The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-11-08
MAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL.
The Annual Meeting of the Corporators
Held Yesterday.

Held Yesterday.
The annual meeting of the corporators
of the Maine General Hospital was held
at the office of the secretary, Mr.. Frank
lin r. Barrett in the savings bank build
ing yesterday afternoon. The reports OF
officers were read and accepted. They
were as follows:
Reports of officers.
The report of the directors shows that
the high character of management has
been maintained. OF the totd number
of patients QO69) treated in the hospital
during the year more than one-flfth (22l
were.received and treated without any
payment whatever, and 90 more only
paid in part. In addlGlon TO thls, IN
any lust estimate of the value of the
institution to the public, it should be
considered that the patients who pay
the regular charges at the hospital re-
ceiye in return therefor kind and
degree of skilled service such as other
wise it might be far beyond their means
to secure The average number of pa
has been $3.50, while during the last
preceding year it was only CO. Sc, show
ing an actual increase of 40 per cent.
over last year in the average number OF
patients under treatment. This TACT
alone, of an increase over 40 per cent IN
single year in the nmber OF persons
who receive the benefits of the hospital,
is striking illustration of the rapldlty
with which it's opportunities to serve the
people of the State are multiplying anu
of the constancy with which the range
of its benefcence is extending. Ohiof-
unately it is an equally clear demonstra..
ton of the strain upon the resources OF
the hospital required to meet these sJead-
lily and swiftly increasing demands upon
it.
If it be remem bered also that during
the year Just closed the average number
of freevpatients at the hospital has been
49, 40, while for the preceding year 1t was
only 90. 66, and that the total amount
expended by the hospital for the treat
ment and care of free patients TINS year
has been $1S, 227. 0S, against Sl3, rs
last year. it is easy to see where the UNI
usual drain upon our resources has been.
That it is in no fault of management in
no tendency to extravaganza IN any de-
partment is shown by the fact that the
average cost per patient in the wards
during the past year has been su pstan-
TALLY reduced. 1t is only $40. 43 for the
year Just closed as against S11. IA for the
previous year. And yet, with this very
considerable diminution in the average
cost per patient over 81, 400 has been
expended for free patients during this
year more than for the same class OF pa
tients during the preceding year.
The treasurer reports that the income
of the hospital this year is So, 915,.3 30 less
than the expenses of maintenance have
been. This excess of expenditure above
ncome we believe is without precedent
in the history of the hospital. In this
instance it has resulted from an expendl-
ture unprecedentedly large upon free pa
tients.
IAN earnest appeal is made to the pub
lic.for the enlargement of the permanent
funds of the hospital. A building for
nurses is also needed, and there are not
nurses enough to attend to the patients
awaiting admission. Next year promises
to make even larger demands.
The training school for nurses has con-
tinued in successful operation during the
year Miss Amelia L.Smith, graduate
of the school, was elected superintendent
of nurses to take the place of MissF annie
A, Tucker, who resigned August 31st.
During the year an increase OF the sur
gical staff at the hospital was required,
and the name of DR.. John z. Thomson
was added to the list of attending sur
geons DR.. Thompson since his election
! has admirably fulfilled the duties of the
place. DIR. Henry II. Brock was elected
adjunct surgeon to take the place of DIR.
Thompson upon his promotion and has
successfully fulfilled the duties OF the
place to which he was assigned.
The house pupils for the year were DR..
EbenJ. Marston, DR.. Ambrose H. Weeks
and DR.. Thomas H. Aver.
1t was stated in our last report that
during the absence IN Europe OF Dr.
James H. Spalding, surgeon for the eye
and ear at the hospital, his place was
supplied by DR.. Willis B. Moulton, elect
ed adjunct in that branch of surgery
A., nlof.i n head
the department that the previously elected
adiuncts bear to the general surgeons
and that DR.. Moulton was then sat1sfac
torily discharging the duties of his posi-
ton. Since the return of DR.. Spalding
DR.. Moulton has continued to act as adj.
junct surgeon for the eye ana ear ano
successfully as before.
1t is with regret that the directors an
nounce the resignation of Mrs. Lucinda
w Warren, who has been matron at the
hospital from its foundation. She is
to continue to serve until the first day
of November, but at a meeting OF The
directors held since the close of the Off
ciaI year, Mrs. L. w. Curtis was elected
matron in her stead
DR.. Charles O. Hunt, superinte nden1
and resident physician, reports that dur
ing the year 9S5 patients have been adj
mitted; and the total number in the hos
pital was 1869. There have been dis
charged 9S0, OF WnOm 0S0 were Recovered
279 relieved, 81 not relieved, 101 exam
ined and advised but not healed, and Al
died. Paying patients paid at the follow
ing rates: 500 paid at the rate of 81 pei
week; 81 at So so; 1919 at IA; 4 at ST.. so
% at S21; 30 at $685. S at S35. The pa.
tients' residences show that 149 were
from Portland and 724 from places in
Maine outside of Portland.
The following nurses received diplo-
mas after having passed satisfactory ex
aninations: Lima e. Gibbs, Orland
Ella M. Shepherd, Machias; Amy E. Wat
erhouse, Poland Alice M. Cobb, Bath
Lucinda B Hatch, Castine; Julia G
Hill, Dover, N. H; Mary E. Rowe, Wes
Pembroke and Mary I. Christian, Ban
gor. -
ported as follows:
RECEIPTS.
Paying patients .......---..... ..S27 1863. y
Sundry donations. 100
Annual free bed subscriptions. 2,O60.0'
Hospital Sunday collections, ...... 1884,
Appropriation by the State. ....... 7.5OO.0t
Income of funds applicable, ...... 6.257.7-
Service of nurses. 49,
Add. excess of expenses oversincome.
making deficit for the year. 3,91b.3