The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-08-22
CITY HOSPITALS.

1t was the writer's privilege ho1
long since to visit and inspect the ot-
rumwa hospital There may be larg-
err and more preteltious hospitals II
operation, but there could be none
better or more ably managed than the
Ottumwa institution under the super
intendelcy of Miss Elizabeth T@otter.
It is little ,woader that Oskaloosa
physicians and those who were &C
auainTed with the institution nave
been jealous of it, as many unior-
Inmates even from this vicinity nave
looked upon it as all inviting maven,
where they might undergo the ordeal
of an operation under the most pleas
ant surroundings. But the jealousy
must cease, as Oskaloosa is soon 10
have an institution, which If not so
large, will be equally as good-and
then. too, the OtCumwa hospital is
already too small to care for tle de-
mands made upon it by Ottumwa ana
Wapello county,
The growth of hospital IN any
city or town is little short of marvel
Gus. Necessarily where there is no
hospital ii the Community, only
few people can understand the advaa-
tages of such an institution, and the
town gets along without one-very
often at great cost of suffering a1d
sacrifice of human life. Tn Ottum-
wa hospital was started about twelve
years ago, WITH FIVE beds. In less
than four years seven more were adj
ded, and the Institution had outgrown
its quarters in an, old residence prop
erty, and subscriptions started for a
new building. The money was forth
coming and two years ago the hospl'
tai was moved into an elegant new
building containing about thirty
rooms, and large enough to care for
fifty patients. s.....
"The thing has been overdole,
said many skeptical people. I'VE
have too big building for city 40
bigger t1lan Ottumwa." But what
has happened? Just exactly what
Miss Trotter told them would happen.
The building is now crowded to its ca
pacity all the time, and patients have
to await Their turn to be accommo-
dated. Funds are again being raised
to build a wing to the new building,
and other facilities must be had at
once. The annual report made on
July 81 shows that b26 patients were
treated during the year. 1t is esti-
mated That at least 100 more would
have awaited themselves of the ad-
vantages of a hospital If they could
have been accommodated.
Oskaloosa starts out with accommo-
dations for 26 patients, and while
some think this is entirely too large,
1t is freely predicted by those who
have watched the growth of hospi-
tails, that additional room will be
needed in less than FIVE years. Hos
pitfalls are never self-sustailing, but
no one expects them to be. There
are many peop.e wno prefer to make
their charitable subscriptions and do
nations to hospitals rather than to
other institutions. Others will be IN
duced to increase the amount they
give to cnaritabl. enterprises when
they see the wonderful work of re-
lief well regulated hospital will per.
form.
But from whence 1t comes or how
ever 1t ID provided, the Herald be-
lieves the people Of Oskaioosa will
see that the new institution is com
pleted AID furnished without debt,
and that its good work shall not be
hampered for lack of funds. The
frst year will be the crucial period
in Inc history of the institution. AT
ter that we believe all doubt Will be
removed ana the actual necessity o.
a hospital win be evident to every
one.