Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-21

not been for the Maine Eye and Ear
Infirmary and Maine General Hospital
so per cent. of these men would have
died within a month.
That is what the Infirmary did for US
then, and no one knows when we may
have to call upon it again for Sim
liar purpose. and / ask you members
of the G.. A. r. whom | see about me.
and / ask every member of this House,
if an institution that has saved the
lives of 30 or 100 soldiers of the re-
public, men who went forth to fight
the battles of the country and uphold
the honor of the flag, is not entitled to
some consideration at your hands. And
| ask YOU if this act alone. to say
nothing of the tens of thousands of
people who have been treated at this
institution. does not outweigh the triv-
ial charges of the gentleman from
Windham?
But the gentleman from VaSSalboro
says that the institution should be
above suspicion-and he compares it
with the Maine General and says he
would be glad to vote an increase to
that institution, and so would /: but
does the gentleman know that few
years ago the Maine General Hospital
was under suspicion and passed
through an ordeal of investigation
which compared with this, would be
as the mountain to the mole-hill but
have yet to learn that any I.agis-
lature refused them an appropria ton
on that account.
But it is also said that this Infirmary
has large endowment and does not
need the money, and the gentleman
from Windham makes it at over $256.
600. but to do this he takes into con-
sderation the construction account.
Now every business man knows that
this is an error. You might as well say
that this State House was a source of
income to the State.
Now take the harrington fund There
is Sl60,000 of this fund in the hands of
Seth l.. Larrabee as trustee, but s94,-
900 Of it is invested in notes of the cor
poration. drawing interest so that all
the fund available for income to the
Infirmary is $4,000. on which it gets
interest to the amount of about $500
annually.
The total income producing property
held by the Infirmary is:
Stocks. bonds and cash . slG2 1874
Balance OF Harrington fund $3.50. 12.i0l00
Value of stores NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. l5,0N01
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SIPS, 35l9i
1t is fair to suppose that when Mr.
Ira p. harrington willed this large sum
to the Infirmary he intended to estab-
lish fund that would enable it to ex-
tend its usefulness but if the State Is
to take away the appropriation, he
might as well have left it to the State
as far as it will extend the benefits of
the Infirmary
Now, gentlemen, do not attempt to
punish the institution for the short
comings of any of the staff. but pass
the resolve and allow this hospital to
continue its good work in the future
as in the past. (Applause.)
Mr.. HASKELL of Windham: Mr.
Speaker. / think there is no member of
the House who does not recollect the
charges which l made against this insti-
tuition upon the floor of this House one
month ago today, and when. after piteous
appeals from the gentleman from Ban
gor tMr. BeaD and the gentleman from
Portland tMr. RandalD. | allowed the
matter to go back to the finance commit
tee IN order that an investigation might
be held. We had an inVestiga ton before
that committee, the longest investigation
that has been held before any commit
tee during this session of the legislature
at which was submitted evidence in sup
port Of the charges then made. and
OF this committee. have been sustained
to such an extent as TO warrant them in
saying that this resolve ought not to
pass. ! believe that | not only substan-
tiated the charges which | made bat |
showed in evidence. and It was not con-
tradicted. yea, rather il was admitted,
that there has been put in the manage
ment of that institution within the last
year and a half man who is carpenter
who is today fitting glasses and testing
eyes in that institution; and one of the
trustees III his testimony before this tri-
bunal admitted that he knew that that
was the fact and what had he done? Not
one single thing. | also submitted evil
dence in support of the charges that peo-
pie had been turned away from that in
stitution to the office of the, executive
surgeon for treatment cited specific
case and | submitted affidavits signed
| and sworn to reporting that specific
charge. And not only that particular
case but | produced witnesses here who
testified that they had been turned away
from that institution to the office of the
executive surgeon because they had been
| told by the clerk that they had not the
apparatus in that Institution to treat
| their particular kind of disease. What
did they put up in opposition to that?
They put up the executive surgeon, the
clerk and the house physician who testi-
fled that they did not know that such
was the case. | submit that those wit
nesses who testified. and the aiiidavits.
that they had been turned from that in
Urinary to the office of the executive sur
geon for treatment are worth one hum
dred of those people who are connected
with that infirmary who can only testify
that they did not know anything about
it. / put in positive testimony that such
was the fact. | leave it to you whether
an institution which does thing of that
kind deserves and should receive an APP
preparation from this State.
In regard to that young doctor, | sub
mtted evidence at the hearing, and il
was not contradicted, that although the
trustees knew of the assault which he
had committed upon that boy, yet they
endeavored in every manner possible to
shield him from his shame and to hush
the matter up. That is the kind of man
ayement they are having in that irstitu-
| ton. And he was not asked TO resign
until it was found that they We're obliged
| to ask for his resignation. Now the ex
ecutive surgeon and his surgeon said
that this matter of people being turned
away from that institution was because
of Il misunderstanding. n misrepresentation
and a mis- everything else except mis-
mana cement. | submit to you in the face
of that testimony that that management
should see that no more of those misun-
derstandngs and those misapprehensions
take place at that infirmary, and that the
people of this State who go there for free
treatment are not miSled. With your per-
mission | want to read letter which has
been placed in my hands in the last Il
minutes. | will read first a circular letter
sent out by the Maine Eye and Ear In
Urinary:
Portland, Me-. March Q. 1901.
Will you write to or interview your rep