Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1912-11-29
PERTINENT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.


ptal quito naturally and properly will want to know
two things One is what the hospital has done to de-
serve the money The other is what Il is going to do
with the money after it has received It. AS
advocate Of the movement 10 raise the fund.- THE EV
ENING JOURNAL desires to lay before its readers a
set Of facts figures relative to the work and pur
poses OF the hospital that should strike a responsive
chord in the heart OF every Wimingtonan who SYM
pathizes with human misery and is possessed OF the
natural desire to do everything he to mitigate IT,
Delaware Hospital was opened to the public on Feb
ruary 90 1890 At that time there many persons
who were skeptioal of the success phanthropic
venture had behind it the Of several
OF Wilmington's nObest women who I'm turn, had the
moral and material support Of several of Whining
tons best men But the venture prospered with such
backing Reared upon the bedrock foundation Of
heartfelt and practical sympathy for suffering human
ity it in the nature of things that it should
fail Day by day it grew in usefulness and entrenched
itself deeply in the affections of admirng pub
lie until today far It's funds will permit it is
recognized Of the model hospital institutions
on the Atlantic seaboard.
In the twenty-five years Of its existence it has treat
cd Sc patients. average of 1866 year during
the entire life of the institution OF that toal of 5646S
patients $3.50 treated absolutely without charge
Of any kind. average of 1914 charity patients
q year during the twenty-five years Il has been in
existence It has saved the lives thousands men,
and children; preserved unmpaired the happi-
of thousands of families; saved from wreckage
thousands Of homes and added millions to the wealth
of city by restoring health and to wageearnng
and wealth-producng ayocaons thousands of men and
who had entrusted themselves to its lifegiyng
ministrations
Nor do the figures cited above set forth all the
sons that entitle the Delaware Hospital TO the $780,
600 for which it is asking In the twenty-five years
Of its existence the hospital cared for many
thousands dispensary free Of all charge. The
number of such in 1911 alone was 46l3 The
total number of surgical treated in the hospital
in 1911 was 939 and of that number sixty per cent,
SOB, charity patients. The hospital also cared
for 615 ambulance and patrol cases last year.
Surely those facts and figures constitute all-suf
cient answer to the question what the hospital has
done to make it deserving OF the 100000 fund
Let us now give equally satisfactory reply the
question relative to the uses to which the 100000
fund will be put after IL has been subscribed IL is
planned that two-thrds Of the fund shall be added to
the present endowment fund. grossly made
quate. The remaining one-thrd Of the money will be
used to pay for building new ward and nurses
home The ward is because the institu-
ton already is taxed to its utmost capacity I'm fact
the seriousness of the situation with respect lack
Of room patients is shown by the fact that six
men who were in need Of treatment and who sought it
at the Delaware Hospital, kept waiting for weeks
and all at one time before could be found for
them At another time the women's ward was so
crowded that II was necessary to keep girl 10 years
old who suffering from typhoid fever in childs
bed because there room for her in the wo-
mems ward
How greatly a nurses home is needed is shown by
the fact that OF the trained sleep in one
of wards with the patients because there other
place for them The further fact that almost all the
hospital servants go sleep gives added point to
the Imperative need for additional buildings.
Efficiency and economy both demand that these de-
fects in the institution and the inadequacy Of its
endowment fund shall be cured When level-head-
ed and koenE discriminating business gives $780,
coo his private fortune toward making up the $780,,
600 fund.- when another gives $4,000; when one
woman gives 1000 and when many others pour their
treasure the movement with such that
within three days following the opening of the cam
pagn almost 100000 has been subscribed, it shows
that the Delaware Hospital stands for good and noble
things and that public appreciates the fact and is
willing to pay tribute to it.