The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-11-07
MAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL.
Annual Meeting of the Corporation
Yesterday.
Annual Reports and Election OF Off
GERS.

The annual meeting of the corporators of
the Maine General Hospital was held yester
day afternoon, at the Office of the treasurer,
F. r. Barrett, Esq, on Exchange street.
DIRECTORS REPORT.
Hon. Nathan Webb, for the directors, read
the following report:
The act of the legislature Incorporating
t T0, Maine General Hospital was approved
Ia the charter were John +. Gilman, VIM.
Willis, John b. Brown, Israel Washburn.
Jr.,, Samuel e. Spring, William Deering,
Nathan Cummings, James t. McCobb,
Nathan Dane, Joseph Ii. Williams, George
Stetson and George f. Patten-of whom
only three survive to witness the beneficent
results OF their undertaking. But most of
them lived to see the hospital opened, and
10 see that their hopes of its value to the
people OF Maine had not been delusive.
In the pursuit of their object, they allow
ed no narrow views or local jealousies to in
terfere. They aimed at providing within
the State OF Maine, hospital as good as
could be found anywhere to which its peo-
pie could resort for such medical and surgi-
cal assistance as they might require, instead
OF being compelled to seek relief abroad and
among strangers.
:, 1t is now more than twenty years since
they entered upon this generous and philan-
smruplc WORK. No light part of their task
IL
the necessity Of such an institution, and to
convince doubters of its practicabilitv and
usefulness. In this work they were material
~ aided by the medical profession in all
sections of the State.
Animated by unfaltering faith and i'm
peiled Dy benevolent spirit, they strove
ulilgentiy, aided by sypmathzipg public
VII from private contributions, the proceeds
OF Iairs, public gifts and their own munifi-
cent sunIscrlptlons, they had means that war
ralteQ the arppfinn of hufIdipuo =
scale. '''iii'eu
The PLAZA of building adopted by thes e pro-
Iectors contemplated the ultimate supply of
tho means available at first would provide
tIey carefully, and it is believed success
iuiiy, studied the problem of constructing
buildings which, while complete in Them
serves. and meeting all the requirements of
small service during the early DAYS of the
hospital, would easily and economically adj
NIT OF systematic extension and form mart
OF larger establishment.
In every institution of this kind. whether
large or small, certain accommodations, such
as cooking rooms, laundries, offices, elevators
ana operating rooms, must be furnished.
Inc expense OF supplying these on a scale
adequate for large establishment, instead
OF reducing them to the least proportions
tolerabie In small one, is trifiing in com
palison Win the COST OF these accommOda-
All these at the Maine General Hospital
are deemed sufficient for its requirements.
when the original plan is fully executed.
Inc time is rapidly drawing near, If il has
NOT, lndeed, already come when effort should
ee made to advance another step in the full
nlment OF that plan.
Inc hrst patient was received November
8, 1874. Since then 4371 persons have eI been
admitted and treated, with success compar-
ing favorably with results In hospitals else
where, and rejecting the highest credit on
tne skill and fidelity Of the medical and sur
care.of the patients. How widely these
services has been diffused is shown by the
TACT that OF the 429 towns in the State. 333
nave been represented in this total of pa
"a plantations. --0"'
The equal distribution to the towns of the
several counties is shown by the following