Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-08
$10,174.02
Report Of the Visiting Committee.


ed by your board to visit the hospital
during the past year, would respectful
" submit its fourth annual report. The
duties of said committee are set forth
i'm Article Six of the bylaws of the
board of directors and reads as follows:
THE hoard of directors shall appoint
the following standing committees:
visiting committee of three directors
who shall serve one month each sue
cessively. They shall have the general
management of all matters pertaining
to the hospital and make such rules
and regulations as may be necessary
for the order and control OF the same.
Admissions to the hospital shall be I'M
der their supervision.
In compliance with the above direc-
tons your committee have made week
ly inspections by one or more of its
members and while we have made no
official note of the visits it is very prob
able it would found, on an average,
that semi-weckiy examinations have
occurred. Aside from directing the
general management of the Institution
your committee are of the opinion that
one of the most important duties de
volvng upon if is to frequently and
carefully investigate into it's sanitary
condition. With the above object III
view we have, ut short intervals, visit
ed every part Of the hospital including
it's basement, have noted its ventilation
and cleanliness and inspected its sewer
and drainage exits and its water sup
ply.
1t may be of interest to know that
the water for medicinal and drinking
purposes is gratuitously supplied
through the generosity Of the manage
ment of the GlenwoOd Spring Company.
The supply for all other purposes, in
Guiding culinary, lavatory and the gen
oral necessities of the hospital. is boun-
tifully furnished from the Augusta Wa
ter Works.
Your committce have arrived at the
conclusion, after n years careful OBJ
serVatiOn, that the existing agencies
which are 50 necessary for proper
equipment and to efficiently administer
to all requirements are generously and
Wen supplied and that the hospital in
its entirety presents most excellent
sanitary conditions.
Your committee have been careful al
50, so far as its sphere Of duty has
been concerned. to closely scrutinize its
hygenic and dietary conditions. We
find that the general diet, the raw ma
terial of which has been of good quail
ity. is prepared in the large kitchen AMI
that the especial diet. which prescribed
by the medical and surgical staff in
attendance, is provided for in the con
vicinity arranged dietary depart
mcut. 1t is assuring to note that no
complaints have been made of lack of
proper diet either in quality or guam
tty
The hospital organization now covers
period of four annual reports and has
been in operative existence nearly four
calendar years, the first patient having
been admitted for treatment at the in
Stitution on Crosby street in April 1895
We do not wish to speak disparag-
ingIy of the work performed at the old.
hospital. With it's limited capacity and
equipment it accomplished most salts
factory results and the friends of the
institution will always remember. with
sense of just pride, the generous
charity it extended to our suffering
soldiers who were so sorely afflicted
with typhoid fever on their return from
the South. A comparison, however, be
tween the results of the former and the
present institution, which was first oc-
cupied November of 1900 could be
made very assuring to the friends of
both ard favorable conclusions would
be dcduced commendatory to the exist
ing hospital with its broader opportuni-
ties fer extending. to such as require
its services, more skillful care AMI
treatment.
The question is sometimes asked. and
occasionally by our sober. well mean
ing citizens, although we are pleased
10 know not so frequently as formerly.
rs there a demand for n surgical hos
pital in this city? Would it not be bet
ter to SEND to the other institutions and
save eNpense?" The query can be east
~ met and the most cogent reasons
produced favorable to local institu-
ton. The Inconvenience and oftimes
the great distress to the patient in be.
ing subjected to long journeys is not
only exceedingly Objectionable but
sometimes jeopardzes human life.
comparison of the yearly numerical
STATISTICS are favorable to local organ
%atlon and the continuance of existing
procedure. We find that. during the
period embraced in this report. one
hundred and siyty-nine patients have
peen treated against one hundred and
thirty-two last year. and the same
comparison VIII ne lOuTlu TO exist from
commencement of the hospital organ
ization showing a greater and increas-
ing demand for hospital treatment.
Outside of the advantages the hos
pitai affords to the city and surround
ing country in extending its charity TO
those who are unable to care for them
selves. there is one important factor
commendatory to institutional organ
ization which is lost sight of by the
critics, If any there by. We refer to
the facilities offered to the community
and to such. families. who for proper
under home environmentsA in obtaining
reasons conclude to treat their sick I'M
der home environments, in obtaining
nurses from the training school of the
hospital Indeed. such appreciation of
this institutional appliance has been
manifest that the demand Throughout