Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-04
BAcKUs HOSPITAL NEEDS
 SHOWN IN ANNUAL REPORT

equipment and .an addition to the nurses home are the two things mentioned as of especial importance just at this stage of the hospitals development. What the growth of the hospital has been is shown in the figures of the number of patients -547 in 1901 and f.3l4 in 1920.
 The following report is made by the executive committee, Philip T. WelleS chairman.
 The executive committee herewith sub n1its its annual report as follows for the year ending Sept. 90, 1920: Number of patients treated in general wards, s2s {; number of patients treated in private rooms, 51e number of births, 1e5 larg- est number of patients in hospital at one time, 70; da-ly average, 52 average cost | per patient per week, 32s.&2; number of | ambulance calls, 2lo.
 With the development of the city and | surrounding towns and the increasing de- | mands upon the hospital, together with | the present high cost of maintenance. we find that 1t will be impossible to continue to furnish the high standard of service which We most earnestly wish to fur Rish and which the public expects to re- ceiye without additional funds.
 | We are led to believe that there Is a general misappTehension as to the funds
 new available for the support of cur hospital. The gifts of Mir Slater and MT l
 public spirit the institution was made possible were large and adequate for the time when they were given. It Is some times forgotten that a very substantial
 portion of the funds received from these
 original donors was necessarily used In
 providing hospital buildings and equip
 ment and that the balance left for an en-
 dowment from which an income can be
 obtained Is not large for the support of
 an institution of this kind at the present
 time. Since the hospital was established new discoveries and new methods in med-
 icine and surgery have created new de- . mands for hospital treatment necessitat- ] ing new hospital equipment. It must al- , so be remembered that the hospital has grown during the last ten years very ] materially. The number of patients ad-
 mitted in 1907 was SAT and in 1s70-1344. ] The maintenance expense Of the hospital in 1919 was nearly three times what it
 was in 1907. while the income from fn-
 vestments was substantially the same.
 The total of new endowments received by
 the hospital available for general pur-
 poses during the first 25 years after its
 establishment was less than S25.ooo. In
 other words the growth of the hospital
 has been quite out sef proportion to any
 increase in endowment
 In view of the financial situation as
 stated, the executive committee was con
 fronted by a serious problem. Upon
 comparison of the charges made to pa.
 tients in a large number of hospitals of
 the state 1t was found that the rates al
 the Backus hospital for all classes oi
 service were much below the average
 and in many. instances the lowest of ans
 of the institutions compared. We there
 fore decided te somewhat increase thesl
 charges. The increased charges win not however, provide for certain new construc ton and equipment which is necessary Ttne hospital is to continue it's pFesen
 work and meet new demands which ar'
 sure to come. A material restriction O
 this work or the constant draft upon tn principal of invested funds il eases wher that is possible does not seem to us goo' business or consistent with a proper re gard for the future of the hospital an its usefulness in this community. Unde all the circumstances the committee se no way but to appeal to the public fs additional funds. As already suggeste we believe that the lack of financial suF port heretofore given to the hospital ha been due to lack of information as { existing conditions rather than to an lack of interest or disposition to avoi any obligation.
 One of the present needs of the ho. pital Is an enlarged laboratory and equiI
 ment. The suggestion as to the necei ,d sity of additional service in this depar- s ment was made last winter by our eft n health officer in response to the question "a What is the most urgent need in tt r interest of the health of this comml ,d nifty" This suggestion has received tt .. and the visiting stan in conference wit ns DT. John T. Black. state commissioner
 health, and Dr. 0. J. Bartlett, state d
 rector of the bureau of laboratories = New Haven. who have given valuab t advice. The present laboratory was e 'is tablished by gift of ss2.O00 from a1 friend whose name has been withhe ~ from publication. The income from tn aa fund has been sufficient to enable u 9s hospital to dc the ordinary work require
 in the institution. It is considered
 great importance that this work be C.
 tended so as to meet the demands ou la side the hospital in this section of il state. It is the policy of the state d sl- pertinent of health to decentralize its l ms boratory work and in this way only ay the opinion of those best qualified to jud ms can the demands of modern medicine al 'd surgery be met. To arrange for an e as larged laboratory thoroughly equipp oi- and provide for an expert pathologist vi arl can give all the time necessary to tl work will require substantial additi' VT to the present laboratory fund. It ia probable that such a laboratory capat , nu of doing the work suggested would -ne come self-supporting after a few veal ." It is possible that an arrangement cou is be made with the state hospital at Bre' oy ster's Neck to pay a portion of the sala ,afi of an expert pathologist who would , 'eh vide his time between the two instit e. tions and we advised the state health ( sS partment might also assist in this dirs ise M tion. It Is therefore probable that su st laboratory when once established a 5 equipped could be maintained from c 'iU present funds.
 Another pressing need of the hospi her and in the opinion of the executive CO 'a-, mittee quite as urgent as any need
 the present time is an addition to 1
 nurses home. One of the most seric
 problems which now face all hospitals
 how to attract and maintain a nursi AW staff. A hospital cannot exist withS ay efficient nurses. The present accomn vas dations for nurses at the Backus hos nes tai which necessitates crowding two o( three persons into one small room are law tirely inadequate. Under the exist orz conditions it can hardly be expected il
 nurses can be obtained. As a matter -ich justice to those who are willing to be. vote themselves to this service vh vbt means so much to us all as well of seu Vho business management of our nurs yith home should be substantially enlarged nr- In addition to the above there are re- merous other improvements which m will soon be made if the hospital is to ma day tain Its place among institutions of {
 kind. Among these are additional roo