The Portland daily press., 1896-11-10
EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY.
Annual Meeting Held Last Evening at
the House.

1--WE Soinmlttee. surgeon and Treasurer
New Arrangements Made for Light
and Power-A Good Showing for the
Past Year.
The annual meeting of the Eye and
Ear lnfll mary was held at the house last
evening. There was an excellent at
tendance. These reports were read and
ordered on file:
BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
Col. Fred N. Dow. president of the
board of trustees, submitted the follow.
ing report:
In presenting their eleventh annual re-
port the trustees are reminded that the
lDfirmary has entered upon Its second de-
cade. Long since it PASSED it's tentative
period ana took its place among the well
established philanthropio enterpi ises OF
the state; yet it's every added year broad
ems the scope Of its utilities and justities
through work accomplished a generous
maintenance of the institution. From all
parts of Maine, indeed from beyond its
torders' its patients come. IN every
section of the state are rejoicing wit
nesses that through its ministrations
many who were deaf now hear, and that
many now see who were once blind.
Since its establish ment 1t has responded
as Its means would best permit to more
than So, 700 calls for aid, an annual aver
age of nearly 5000 The resulting happi-
ness and relief from suffering to its
beneficiaries may not be noted In stalls
tics, but did space permit the material
profit to the state accruing from such
restoration and preservation Of self-sup-
porting and productive capacity might
be displayed in figures. This may appear
to be a narrow suggestion; yet In all the
wide realm of mans humaDit1es to man
no philanrhropies are more truly charit-
able than those which enable the objects
of their henevoieuoe to help themselves.
In the front rank Of such benevolence
the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary has
secured and seeks to hold It's place. From
the days of it's small beginnings, when 1t
was scarcely more than an idea of the
brain which conceived it, to the present,
when from its spacious, we'll appointed
home it widely disseminates its benefits.
| the Inf1rmary, to improve all it's posi-
bilities for usefulness has needed more
money than has been at its disposal.
Aside from its comparatively small
rental account, the income of the lnfirm-
airy is derived from three sources; state
aid private subscriptions and from the
accommodations furnished physicians for
private patients. Had the Infirmary been
OUb O1 u6DI IL WOuiu uhV6 Doeu posslulo
to have applied all 1t has received from
the two latter sources to its purely
charitable work. IA Id is, 1t has been
DOM PEELED to use much of 1t to meet run
ming expenses. During the last twelve
months accom- modatioDs have been fur
nished, without cost, equivalent to the
| support of ten patients for An entire
year. This has involved an expenditure
of nearly two Thousand dollars in excesa
Inf no, mi br7f anpotf1nqIIv for
| free beds by donors whose considerable
| liberality is elsewhere acknowledged. To
| the pressing necessity for more aid in
| this line the trustees desire to call the at
tention Of those who after familiarizing
! themselves with the work of the In
| Urinary shall conclude that 1t is q worthy
object for such assistance as they may be
trustees believe that Its usefulness has
been limited only by its means, for Its
| future ability to respond to constantly
growing demands. the Infirmary must
depend upon generous appreciation OF
the nature and extent OF its services up.
on the part of those who enjoy the great
gift of az inclination. coupled with the
mears to further considerate charities.
| In pursuance of the settled policy of
the management to keep what may be
| termed the "fxed charges of the house-
hold" at the lowest practicable point,
the trustees have provided, in plant
now approaching completion, for large
reduction of the annual expenses for
/ light and power. This will cost not less
than ten thousand dollars, but the trus-
tees are satisfied that it will result i. q
greatly reduced charge for those indls-
pensables, after adding to the cost there
of satisfactory income upon the fnnd
invested in the plant. During the year
an X-ray room has been fitted up at an
expense of about two hundred dollars.
1t is an importen addition to the equip.
ment of the institution for special and
general work. No other extraordinary
outlays have been made during the year.
| A detailed report of such of the work
of the Intrmary rs can be made a matter
| Of record will ne presented by the
officials. Upon that, therefore, it is moi
necessary here to dwell. Through It'll
success in the special lines from which
| it takes its name, the Infrmary has VOL
for itself throughout the country repu
tation 10 ophthalmoloRy and GEOLOGY al
high as that enjoyed any where by any
| other institution. Nor is it's usefulness
Him tied to these specialties, 1t server
them better through It's facilities fol
other services More than a score O,
practitioners connected with 1T cover the
entire fold OF medicine and surgery
Thus the Infirmary is kept in touch will
|
In view Of the great value of the In
Urinary to the physicians, and through
them to the people of the state. the trus
tees hsve endeavored to make adequat
provision for the performance of ever.
operation which can relieve suffering
and prolong life, and to provide facilities
for such scientific investigation rs may
oonduce to public as we'll as to individual
health. Hence, the laboratories of tn
Infirmary are now suitable for any ex
ptriment, and for the examination an(
preservation of morbid specimens tina
may be useful to the profession or the
public, while its operating room is fur
nished with all the essentials for ever!
operation known to modern surgery. Th
management has the testimony of those
whose wide travel and extensive obser va
ton qualify them to judge that in it
operating techniqr Ihe Rye and Ear In
Urinary is nowhere surpassed.
1t is impossible to put too high al
estimate upon the outgrowth from suol
opportunities in general and lasting ad
vantage to the public at large. Thei
usefulness is bounded by no locality, i
confined to no time Through them th
experienced practitioner as we'll as tn
medical student finds interest and in
struction, and is inspired to bette
Fl