The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-13
THE MAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL.
Annual Meeting of the Corporation.

been under treatment during the year, which
is an increase OF 81 as compared with the pre-
ceding year.
Eighty-one were received as beneficiaries, by
which we mean that they had medical or
surgical treatment, medicine, nurses and
board, and all the privileges of the institu-
ton, with the exception of private apart
ments, equally with the rich and without
pecuniary charge.
We regret that in consequence of the limited
resources we are restricted in the admission of
free patients. Numerous applications from all
sections of the state are almost daily made
which we are reluctantly compelled to reject.
The entire income of the hospital, which in
cludes the annual appropriation from the
state, hospital Sunday contributions, and the
interest OF our permanent fund, after the pay
ment of necessary expenses, is appropriated to
this beneticient object, and we will gladly ex-
tend the free list in the future in fell proper
ton to the means which may be provided for
its support.
A subscription of $3.50 will furnish free
bed for one year; a gift of $4,000 will establish
a permanent one bearing the name of the
donor. We also have a free bed fund de-
rived from smaller contributions, the interest
of which is set apart for this specific purpose
edged in our records and reports.
An opportunity is thus offered to all friends
OF the institution, wherever residing, to con-
tribute in proportion to their means in aid of
its support, and by generous endowments and
requests to place it securely upon the humane
basis contemplated by its founders and early
friends.
Surgical cases largely predominant in our
wards in ratio of nearly two to one as COM
pared with the medical department. In view
of the fact that at the regular meeting of the
directors held in May, last DR.. Frederic Henry
Gerrish was unanimously elected an additional
member of the surgical staff. DIR. Weeks, now
in Europe, is expected home in December.
This department will then be complete, and the
duties of its members made less exacting than
they now are by reducing the term of service of
each from four to three months during the hos
pital year.
The arduous and responsible services rem
dered by the gentlemen composing the two
stats are wholly gratuitous, and the same is
true OF all who are officially connected with
the institution, with the exception of the SUI
perinteHdent matron and employees.
We are compelled to roiterate this fact,
which has beer prominently stated in previous
reports, to remove misrepresentation which still
exists, and too widely prevails in the State,
that they receive pecuniary compensation.
Since our last report the grounds of the hos
pital have been inclosed within neat and sub
stantial fences marking its boundary lines, and
the cost OF construction was mainly ii not en-
tirely betrayed by contributions from private
sources. More, however, is to be done in the
way of grading and inexpensive ornamental
ton to make our immediate surroundings at
tractive to the eye, and in keeping with i'm
provements already commenced on adjacent
land belonging to the city.
Hospital Sunday contributions amounting to
$1,000 have thus far been sent to our treas
urer. for which we return our sincere thanks.
In the report which we had the honor to
present at the close of the last hospital year,
we referred at some length to this subject, and
earnestly appealed to the pastors and parishes
of all denominations in the State for their Co
operation and aid, believing that small contri-
buttons from each society would enable us to
establish many free beds. We'do not propose
at this time to say anything further in the way
OF argument or appeal, but shall leave the mat
or wholly in the hands of the clergy with the
single remark, thatjwhile cordially asserting,
as We do, to the importance of raising and dis
tribnting money for all objects, however broad
and remote, which come within the province
of an enlightened Christian charity, we also
believe that the lesser charities, those which
relate to our immediate neighborhoOods and
homes, have equal if not superior claims for
active sympathy and support.
Since our last meeting a bequest of five thou
sand dollars from the late A. X. Shurtleff.
Esq OF this city has been received, making the
aggregate amount of our permanent fund
twenty-three thousand two hundred and twen-
ty-f1ve dollars and seven cents, VIZ:
Portland s. Roches .er railroad bonds. .S 200
Gift from Needle Women's Friend Soce-
ty.......... OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 12l.O7
rockingham Fund, a. gift from Rev:
Frederick rockingham, in honor OF
his father, the late Hon. John Froth-
ingham of Montreal Canada :. 80. 1000
Legacy of Mr. Charles Holden ........... 800
Legacy of Mr.. Andrew Spring ......... 5000
Gift OF Mrs Charles Dummer, Halowel
in memoriam of her sister, Miss Mary
Cleayes .............. .............. 1000
Legacy of Mrs. Rocksyilania True. ...... 1000
Bequest of Mrs. Eliza Ann Bradbury,
Augusta, the income of which is to
be applied to- support permanent
Bequest of Mr.. A. X. Shurtleff ........ 5000
We also have been notified by Mr.. W. W.
Vaughan, executor, that bequest of two
thousand dollars to the free bed fund had
been made by Mrs, Mary Harrison Flagg, late
of Hallowell in this State, which Will probably
be paid before the close OF the present year.
We also gratefully acknowledge the estab-
lishment of eight annual free beds, the requi-
site means having been generously supplied
from the following sources:
Miss Fannie Chadwick, Hon. S. E. Spring,
Hon. John Mussey, Hon. Abner G oburn, Mrs.
J. e. Judd, Ladies' Visiting Board, First
Parish Sunday School.
The ladies visiting and advisory board en-
gage in their special duties with constantly in
creasing interest and zeal. Their weekly
visits are made with great regularity and are
warmly appreciated by the patients. And we
desire, i'll our official capacity. to acknowledge
the great value we attach to their truly disin-
terested service, in behalf of the institution.
Our warmest thanks are presented to numer-
GUS friends in the State for very acceptable
gifts of fruit and flowers, preserves, jelies and
the like, which they have bestowed with a
generous hand. Also, to the managers OF
several agricultural fairs for a liberal supply
of assorted apples aud vegetables, an enumer-
alton of which, with the names of the donors,
will be found in the annexed reports of the
superintendent and matron.
We especially invite your attention to the
reports OF the treasurer, superintendent,
matrOn and ladies auxiliary committee, here
with presented. They contaid much interest
ing and important information upon all mat
tiers belonging to their several departments
and will be read with satisfaction and
pleasure
Before closing our report we desire to offer
few remarks upon topic which in our judg-
ment, has an important relation both to the
interests of the institution, and to the welfare
| of the community.
A recent number of the American Journal
of the Medical Sciences conta ms an interest
ing revision OF work entitled an Epitome Of
the Surgical Practice of the Pennsylvania
Hospital since 1885, 1t opens with the follow
ing assertion: "a hospital fulfilling its true
mission is at once and the same time house
OF mercy for the helpless, and school OF
| science on which even the richest are depen-
| dent" This clear automatic statement we
| heartily endorse. Its truth and importance
were fully recognized in the petition for an act
| of Incorporation of the Maine General Hos
| pital which we presented to our State Legisla-
| ture at the session of 1868.
| In speaking of the urgent needs of such ar
| institution in the State for the relief of human
| suffering in its various forms, which a vel
regulated hospital with skilled surgeons anG
| physicians can alone provide, the memoria
| adds:-"There is another consideration t.
which We invite your attention, the value o
| which cannot be overestimated in it's bearing
upon the interests Of society. While we rec
| ognize the fact that hospitals are founded fo
the benefit of the sick and for the alienation
| of suffering, we must not overlook the yer,
important Office they perform as schools of OBJ
servation and instruction, furnishing, as they
do, the best means for proficiency and skill il
the various departments of medicine and sur
| gerry. We desire to emphasize this point, mas
| much as the want of such an institution in it
relation to the highest professional attainment
and culture has been long and deeply felt iii
the State.''
The Maine General Hospital especial,
when compared with the time-honored institu
ton of Pennsylvania, is in its infancy. Blu
we are proud to say that during the brief pc
Rod of its existence it has entered upon, ant
may we not say successfully, its true mission
That it is emphatisally House of Mercy,
where tender and thoughtful regard and ever,
e.