South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-14

lie euefdLOu Tor social Service
viii soon ask YOU for money. Part
of this money will go 10 Epworth
hospital Your first question will
be- What does EpwOrth hospital do
with the money 1 give? Here is the
answer in "a few words
Last year the service rendered by
Epworth hospital 10 the public. for
which il received not one penny
of compensation. amounted 20 more
than $1,000, and last year Epworth
hospital received as it's share of the
contributions TO the federation, So
216.49. In other words Epworth
hospital gave i'm charity more than
twice as much as IL received from
this charity fund.
The history of this institution is
familiar To most readers of our local
papers. With a small beginning i'm
1894 Of II beds, the hospital is now
operating from so to 50 beds. al
though its actual capacity should
not exceed 90 or 20.
The services of the hospital are
divided into surgical, medical, OBJ
stetrical and children's, and refer
ring 10 comparative report, one sees
the rapid increase Of hospital work.
which is due to the fact that people
are being educated to use hospitals
and also find it much cheaper TO pay
SIS. $50 or even $50 or $50 a week
than to remain at home. employ a
nurse at $25, pay servants if they
can be secured laundry bills.
drugs. etc.
Comparison of Costs.
JIM order 20 convince the public
that this institution can barely
cover expenses on a room paying
SIS. we here enumerate the cost OF
some of the hospital supplies. not
grocery bills. as each in
dividuaI can estimate what the hos
pital food bill must be if they COM
pare 10 with their own bills, and add
Co that the service of nurses. do
mestic labor and their housing and
food bills Surgical supplies and
drugs have increased in proportion
more than food supplies. For in-
stance:
Cost 101i-1PI5.
Gauze. 100 yards. $1.65.
Cotton per pound. IA cents 10 ~
cents.
Alcohol, $500 per gallon.
Glycerine. SIS TO $50 per five gall
Ions
Aspirin. 1000. 81.
Cost 1916-1915.
tHrrrF. g-g-E- D.
Cotton per pound, 2S cents 10 60
cents.
Alcohol. $I2 per gallon.
Glycerine. five gallons. S36.5o.
Aspirin 1000. $40.
Nany drugs increased from 81 a
pound 20 $50 or $50 a pound; sur
gicaI needles from so cents per
dozen 20 Sl50 or s. per dozen, II
they can Ice purchased at all. other
Instruments advanced i'm price in the
same proportion. Surgical sutures
formerly costing 81 To 50 for 1000
strands now cost SD 10 SIG for
] coo strands. Everything else in
crcasinE has affected the cost OF
operation more than the public can
even imagine The cost of domestic
help has increased. The cost OF coal
i'm previous years at 81 per ton for
slack. now increased 20 50, alone
means am additional $500 per
year.
Demand for Free service.
All service i'm the S12-Sl4 wards
is really philanthropic service and
provides for people who cannot pay
the fun cost. The cost of S2.60 per
day viii average $3.50 per week.
Many people think the Institution is
making money AT this rate, but think
what this Includes Nursing care.
room. board. druss. dressings. laun-
dry. maid service, etc.
The increased cost Of food and
supplies not only affects the insti-
tuition as TO costs Of material. but
means We have 10 contribute more
free service 20 the public. as many
Ue0ple cannot afford 10 paw the hos
pital bin Boo FUN some paying only
part. and others nothing az all be-
cause the wage earner's income has
not Increased in proportion 20 the
cost Of food. etc Therefore some
body r.ust meet this need and the
hospital must have funds 10 meet
demands.
Aside from administering 20 needs
NJ fr. afrL- sM. MrartHar H.- arr+Hr-