The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-28


Total ............ ............. 49,, O54 20
Estimated cost per week per patient,
based upon gross cost of maintenance IS 6S
Estimated cost per patient and employe
per week, based upon gross cost Of
maintenance .'.......;...'.. .....'....' D ~
Estimated cost of food supply per pa
Estimated cost of food supply per pa
tient and employe per week. ........... SO
If from the gross cost Of maintenance the
cash receipts Of the years., 437.oS-be de-
Quoted, the actual cost to the taxpayers for
the maintenance Of the institution was $685.
617.26.
Based on these figures the
Estimated cost per week per patient was. S. OF
Estimated cost per week per patient and
employe was 80
Average number of employees. .............. IS
Employees on pay roll. ......................48
Employees not on pay roll. Observation-Disclosures. s
DR.. Ancker calls particular attention to the
success OF the training school feature of the
hospital under the direction of Miss NJ. L.
Van Thuyne superintendent Of nurses, and
also to the success attending the of anti
toxine serum treatment of diphtheria. A por-
ton of the report is follows:
The intent upon which the hospital was
founded and is maintained, is, I think, well
understood. l believe that this hospital should
not have open doors for every person nor
for all kinds of sickness without reference to
the merit4 Of the case or the legal rights Of
the appl o T. yet should be easy of access to
those entle-ed to its benefits and is so with
as IJCe 1Ormdllty or req tape as possible.
The fact remains, however, and our records,
both criminal and social, will bear me out
in the statement, that in the of no in
considerable proportion of the patients cured
for common humanity demands that the ques-
ton as to whether they have a legal settle
ment in this city or county or not be ignored.
This is particularly true of the patients
brought 10 us by the police patrol wagons.
These persons are generally the victims of
accident, violence or sudden and uncertain
illness; almost without exception they are
cases where the demands for care and treat
ment are immediate and imperative. To re-
fuse admission to send such persons to
their places of residence in the city provided
We learn they have one, would, in many IN
stances, increase and prOOng suffering and
consume time that might imperil life limb
when prompt attention might save. A care
full perusa of the clinical history of such
cases would readily demons rate these facts
Furthermore, it IS an unwr.tten law Of almost
al hospitals certainly of every public hospi-
tai, that patients suffering from severe acct
dent or sudden Illness shall be admitted at
all hours of the day or night and without
question. When practicable every applicant
undergoes thorough examination by the
city and county physician, or of his
sstan 5 in person, and at such examinations
the question as to the patients legal claim
to the benefits of the hospital is carefully
Incurred into. without doubt the hospital is
al times the victim of imposition, but this
is rue Of ther undertakings and enterprises: :
ony with US when our Judgment fails US, or we
have erred on the side of humanity. 1t oc-
Ca Oldlly GttuIS InGI we learn Jnat we nave
no. been informed as to the facts regarding
the patients ability to pay his way. In such
cas es we invariably present a bill for hospital
care and use our best endeavors to collect it,
After speaking of the improvements of the
las. year DR.. Ancker says:
The institution Is now well equipped in all
its depart nents, fully in keeping with pro-
or ssive IDEAS and abreast Of the most mod
err methods adopted for hospital management
Tbs, with the service of prominent physi-
clans connected with the institution, affords
our patients advantages of skilled experience
ard Of the most advanced scientific knowl-
edge
As needed improvements for the present
year the report calls attention to the de-
STABILITY for lighting the hospital by cleo
tricity. The need of an addit onal boiler in
the engine room is also cited as it is said
the capacity Of the boilers now in use is
often over axed to properly heat the institu-
/ ton. The HOSPITAL is without any inclosure
and 1t is suggested that a subs antial fence at
least six feet high be built about the grounds
The opening of the children's and ma ernity
/ building at the earliest moment is urged as
an immediate demand Of the hospital.