenditures for fuel, light, provi-
sions, groceries, medicine and wages, notwith-
standing the large increase of patients, have
not much exceeded those Of last year. 1t is
true that no increase in the number of employees
ments of service, and the marked reduction of
prices in almost every commodity requisite to
the maintenance of large household will
hardly explain the fact, but we must also claim
that close attention in the purchase of supplies,
and the admirable system of accounts orga-
have largely contributed to this result.
Your attention is respectfully called to the
reports OF the Treasurer, Superintendent, La
dies Auxiliary Committee, and Matron here
with presented. They contain Minute and i'm
portant statistics relating to their respective
departments, and will be read with interest
and satisfaction. Our thanks are due, and are
herewith presented to the many friends of the
hospital, in all parts of the State, who, by gen.
erous donations in various forms, have mani
Tested their interest in its behalf, and largely
contributed to the comfort and pleasure of the
patients. A full list of gifts, including those
received from town, county, and State fairs,
with the names of the liberal donors, will be
found in the reports of the Superintendent and
Matron.
Before closing our report we desire to say
few words upon hospital construction, in its re-
lation to immediate and prospective wants, a
subject of great importance, and which, in our
belief, is imperfectly understood in the COM
munity.
All general hospitals, unless established in
very populous cities, make slow progress at first
in securing public confidence and favor. AS
general rule, strong reluctance exists in all
classes of society to recognize or partake of