The Monroe journal., 1922-12-29
DIR. MAHONEY WILL TAKE
CHARGE JANUARY 10Th
Miss Elliott Declares That the Com
ing of New Force Will Solve
Problem for Hospital
DIR. RANKIN COM
MENDS ARRANGEMENT

Il believe that the securing of DR..
A. F. Mahoney, of Clio, S. c., as res
ident surgeon will solve the hospital
problem for Monroe and Union coun-
ty," declared Miss Cornelia Elliott,
superintendent of the Ellen Fitxger-
aid hospital, yesterday afternoon. The
opinion was expressed that the action
of the directors in securing a resident
surgeon would give coordination
that would mean success for the hos
pital,
At the regular meeting of the di-
re1tors of the hospital Wednesday
evening. Miss Elliott rendered her.
resignation as superintendent. Miss
Sophia Berry of Wilmington also re-
signed as assistant superintendent.
While members of the board of direc-
tors commended the work of these
two young ladies in the months that
they have been here and expressed
regret at the resignation, the coming
OF DR.. Mahoney on January 10, made
acceptance imperative.
During the fifteen months that
these young women have ben in
charge of the hospital they have Civ
en- efficient service and have made
many friends. The hope was express
ed by some of the directors that an
arrangement might be made whereby
they would remain in Monroe.
Miss Elliott stated yesterday after
noon that she had not definitely de-
cided as to what she would do, but
that she, as well as Miss Berry, would
probably form executive connection
with some hospital in the State. Miss
Elliott plans to visit relatives in
South Carolina for a time.
The coming of DR.. Mahoney as res
ident-surgeon about the middle of
January should mark new era in
the hospital for Monroe. A surgeon
of known repute, DR.. Mahoney is
bringing with him his assistant sur
geon and staff of workers that have
made the Clio hospital a success. Doc
tors from surrounding counties sent
their patients to DR.. Mahoney at Clio.
In securing DR.. Mahoney the di-
rectors of the hospital have taken ev-
cry precaution to insure the proper
regard for local surgeons and practic-
biS puy yoNidiiS. tIutf tnt cOHlTdCl
which has been signed with the South
Carolina man, the hospital is still to
be run as an open hospital. The op-
Grating room and all equipment is
still to be at the service of all Ii
censed surgeons. The directors took
especial care to assure this feature.
Any patient at the hospital will be
free to secure any physical desired.
Already several young women are
taking training as nurses at the hos
pltal and this feature too will be con-
tinued.
The Journal lately had talk with
DR.. W. S. Rankin, Secretary. of the
State Board of Health and recog-
nized leader in public health world
in the United States, on the subject
of public local hospitals. He referred
especially to the new arrangement
made by the directors of the Ellen
Fitzgerald Hospital and thought it
a fine solution of the problem. He
takes the position that the creation of
county hospitals is the only method
by which sufficient supply of doc
tors can be kept within reach of the
people of the small towns and the
rural districts. He expects to advo-
cate the idea of county hospitals sup
ported jointly by the State and the
county, so that eventually there will
be a hospital within every county.
The reason for the nearness of hospi-
tails was thus explained by him:
In the first place, the tremendous
development of medical science with
IN the last 25 or 30 years, bringing
III the use of the X-ray, the Wasse-
man Test, the use of radium, the
eardlo-electrograph and numerous
blood, and meteorological tests
has male it impossible for the indi-
vidual physician to satisfactorily deal
with the entire field of medicine. The
result is the tremendous development
OF specialists and growing decrease
IN general practitioners. The special
ist cannot remain in rural districts
without doing a general practice and
can only find sufficient group af-
fllcted with the problems that fall
within his specially in urban commu-
mites. Therefore, the specialist goes
to the town or city. Another thing
that has drawn physicians from rural
to urban communities is the hospital.
Modern medical education uses the
hospital as its teaching laboratory.
The recent graduate of medicine,
taught hospital methods, feels al.
most dependent on hospitals and so
he moves to the city where he has
hospital facilities. This point is illus
trated by young physician who con-
suited me with reference to finding a
suitable location to practice in this
state. He was interested especially in
surgery and had hospital experience
Of seven years in surgery. He had
spent, presume, most Of his resourc-
es in acquiring a medical training.
He asked me only about the cities
with hospitals. He could not practice
without the hospitals. Moreover. he
could not practice in town where
there was not a public hospital and
so he was restricted in the possibili-
ties Of a location in North Carolina to
from s to 10 cities in which there
was a hos~.nl and ii is interesting
- a -