The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-28

A Candid statemnt by Its Treasurer, Dr
Joe W. Jackson.

A Candid Statemnt py lts IfeaeufeIi III
Joe W. Jackson.
The treasurer Of the Barre City hos
pital, DR.. Joe W. Jackson, has an IN.
teresting statement 10 make regarding
that institution and the donations from
the public 10 It's support. He saysi
am tempted 20 write the following
lines by reports coming in from those
soliciting assistance from the public foI
our hospital.
Nov, some people have the wrong idea
of what charitable institution Is, be-
lieving IL means place where people
can 20 and be taken care Of free Of
charge. Nothing could be further from
the truth. Our hospital Ia dependent
instead, wholly upon the charity OF the
public and viii be so for years to come,
until sums OF money for endowments
are left, by those so disposed. Did you
ever know Of hospital, especially in
its early days OF existence, that was
not always running behind in It's ex-
penses7 always beginningf and some
times receiving one TO ten thousand q
year from public spirited personsf
Some refuse TO give because VIC are
not yet in position TO take patients
absolutely free; but will those same peo-
pie kindly tell us how we could meet the
bills and not have a deficit at the end Of
the yearf Could we call on them for
a few hundrcdl
You had the figures carefully placed
before YOU December 2lst, the cost OF the
care of l2l patients for the year, S4,4l5..
as, and just what that money was paid
out for. So / do not need to repeat
it, II anyone would 60 over those figures
and show us any mistakes or extraya-
gance, we would be glad to have them.
Now, the money received -S4, ,544sl---
came from the patients and we did not
find it necessary to 20 to each individual
and ask them to repeat the subscription
of the previous year, and aside from
the S400 received from the Hospital Aid
society and few previous subscriptions,
the income from patients paid running
expenses. Could we ask for anything
betterl
Don't you think we are glad to have
work enough TO run the institution with.
out running TO you every year to ask
for subscriptions But when the ladies
of the soliciting committee ask for just
a little donation, or the fremen ask some
one to buy dance ticket and they get
the reply, "No, | don't care anything
about the hospital; 1t Is only run to
feather a few doctors nests" someone
must be awfully mistaken, to say it
mildly.
Ten physicians put up their ifty dol
lars apiece, along with the rest, because
they thought such an institution would
be a good thing, a proper place to care
for many when sick and very desirable
place in case of accident and serious
operations demanding immediate relief.
Four physicians and four surgeons and
two specialists gave their time during
the year-two, a physician and surgeon,
for three months, and then the next two,
as by schedule.
If a person Is only Of moderate means,
they pay their ten dollars, the least we
can now charge for board, nursing, ETC..
take the physician or surgeon on duty.
and the expense Is at q minimum. RI
they wish their own physician, they can
pay for board and nursing and settle
with him "a usual when they get ready.
The board and nursing must be paid for
or guaranteed, as we nave no other
means Of support as yet.
Now, some people do not think Of
expense when they are sick or in trouble.
y they want is to get well, and they
kick on the cost afterward.
It is hardly fair for a person to 90
to hospital, cali for the best room in
the house, $1,000 per week, a special
nurse, $1,000 per week, n physician from
away to operate, their family physician
to care foF> them at regular rates, and
then tell their friends how awfully ex-
pensive q hospital is, when they could
have got along for one-fourth or one
fifth Of the expense.
And 1t Is not fair for broad. minded,
citizen and business man,
who could just as well endow a room
as 60 to his Office regularly, and who
has every advantage Of knowing just
how the business is done and how the
money is spent, because he is member
of the corporation, to say that the hos-
pital is "iust for the doctors to feather
their nests with"
To be sure, doctors are on the board
of trustees, FIVE out Of the twelve. but
tuere is no salary attached to 1t. Doc
tors are officers Of the corporation, but
not on salary. Come to think OF it, in
all the running about / did last year
to pay bills TO the extent OF s44I545,
as treasurer | got one cigar. OF course
q lot said thank you, and that was
enough.
Five thousand dollars presented to
the hospital for the endowment Of al
room, will keep that room occupied by
o charity patient, for at least 800 days
out Of 365 for year. Who wants to
endow room9 We are all ready to
receive the money, and win see that
1t is devoted for that purpose only The
association might do it.
The Granite Cutters union could do it.
Public spirited citizens will do it in
time. But don't accuse us of not being
a charitable hospital, and blame US for
not being free to anyone, because, at
present, we cannot be.
What the city government might do
and what it fails to do, dare not trust
myself to discuss at this time.