Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-30
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Resolves for Old Town Hospital and
Similar institutions of Portland.

The feature of the hearings before
| the committee on finance, Wednesday
afternoon. was the contest that arose
| over acos consideration of a resolve
! in favor of the Old Town Hospital
Co There was definite protest
against the proposition, voiced by At
| torney Albert G.. Averill, employed by
| the Penobscot Medical Society and by
| five Old Town physicians, A. j. Brad
bury, c. e. Landry. A. H. Rowe, c.
B. Porter and NJ. c. Madam,
Judge Frank /, Whiting appeared for
+. Otis Gould. manager of the hos
pital. and several witnesses were call
ed on both sides.
Judge Whiting explained to the
committee that Mr.. Gould and Mrs.
Gould established this institution.
more than 20 years ago. and had ever
since devoted their entire time to its
management. Its location is ideal, on
the highest land in the city, in the
midst of Il pine grove. More than
1000 patients have been treated there
and il has the unique distinction #
only i16 deaths, less than two per
cent. There are no free beds, Ito
legaeies and no financial assistance ex-
eept that provided by the State, eight
years. There is 4 school for nurses
and graduates are given diploma at
the end of two years of training. There
is also detention ward for the use
of patients afflicted with tuberculo-
sis. but this needs enlargement An
appropriation is asked for this puf-
pose and also TO aid in maintenance
IF hn l. l.
work is done and no needy person is
ever refused admittance.
Mr.. Gould was presented To the
committee and said that men from
the woods are the inmates fer the most
part. These men are sent in from va
rious counties, i'll or suffering from in
juries. The charges are low and the
treatment skillful and painstaking Mr..
Gould cited instances of the charitable
work of the institution, in one ease
extending over $50 days. for which no
charge was mace and no money was
ever received. 1t was of man strick
en- with Bright's disease, from which
! he died, a short time ago.
Mr. Gould said that Dr. NJ. s. Good
rich of Waterville operates frequently
IN the institution and was to have ap-
peared as a witness except for ill.,
ness. Several of the Old Town nurses
are employed by DR.. Goodrich and are
considered wholly qualified for all
! kinds of nursing.
He was asked by a, member of the
committee in reference to hospital
tickets and he explained the sale of
these tickets at the rate of six months
Tree treatment on payment of So
There has been a ready sale of these
tickets among the lumber men. Pa
TENTS are allowed to call in other ply
sicians also. Mr.. Gould referred sew
erai times to a protest against the ap-
preparation asked for. Chairman
Emery said ne had no knowledge of
any protest. but Mr.. Gould insisted
that it would develop later in the
hearing.
Mr.. Averill of Old Town said that he
appeared for the opponents and he
asked Mr.. Gould who the members of
the company are. Mr.. Gould enumer-
| ated himself, his wife, his daughter
| and Mayor c. w. Stevens. He was
| asked when the last annual meeting
was held and was told that it was
NOV. 10, 1872; that no report is made
to the state, because it is not required
by law; that there was a graduation
TWO years ago; that Mrs. Gould is
| not a graduate nurse but is highly
skilled in the profession by reason of
long experiences: that no graduate
! nurses are employed in the hospital
and that not so many tickets had been
sold. last year. as formerly because
| he had not had time To solicit.
1t was brought out in the cross-ex-
animation also that physicians. who
are admitted to be members of the
Penobseot Medical Society had made
arrangements originally to be on the
, hospital staff but that they all backed
out except DIR. Twitchell due. as wit
ness supposed, to the lack of revenue
, they received while following that sys-
TEN.
Mayor c. w. Stevens, secretary of
| the company, testified TO the state
ment of facts that had been made up
to accompany the resolve. He said
ne was not personally familiar with
the work of the institution.
Mayor Stevens testified that he con-
siders the institution a great benefit
| to the community.
IN cross examination he was asked
, to look up in Mr.. Gould's book, put in
| as evidence, the amount paid by the
city of Old Town and found it was
S2656 for 1912. None of the men treat
ed for the city had tickets.
DR.. Twitchell was called and he ex-
planned the medical features of the in
stitution. He explained how the other
physicians had dropped out, presuma-
bly, because there was no income to
them from patients being treated there
He was accused of being unethical i'm
continuing to treat patients there. He
said his work was practically one of
/ charity, that ne is a member of the
| Penobscot Medical Society, that he
lectured to nurses and that they do
| efficient work.
| He was ss-examined by Mr. Aver
! Ill and said he was present at the
meeting of the Penobscot Medical So
| ciety. the night resolutions were pass
/ ed, protesting against the State APP
propriating any money for the hos
/ pital. He admitted that he had not en-
| tered into any discussion against the