The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-06
HOSPITAL NEEDS MONEY.
Georgia ID6rmary Crippled by Re-
duction In City Appropriation.

NeOr&Ia tnuTmHFH NttFptth ny Rt-
duction In City Appropriation.
The Georgia Infrmary ran a little
short on funds last year and will be
unable to get along with the smaller
appropriation allowed by the city Coun-
Gil. for 1902. This fact will be brought out
at the annual meeting of the board OF
trustees to be held this afternoon, and
Council will probably be asked TO re-
consider it's recent action in cutting
the hospital appropriation.
The report of the treasurer will show
that $685.. 81 was expended last year,
and that. although small sum was
left over from 1900 the inhrmarY is
$50. 20 behind. During the year the
city gave it $4,000 and the county ap-
propriated $1,000. Occasional pay pa
tents. sent to the hospitals by some
of the railroads or other corporations,
helped to some extent.
The City Council recently decided to
reduce the appropriation of the in
Urinary $500 a year. and pay that
amount to the Charity Hospital This
action will receive the attention of the
board of trustees, and an effort Will
be made to secure for the infirmary
the same amount appropriated last
in the appropriation will greatly en-
barrass the infirmary. and that the
amount taken away would not help
the Charity Hospital to any extent. II
may be that a committee from the
board of trustees will be appointed to
lay the matter before Council and pre-
sent the necessity for full appro-
priation of $4,000.
The reports of the various officers
~ ,I.t,o I'D
ports President c. NJ. Gilbert will make
up his annual report. which will be
submitted TO the Mayor later in the
week. a total of 12,025 days were spent
IN the intirmary by patients. No i'm
provements are contemplated for the
present year, which was started with
a slight deficit.
The infirmary is well equipped. The
operating room compares favorably
with those of other institutions of the
kind throughout the South, and the
public is extended an invitation by the
Board of Trustees to inspect the in
stitution. The infirmafy is equipped
with the latest medical appliances and
an X-ray machine The apparatus was
purchased in 1900. and is frequently
used by the surgical staff.
A. peculiar fact connected with the
operating of hospitals for negroes is
the large percentage of deaths each
year. As rule negroes will not go
10 hospital for treatment, and in
many cases enter it when they are DIV
ing Others go in the last stages of
disease and when all hope has been
abandoned. Unless negro has been
previously cared for in a hospital he
seldom willingly goes there for treat
lnent accounting i'm a large measure
for the large death rate. The negroes
have superstition that when they go
to hospital they go to their death.
and only after they have been in
hospital are they satisfied that such is
not the case and that they are we'll
taken care of.
The death of Col. r. d. Walker one
of the oldest members of the Infirmary
board, will be fittingly noticed at the
meeting. It is not thought that
successor viii be named at this time,
however. The death of DR. William
Duncan caused a vacancy in the board
during 1900 but his place has not been
filled, and there are now two mem
beers to he elected This will probably
be done ct a future netting The
present officers and board of trustees
fellows:
President--C. NJ. Gilbert.
Vice President-Henry c. Cunning
ham.
SUPPLEMENTARY Jacob Weichsel-
baum.
Secretary and Treasurer-M s.
Baker.
Medical Director-Dr. T. ]. Charlton.
Board of Trustees-Mr. George J.
Baldwin, Or. w. H. Elliott, Mr.. j. NJ.
Solomons, Mr.. Joseph clay, Mr.. r. b.
Reppard. Capt J. r. f. Tattnall,
Mayor Herman Myers and Health Off
cor w. +. Drummer. The officers are
also members Of the board