The Portland daily press., 1890-10-31
THE MAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL.
something About Its Origin, Growth
and Proposed SCOPE.

Inc War OF the Rebellion Is undoubtedly
responsible for the existence of the Maine
General Hospital, as 1t has been shown to
De, Indirectly perhaps, but nevertheless no
uceaoiy, the cause Of many other prominent
enterprises Of today. Before the war there
mad been little accomplished In this city in
the line OF medicine and surgery Persons
unfortunate enough to fall seriously Ill were
treated at their own homes by physicians
skillful according to the medical science Of
the day, but wholly without the assistance
Of trained nurses. The necessary medicines,
with accompanying instructions, were left
In the hands Of some member of the inva-
lids family. If he had one, or in the hands of
well meaning, but often inexperienced
friends. This state Of things was thought to
be well enough in that day and generation,
and 1t was we'll enough because there had
never been any other method In use.
When the war began many of our ply
sicians entered the army as surgeons and
were soon in the midst of its terrible car
mage doing excellent service because of the
thorough organization of the medical depart
ment. They learned The advantage Of thor
ough organization and proper and sufficient
appliances and accommodations for their
dreadful. yet necessary, work. When the
army surgeons laid aside their uniforms and
came back to resume their ordinary practice
they sadly missed the well arranged hospi-
tails and their competent nurses and assist
ants. To be sure some Of these latter &C
companied the doctors and became profess
sional nurses; but they were only enough to
make the demand still greater.
Agitation of the subject of hospital In
Portland for the use of the whole state be-
gan before the last soldiers were mustered
out and continued increasingly until 1868,
when a charter for the institution was
granted by the legislature and the Maine
General Hospital was Incorporated Februa-
ry IA, 1868. The corporators named in the
charter were John I. Gilman. William Will
lis. John B. Brown, Israel Washburn, Jr.,
Samuel <. Spring, William Deering, Nathan
Cummings, James L. McCobb, Nathan
Dane. Joseph 81. Williams, George Stetson
and George F. Patten. Hon. John B.
Brown was elected president, and Hon.
James 7. McCobb treasurer. The work Of
securing subscriptions was pushed indus
triously, the corporators themselves SUBJ
scribing nearly $4,000. many others putting
in much more, and the state voting $4,000,
beside giving the land on which the build
ings stand. This lot, then comprising about
two and half acres, was originally part Of
"Ross's pasture" which took In all Of the
n0rtherly scope Of Bramhall Hill. The por
ton on which the hospital stands was bought
iu 1911 by the town for cemetery. but was
never so used. When the capital of the
state was established In Portland the state
arsenal was erected there, and was used un-
til the removal of the capital to Augusta,
From that time to the date of the cession of
arsenal remained unused.
Active preparations were made for the
erection of the building. The corporators
"aimed at providing within the state OF
Maine hospital as good as could be found
anywhere, to which its people could resort
for such medical and surgica! assistance as
they might require, instead of being COM
PEELED to seek relief abroad and among
strangers"
directors, and the plans for the buildings
which they accepted show how broad their
ideas were and what they started out to &C
complish.
What they started out to accomplish can
now for the first time be seen in a general
way. A central building five stories high
and surmounted by tower. flanked by long
wings one story lower, with boiler and fuel
rooms, laboratories, clinical rooms and
training school for nurses, together with
residence for the superintendent and others
connected with the institution. This was
what they wanted, and this is what they
have now. 1t is % years since the work was
started; but now. after all of those princi-
pally interested have passed away, the
dream of their lives is accomplished.
As Is usual In such undertakings the esti-
mated cost was far below the actual cost.
For time 1t seemed as though the project
would fail. But the corporators wisely de-
cided to make haste slowly, to build only
what they could afford, trusting to the fu-
ture in being able eventually to carry out
their whole design. The central building,
the boiler house and one wing were built,
being paid for in part by the proceeds of the
great fair held in the spring of 1873 in the
City Building and Fluent Block. now the
Union Mutual Building. The building was
finally completed and dedicated on the 22nd
day Of October. 1874.
The first patient was received November
9th, and never since that date has there been
time when the hospital could have been
spared from the state. 1t is not Portland
institution by any manner of means, it be-
ing fact that out Of the 429 towns and plan.
tations in the state 1888 had been represented
up to the close Of the year 1888, and several
others have come In since then, so that there
is probably no town now within our borders
that does not know, and that favorably, of
this institution.
The hospital Is not as yet free. 1t was the
aim of the projectors to make it so, and in
time this will be accomplished, but at the
present time some of the patients are re-
lulred to pay for their treatment. The rate
Is uniformly 81 per diem for bed In one of
the wards, and So or SO per diem for pri-
vate room, the difference being caused by
the different sizes Of the rooms and the ma
ture Of the attendance.
Through the generosity Of several citizens
and corporations there are already several
free beds, some established with reference
to certain classes of patients, as for instance
the Boston & Maine and Maine Central rail-
road employees, the Portland Company, and
the Bradstreet Lumber Company of Gardi-
ner, and the Baptist bed, the State street
bed and the Mallet beds, one for members Of
the Masonic fraternity, the other for citizens
of Freeport and Pownal. Mrs. L. o. M.
Sweat, Mrs. s. E. Spring, Mrs. A. L. c. Ray.
mond. Mrs. John B. Brown, Miss A. K.
Hasty and II. l.. Houghton, ESQ.,, also main
tain free beds for any deserving patients.
There have been received since the hospi-
tai opened legacies and gifts to the amount
Of SIG, 128.01. some for specific purposes,
some for the general fund that is accumu-
ating with the ultimate object of making
The use of the hospital without money and
without price to all.
The hospital became so crowded and with
! long list Of applicants waiting for admis-
lion that during last year 1t was decided to
,uild the other wing, together with a house
or the superintendent. contemplated in the
'riginal plan. These buildings are now
practically finished externally and will be
made ready for occupation in few months
This addition will just about double the ca