Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-17

adequate methods of heating but be-
cause OF the boiler being located en-
tirely outside of the building will
materially lesson fire risks.
While the increase in the number OF
annual admissions has not been marked
from year to year yet there has been q
gradual accession of patronage to the
extent that the end of the fiscal year
discloses the fact that more patients
nave been treated than during any pro-
ceeding one.
Confidence in the institution is re-
assuring and increasing year by year
and the opportunities which it affords
are appreciated by grateful public
sentiment.
Your committee have continued as
heretofore visiting the hospital a.
least weekly signing the necessary
papers for admissions and discharges.
visiting the various wards and rooms.
examining from time to time it's diet
airy and inquirins into all methods
adopted calculated, to offer proper san
itation. From time TO time we have
converscd personally with the patients
relative 10 their treatment and the at
t"ntion shown them by the nurses and
As 10 The quality Of their food. We are
unable to recall single instance where
complaints nave been made of lack
OF attention extended or where the
quality Of the food has been criticised
At present thcTc are sixteen nurses in
the training schoo! who are apparent
ly interee.ef, in their vocation, and SO
far as our committee can observe are
offending promptly TO the wants Of the
patients This number would seem tr
be ample for the number Of sick that
the hospital is called upon to treat, and
would be 80, If II was rot from the
fact that 50 large a demand has con-
stantly been made upon the training
forco by families Of the community
where for various reasons X Is desira-
Bile 10 treat patients under home infiu-
enccs. The fact however that the call
for service Is so frequent and persist
ent we would suggest that in the near
future particularly after the compile
tio- of the home for nurses is made
ready for occupation that the training
force De increased to some extent In
order not only to be able to offer the
pital treatment but to meet the urgent
demands of the public. Such persist
ant and frequent applications for this
service are suggestive and stamp en-
phatically the desirability of hospital
in our midst where instruction in the
art of caring for the sick can be made
practical and valuable but demon
strates as Well the determination Of
our citizens to see 10 1t that q permnn-
ent hospital organization shall continue
10 exist.
Four nurses have graduated during
the past year and if later On it is
thought desirable to increase the force
the public requirements can he more
promptly met and satisfied. The nursa
as rule have enjoyed fair share OF
health and with the exception of four
light cases of roSeola the disease OF
which was introduced into the iustitu-
ton by Il patient and two cases OF APP
pendiCitiS no other sickness has oc-
CURED 70 prevent them from perform
ing their daily duty.
No epidemic has made its appearance
during the year and the hospital is 10
be congratulated that the unsGught and
unenviable experience which occurred
carly curing tie previous year from
Varlola was Of so short q duration that
it did rot assume serious proportions.
1t might be well 10 add for general in
formation that Their. have been only
seven cases nf typhoid fever under
treatment during the year. i'll compar-
ison with w ent"-Six the previous one;
but Notwithstanding the large numcci
of case" treated at that period We are
Of the opinion that the disease was no,
endemic N this city as several OF the
patients admitted were from various
section: of thu country
The statistics will show that fifteen
deaths nave occurred during the period
embraced in this report but upon
careful Investigation it vas found
'hut . largo percentage were in
Il moritund condition when admitted
and this state of collapse could not
warrant relief from treatment. Most
excellent service however has attended
the eft orts OF cur stats where tho vital
ity was sufficient to warrant medical
and surgical procedures and recovery
and Improvement have been the results.
As We might expect the active duties
dcvolVing upon resident officers and EN-
ployees Of the hospital are more or
less counterpart OF what has pre-
viously been performed. Nevertheless
invasions upon former methods have
been brought into reQuisition and new
departures instituted when found To be
consonaEt with new ard advised
methods If treatment.
There has been no marked cilangs, In
the demand for district nursing but the
management Of the hospital has been
prompt 10 respond when its services
have been required and when sought
much relief and comfort has resulted.
Tho usual number Of lectures from
the various physicians who compose
the medical. surgical and consulting
staff Of the hospital have been given
both oral and didatic in character with
accompanying quiZes which have Of
fered an opportunity for both techni-
cal and practical training. We have
reason 70 believe from careful obser-
walton that the young ladies Of the
training school have taken advantage