The Portland daily press., 1889-11-06
The Annual Meeting OF the Corpora
ton Held Yesterday.
The Reports of the Officers and the
Annual Election.
Interesting Particulars OF the Work
of the Institution.

MI
maintained its usefulness and justified the
confident hopes of its promoters. The service
has continued to be well distributed among all
portions OF the State, no section receiving any
preference over another. Indeed the proper
t'on OF patients from sections near TO and
WITHIN easy reach of the hospital, is not as
much In excess of that from remote districts
as might be naturally antic ated. And if
cases OF severe accidents and injuries arising
near by, and demanding instant care, in which
naturally immediate recourse to the hospital is
had. are left out of account, any apparent dis
proportion In respect to locality largely dis
appears.
No change has been made in the medical
or surgical staff. The value to the hospital of
such a corps of physicians and surgeons,
whose scientific study has been supplemented
by long and large experience, hardly be
set too high. To their unremtting and gratu-
itous services the success of this institution
must in no slight measure be attributed.
In former reports attention has been di-
rected to the certainty that before long steps
ought to be taken to fully execute the plans
entertained at the time of the foundation of
the hospital, and to increase its accommodate
ton. For several years the number of inmates
has at times exhausted the capacity of the
wards and private rooms. compelling tempo
rary postponement of the reception of appli-
cants for treatment. To the present time, the
directors believe. no serious inconvenience has
been caused any one by this state of things,
though they have been conscious that an I'M
ususl and sudden increase of cases requiring
prompt attention and aid. would find them
unable TO afford the relief which the hospital
should give. They have been oppressed with
the conviction that additional buildings are
required to accomplish all that its friends and
generous supporters expect from it, and have
carefully considered what could and ought to be
done to supply the deficiency. The funds
that have been accumulated and strictly re-
served for the support of the hospital have
always been, and for years are likely to be in
sufficient, without some State aid to maintain
current expenses, while so much free support
is given to destitute patients. Certainly the
directors would anticipate censure if they
should cut off all such support in excess of
what can be maintained by the funds express
ly given for free beds. To pursue such policy
would inevitably require the frequent dis
missal of patients needing only few weeks
more care for full restoration to health, and
who If prematurely dismissed would lose much
of the benefit already received. ard that for no
other reason than because they have not means
to pay for few weeks or it may be days ad-
ditional board.
Yet this must follow any considerable diver
sion of the fund to building purposes, how
ever urgent the need.
After much discussion and examination of
the problem, it has been deemed prudent to
make beginning on the work of extension
and to rely for its completion upon that spirit
of our people which has never failed to sus-
tain and carry on to success every measure for
the promotion of this great charity.
Il
an additional wing conforming generally with
the original design and including some neces-
sary accommodations for resident officers and
have caused the construction to the first floor
to be undertaken. This work would have
been by this time completed. had there not
been some delay in obtaining material.
Before adopting plans, and determining to
adhere TO the methods that the promoters of
the hospital pursued, the question of the COM
parative advantages of permanent buildings
and of cheaper temporary structures to be
destroyed after few years occupancy,
pressed itself on attention. This is not a
new question. 1t was carefully weighed, be-
fore the first foundations were laid, at time
when the resources available, would have die
tated the cheaper course if the advantages
seemed nearly equal. At that time, the rea-
sons for the policy taken seemed conclusive.
The present directors, however, have not con-
tented themselves with simply following the
views Of their predecessors. They have made
all the investigation Of the subject in their
power, and are convinced that the original
decision in favor of permanency of erections
should be adhered TO. Perhaps no more con
else and forcible statement in support of their
decision could be given than the following
from gentleman who adds to much expert
ence in hospital management, careful study of
this question:
lin regard to building cheap temporary
structures for hospitals, with the idea of de-
stroying them after few years use. l think
the plan is no longer advocated by the best
authorities. 1t was proposed on account of
the mortality from py@mia, septicemia, cry
sipelas, hospital gangrene and diseases of that
nature, which was formerly SO large in some
of the older hospitals. But with our present
knowledge and practical use of disinfectants
and antiseptics, the death rate from these
causes has become Insignificant even in
crowded hospitals, and there is no longer the
same necessity for renewing the buildings every
few years.
Cambridge and Worcester have within a
few years built new city hospitals and have
put up permanent buildings The Massachu-
sets General hospital and the Boston City
hospital, have also within few years, added
new wards to their institutions, and have
built permanent structures. In building the
Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore the
question of hospital construction was examined
in the most exhaustive manner, and permanent
buildings have been erected at greet cost.
81 do not mean to say that cheap wooden
structures may not serve good purpose for q
few years, when the need is pressing and the
means small, but l do not think any good
authority would advise building in tina. way
from choice"
When the new wing is ready for use, the
present capacity will be somewhat more than
doubled, while the increase of cost of main
tenance will be in far less ratio.
The directors confidently anticipate the
active cooperation of the corporators in the
task of securing means required to carry on
the work begun, and secure its early COM
pletion.
For details of internal affairs during the year
reference is made to the reports of the super
intendent, matron and advisory board. The
treasurer's report makes full exhibit of fnan-
cial affairs.
To these reports, herewith submitted, moth
ing need be added, but they are commended to
the particular attention of every citizen of the
State.
DR.. Charles o. Hunt superintendent and
resident physician, made the following report !:
To the Directors of the Maine General Hos
pital:
Gentlemen,-I have the honor to submit
herewith my annual report for the year ending
September 80, 1889:
Number of patients in the hospital October
l, 1888; paying "a; paying in part 5; free 81 !;
total Sc.
Admitted to the hospital from October |,
1888, to September 80, 1889:
Males Females Total
Patients paying board, 222 1856 40S
Patients paying board part