Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-01-18
THE MARY FLETCHER HOSPITAL
Annual Appointments to Vari-
Gus CnOuslting Staffs Made.
A Dehcit for the Year Of $1,000 EN-
phasIzcs the Immediate Necessity
Of More Eunds-C hnrity work
InvOIved-S1O.OOO More An
nunI Income Needed.

The directors of the Mary Fletcher hos
pital held their adjourned annual meeting
Thursday. when the matter of the large
deficit announced at the regular annual
meeting in December as a result of in
creased cost of everything and use of
1ncome-producing securities for new build
ings and equipment was further con-
sdered, and the appointments usually
left for the adjourned meeting completed.
CONSULTING STATES.
The directors acted upon the recon-
mendations Of the attending staff of the
hospital by making the following APP
pointments for the ensuing year:
Consulting surgeons-Drs. Lyman Allen,
T. J. Adams, II. L. Maynard, f., r. Brown,
and T.. II. Martin
Consulting physicians-D rs. ]. II. Dodds,
y. A. Shea. G. II. Branch, c. n. Perkins,
A. s. c. Hill. E. j. A. lombard and II.
l.. Wilder
Honorary consultants-Drs. r. W.
I-ovett +. II. Albee. Ii. II. Watkins and
w. Il. 1,und.
HOSPITAL FINANCES.
The matter of meeting the crisis in the
finances of the hospital as "a result OF
the divcrting of so large a proportion of
The income-producing securities to the
construction OF new buildings and the
modern equipment absolutely necessary,
which was discussed in part at the
meeting in December, was further con-
sidered in detail.
Mary Fletcher was a sound business
woman. and while she desired the in
come from her money to do charitable
work. the directors know she would never
countenancc the use of any material
portion of the endowment fund itself for
he T.
~ are faced by tho necessity of reducing
the amount devoted to the care of charity
patients. or securing an increased an
nual income
The present hospital plant represents q
total Investment of St,0ooo. SO that CHART y
patients have the benefit of the most up
to-datc medical and surgical appliances
and the most scientific treatment and
care.
The directors naturally hesitate to cur
tail the number of charity patients as
they fully realize this will lessen the
clinical facilities afforded for the Colleg,
OF Medicine. Manifestly, they must ser
iously consider this course, however OF
secure increased income in order to avoid
encroachment on the hospital endow'
ment.
The details of the situation can b'
gained from the following statement OF
the whole case submitted Thursday to
the directors by DIR. r. r. Brown, super
intendent of the hospital. as follows:
MORE MONEY AN ABSOLUTE
NECESSITY.
Burlington. VT, Jan. II, 1917.
To the Directors of the Mary Fletcher
Hospital:
In view of the fact that there was
deficit of almost 5000 in the finances o
the Mary Fletcher hospital for the yea
ending December /. 1916. l feel that
ought AT this time to call your attention
to certain facts in regard to the hoSpita
Some Of these you are already CONVEX
SAINT WITH others l feel sure. although
you may be aware Of them have not i'm
pressed themselves forcibly upon you
minds.
AS you are well aware the Mary Fiet
cher hospital has changed from an insti
tuition of rs beds with the funds available
for it's support amounting to about $500, 90
10 an institution of 1870 beds with an en-
tlowment of approximately slS0,000: tina
the. cost OF maintenance has more THAI
doubled in the last 20 years. Next, tina
the advance of medical science and stand
ards of hospital equipment and treatmen
have advanced even mare rapidly thai
the cost of living.