Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-05-08
A BUSY MONTH.
The Record Of the Augusta City Hospital
for sDrI.

During April "A patients were ad-
mitted to the CITY hospital. In that
time II We're discharged. There We're
no deaths. Since the establishment,
one year ago. the hospital has treated
l51 patients; - in the surgical side and
s. on the medical side. This is 50 more
patients than was treated by the Maine
General hospital in THU first year Of its
existence. This fact amply demon
stratrs the need Which thu noble insti-
tuition fills in our community Aside
from the soldiers who died from the
typh0- malaridl fever contracted in the
South. there have been no deaths on
the medical side of the hospital. and
Of the SO patients who have been treat
cd surgic1ily at the Institution. the
larger part Of whom underwent major
operations. there haze hecn but three
deaths. one of these. an emergency
case, Which reached the hospital in a
marihund condition.
This is remarkable record and one
which speaks louder than words could
possibly do of the splendid work which
has been accomplished at this institu-
tion. No hospital HIS ever Vet been
started in Maine that did not encounter
opposition and criticism. Those who
remember the early struggle Of the
Maine General hospital will recall the
activity and virulence Of its opponents
during those days. Although it scare
iy seems possible, today. that such
could ever have existed. similar exper-
fences of other institutions of later
birth are more or less familiar to many
Of us: but fortunately not one of the
hospitals now doing such noble work
in the state of Maine has lacked
staurch and stcadfast friends in those
early and struggling days when such
friendship was most needed and appre-
ciatcd.
No institution when it has once be
come strong and well established. ever
lacks for friends. 1t is the one which
is struggling With the handicaps and
the problems of early days that most
needs them and those devoted and un-
selfish people who with no hope of per-
sonal gain. give time. thought and
means to the success of an institution
Of this character. an institution which
rises up to do Gods work in a Christian
community. may have in the results
achieved by their labors. the best pos
SiDlt rev ara lUdl can come TO well 90
ing.
1t is an interesting fact that the
most bitter. not to say Vituperative.
critics of our own hospital have been
people VINO have never crossed its
threshold, and whose animus can scarce
ly have escaped the attention of an in
telligent community. But in a mega
tive way criticism helps an institution
as Well as praise; both advertises it and
makes the public aware Of its exist
ence.
our readers generally know of the
crowded condition of the Augusta City
hospital since the first of March. This
condition OF affairs still continues All
the ward beds are full, this morning.
and every private room as well. In
deed. in order to meet the imperative
demands. the matron has been obliged
to turn over her own private room to
a patient and there are applications
ahead.
These facts speak for themselves
They show that while our little hospi-
tai has had much to contend with it's
growth has nevertheless been steady
and healthy. There has been con-
stant demand on the institution for
nurses, but the pressure upon the hos
pital has made it impossible to comply
with them save in three Of four in
stances where nurses have been per
mitted to go out for a portion Of day.
The training school is to be further
enlarged in the immediate future. ard
the staff has laid out a comprehensive
course of lectures for the coming year.
All young ladies desirous of entering
the training. school for nurses should
write to the matron, Mrs. Sarah Hay