Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-06-28
GAS USED BY HOSPITAL
HsTOUNDs COUNC|LMEN
Report of Gas Committee Shows
That Over 81, 200 was Used by
Institution Last year.

The members Of the City Council
we're astomDded last :iight when Chair
man Harrison Of the gas committee
called the attention Of the los g. hoa'd
to tha amount OF gas used by the Alex
anLria Hospital during the past year
He said the report showed that the sum
1f s1,202 63 had been used by that iu-
.trtution which was practically two aud
nnehaIf percent OF all the eas used in
The city during the same length OF
time. Mr.. Harrison, who is one Of the
trustees Of the hospital said that he was
in favor OF doing everything that was
possible to advance the interests OF
the institution which was one OF
Alexandria s greatest charities but that
he thought gas was being used in a
very eytravagant manner and that
something should be done to remedy
.he situation. Several other council
men spoke in the same term and the
hospital came in for considerable crii
gism.
At Tie hospital Ibis morning, Miss
Ii. w. Johns, the acting Smperinten1.
ent, took 4 q zettr representative over
the entire building and explained thr
various prop ,Sts for which gas was
being u.cd. She SAID that economy
was praclired in the use Of gas but thai
it i; inI'oSSti.Ie TO carry On the wprL
with less amount under the present
arrangements.
The sreate.t amount Of gas Is used
in the s;eTilizers in the operating room.
There are three large sterllizers wlicI,
are kept continuously in operation
Every garmeat, ban4agu and instru
ment has 10 DO put into these stcri
Iizefs previous 10 every operation
and ker: th,re for about four hours.
The surgical cases at the hospital are
incfea.ing and the sterilizers havo been
kept husi>r during the past year than
ever before. From a rough estimate
made tuis rueruing hy a man famiIia,
with gas heating it is said that the cost
Of operating these Sterilizers would be
approximately $50 per month.
The ucat large t use VI gas is in the
laundry. The hospital has very large
amour. OF LAUNDRY and while all the
Hat work Is sent 10 one OF the steam
IaunJries the sm i work IS done in tie
institution. A gas stove with three
burners is used to heat the irons and is
kept going for eight or nine hours
every day. The cost Of the gas used in
the stove is said TO amount to approx.
mately SIS per month.
III the basement gas is used for the
purpose Of heating water Which is used
in the various rooms. Two heaters are
kept running for tTenty.four hours
every day which will consume in the
course Of month from S15 to $21
worth OF gas.
Gas is not used for heating except in
cases OF an emergency in few OF the
rooms which are not properly heated
by the furnace.
From the above estimates it will he
seen that the cost Of running the steril-
izers, laundry and hot water heating
plant is approximately $65 per month
leaving about SO per mouth for light
ing the wards, rooms and halls.
From the above investigation it is
believed that no reduction can be made
in the amount OF gas used under the
present arrangements However, ii
coal range was substituted in the laua-
dry with suitable boiler for the heat
ing of the water saving of Sl5 per
month miQht be made.
A member Of the hospital board
stated thi. morning that il the city
would pay for the free patients which
arc admitted to the hospital at the rate
81 81 per day which is the approximate
cost OF maintenance. the hospital cnuld |
vel! afford to pay for its gas. During
the month of hlsy the hospital fur
nisbed 2GS days trcatmen, to ifea
patients in addition 10 It's Tree dispen
sary cases.