Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-01-27
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED.

KhO ENTS NEEDEDs
The Annual Report of the Pruden-
t1al Committee of the New Haven
Hospital Suggests Many Improve
naturalization of Directors.
The annual meeting of the Connecticut
General Hospital society was held at the
New Haven hospital yesterday afternoon
at $3.50. Superintendent Starkweather
submitted his annual report, which was
followed by the report of the prudential
committee and the election of the board of
directors. Superintendent Starkweather
says In his report: The number of patients
remaining in the hospital December 81,
1891, was III, 81 males and so fem les; ad-
mitted during the year were $3.50, 61s males
and 24S females, making total of 9S3 un-
der treatment. Of this number 492 were
discharged cured, 1875 improved. So unim-
treatment December 81, 1899. There were
10 births. 6 males and 7 females;
also 2 still births, which are not
included in the deaths. The whole num-
ber of weeks occupied was 1886 6 Z, of
which 2, 473 II were occupied by town
patients receiving the benefit of the state
appropriation at the rate of 81. OF per week.
The patients admitted came from 80 diff
ferent towns and villages in this state and
from nine other states and countries; 1872
were residents of the town of New Haven.
The largest number of patients for any one
day was 1872; the smallest SO, the daily av-
| mates averaged 88 $40. making a total of
1875 10. Of these IS $40 we're nurses
| land the matrons) Of the training school.
The current receipts, less the amount re-
funded to patients were $44 020 g.; the
| current expenses were $50. 449 "a; excess of
expenses over the receipts So, 429 49, There
was, however, received from the state for
the fourth quarter of 1891, 81 $50 and for
the support of soldier patients for the
| third and fourth quarter Of 1891, 1864 o.;
total s., 214 OF, which, of course, does not
belong to the earnings Of 1899. This in
cresses the real excess of expenses to S.
643 "a for the current year.
The Narett fund furnished free support
| and treatment for rs patients, occupying
Sl8 81 weeks; daily average 15a, The
English fund furnished free support and
treatment to 10 patients, aad occupying
1879 81 week.; daily average p The
Clifford fund, which was first used at the
opening of the Clifford home for incnra
hles in July, furnished free support and
treatment to 10 patients, OCCUPYING 176
weeks; daily average u
The ambulance responded to 212 calls
during the year, an increase of 60 over the
previous year, The average cost of sup
porting each patient in the hospital was
50 46 10 per Week.
THE PRUDENTIAL COMMITTEES REPORT
Following is the main portion of the re-
Eli Whitney, jr., W. H. Carmalt and
Thomas Hooker:
The board of directors has the honor to
present herewith to the Grace Hospital
fociety Of Connecticut, its sixty sixth an.
nual report as pre-: AIRED by the prudential
committee. The mtse lute worthy incident
OF tho past year al tn" hospital was the
Gutoresk of smallpox early in November
tha 6rs5 case WAS discovered on the fourth;
tbs health officer, Dr.. F. W. Wright, Was
i!amediately not, dad, aud on Investigation
Ia decided to remove the patient at once
To the building provided for contagious
diseases at Sprirg-iia farm. At the same
time he placed the hospital under qusran-
tine for twelve day, but before the ex-
piration of that time, although every
t;recaution hal been taken to prevent
the spread Of she disease, o.hsr Gases mad
developed, and the Quarantine Wa
| extended indefinitely. rhirseen pail
! ents in all, including one member OF
the house stall and two nurses, were sent
to Springsids Fortunately, most of the
| CASES we're of mild type and all but two
| patients recovered. On December 8 the
quarantine was raised, no new cases having
developed during the two weeks previous,
| and within twenty-four hours thereafter
| fortyfour patients, who had recovered but
had been compelled to remain in the hos
| pital, were discharged.
| The enforced isolation was eYtronoely
| irksome to all the inmates of the insti-
tuition. No one WAS permitted either to
enter or leave the premises, and after the
| first ten days the streets surrounding the
grounds were constantly patrolled by po-
nosmen whose duty 1t was to enforce the
orders of tbs health officer. The wisdom
of these precautions is shown by the fact
that only one person outside of the hos
pital contracted the disease, and the con,
tagion in that case but remotely traceable
to the hospital cases.
Over 200 people were confined for full
month, and it is in great measure due to
the efficiency and tact of the superintend
ent, Mr.. Starkweather; the superintendent
of nursing, Mrs. Qaintard; the housekeep-
| or, Mrs. Little, and the officers under them
| that during this ordeal there was no panic,
| Standardization or serious disturbance of
any kind. At the same time credit is due
to all for the patience and forbearance dis
| played. Among them, Mrs. Bradley went
to Springside and Miss Lewis and Miss
| Barbour cared for suspected cases before
| their removal.
One of the chief causes of anxiety to the
prudential committee at this time was its
inability to care for accident cases which
were liable to occur at any moment, so
that when on the Goth of November the
United Workers and Organized Charities
association generously offered the use of
30 much of their building as might be nee
essary for An emergency hospital, the offer
was gladly accepted. A graduate nurse
was engaged; the Boys club room fitted
up, and on the 22d the first patients were
received. The members of the senior
class of the Yale medical school
offered their services, and from
their number house staff was
organized which was In constant attend
ance. Five patients in all were cared for
at this emergency hospital, but there were
accommodations for many more, and in
case a severe railroad or other accident
had occurred during the quarantine it Is
confidently believed that it would have
proved adequate to all demands.
The aid thus rendered to the hospital
was particularly gratifying as coming from
societies engaged in other branches of
co operation which is greatly to be desired
among the beueovolent organizations of
the city.
The financial loss to the hospital from
this outbreak was necessarily large. The
direct loss caused by the destruction Of
clothing, bedding, the board of patterns
who refused to pay after they were ready
for discharge. the maintenance of the
emergency hospital, ETC., amounted to over
s., 600 The indirect loss, caused by the
interruption of business, can only be sur
missed.
The number Of patients under treatment
during the year vas 963, showing loss of
81 from the year before The number ad
mitted WAS 666, or an average of 70 per
month, consequently it is reasonable to
suppose that ii patients had been admitted
during the month of November there
would have been gain instead of a loss.
The daily average number of patients
however, increased from 112.4 and conse-
quently the average residence per patient
increased from 8 2 We. ks to nearly weeks.
The admission of incurables into new
wards led Us to expect even greater in
crease in the average residence, but the
same increase in the activity of the service
in the other departments of the hospital
which has been so marked in recent years,
continued throughout the year.
The charitable work Of the hospital also |
increased largely. Only 60 out of the 9s3
patients under care paid the full cost of |
their support Seven hundred and fifty |
were partially and I'll wholly supported |
by the funds of the society. The following |
figures, giving the number of weeks occu- |