Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-05-23
THE MAINE GENERAL
HospitaI---How Established :.
What It Has Done
In Its Two Decades Of Extended and
Successful Operation.
Seine Description Of Iis Essrday Life and
Routine Work.

PoRrLtsp, May %. - special. -
About the first thing that attracts the atten
ton Of visitors, entering the city of Port
land from the Union depot, is the Mains
General Hospital, crowning, with its sub
stantial brick and stone buildings, the brow
of the Western Promenade.
A better location for such an institution
could not possibly be found. Situated al
an elevation of hundred feet above the
main sewer on Congress street. it has moi
only the great advantage of perfect drain.
age, but is also enabled TO secure
an abundance of sunlight and pure, fresh
air. The view afforded PATIENTS though its
| big windows, is one that can never fail to
rest the mind and delight the eye. On the
| one hand is seen the beautiful waters of
Casco bay, with its picturesque islands
merging into the broad expanse of ocean
on the other hand we view a magnificent in.
land scene-green hills and fertile valleys
dotted with pretty residences, and, in the
background, the towering erests of the
White Mountain range. In short, it would he
difficult 10 conceive of more pleasing envi-
ronments. The Maine General Hospital is
emphatically
A State Institution.
Its patients, of whom it treats annually
between seven and eight hundred. are
drawn from every county in Maine. While
there is reason to believe that. in course of
time, most of the larger cities of the State
will have hospitals of their own, it is to this
general institution that the citizens of our
towns and villages must ever look
for the great advantages of hospital
treatment. We do not believe that any in
stitution of this character in New England
is better managed or has an ADLER or more
devoted staff of physicians and surgeons
attached to it. 1t is, in all respects, a
credit to the State. A prominent physician,
who has travelled extensively, and has Wis
tied many of the leading hospitals of this
country and Europe, told the writer that,
while he had seen many such institutions
much larger in size, and with more ele
elegant appointments, he had found
none where individual patients received such
good care and attention as is accorded the
patients of our Maine General Hospital
When this noble
Institution Was Founded
paupers, lunatics, and seamen were the on
ly people who could secure hospital treat
ment in this State. The insane, at the asy-
lum in Augusta; the indigent, in the So
called hospital wards of the various poor
houses seamen. at the United States Ma
rine Hospital. For the great mass of our
citizens there were no hospital sdvan-
tsges to he found in Maine
Many of our people annually sought, in the
hospitals of other States, the treatment they
could not receive at home.
1t is obvious to all that well conducted
hospital. with its staff of skilled physicians
and surgeons, its perfect ventilation, its
trained nurses. its thorough equipment,
and orderly methods, has facilities for af-
fording patients Of all classes-especially
those afflicted with chronic diseases neces-
stating long treatment, and patient, pains
taking care, and cases requiring more or
less difficult surgical operations-better
treatment than could possibly be- obtained
in private homes. 1t also provides facli-
ties for promptly caring for the victims OF
accidents, and for affording first-class care
and treatment TO patients without means to
obtain it at private expense. SO urgent di!
the need of such an institution, which
should he generally open to the people of
our state, become that IN 1867, the Maine
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, at Its annual meeting,
appointed committee to Work up the mat
Ter. me Following winter tins committee
brought 'he SUBJECT to the attention OF the
Legisiatnre. An ACT OF incorporation was
passed but no hnanciai aid was voted the
proJect' Inc "edge mad been entered,ho
ever ana the good WORK went forward.
ohuer .his chartef, IN 1868 temporary
orsahzahoh was erected, and associate
corporators elected In 1870, by vote OF
the legislature the state ceded to the hos
pitai 'he iot on branhaii NIL, Portland then
occupied Dy the unused state arsenal build-
ings' when were' soon after removed
! ms grant was 10 take erect only when
Szo'ooo had peeh raised towards the
construction OF the hospital by private sub
scrlption: IL was fufther provided that Slo,-
wv shouid De asaliaoie from the state
treasury when S3o,ooo had been expended
IN the actual WORK OF construction. and an
aoaltiohai sio'OOo when soo,ooo had been
complied with. and work unon the ho.ni,a al
was vigorously pushed. ne city OF Fort
iahn gave tne lnsttuton all the land which
IL owned anJolhlng the arsenal lot, thereby
pu,nhg IL IN possession OF seven acres
OF iand' with frontage on three different
s'ree's, s.
n ASST" was CHOSEN architect and
ai.er WISHING iea.hng hospitals IN New Eng