Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-09
THE STATE AND HOSPITALS

THE STATE AND HOSPITALS
How many Of those who have
questioned the policy OF rendering
State aid to hospitals under private
anapement have ever made COM
parisons between what has been ac-
complished with that money with
what has been accomplished with the
money expended in the State hospit-
ais?
Chairman Martin Of the board OF
directors Of the Central Maine Gen.
eral hospital made public state
ment in the Lewiston Journal OF
March 4. While in this he marshall
led facts in support Of the needs OF
the hospital Of which he is direc-
tor, many Of them belong in the fund
Of general information and are ap-
plicable, even essential to clear I'M
Outstanding Of the plans for expend-
ing the States money in hospital
aid.
Commenting on the suggestion
that the State should maintain q
hospital exclusively for charity pa
tients Mr.. Martin said:
1--WE have three State controlled
sanatoriums which afford a fair field
for comparison. 1t cost the State OF
Maine more money to run each OF
two of the three Sanatoriums than
was appropriated for all of the char
ity work in all Of the hospitals, great
and small, in Maine. 1t cost more
to run one Of them than was appro-
priated for all of the charity cases
in all Of the hospitals of Maine.
1T cost a total Of 1891, 541.36 to run
the three sanatoriums in Maine IN
1924. The total sum appropriated to
all of the hospitals was $132,50O.
Thus it will be seen that all OF the
hospitals put together did not re-
ceive as much money from the state
as did the average one Of these three
sanatoriums.
IT have no desire to minimize the
value Of these Sanatoriums. but
do want to impress on the public
that there Is difference in cost to
the State when the institution be-
comes wholly supported by the State.
when we come to consider the
number Of people reached beneficial
ly by tho hospital as compared with
the Sanatoriums, we have a great
divergence. I do not know how
many the three sanatoriums take
care of in year. Probably not
over six or seven hundred at the
outside. The hospitals Of Lewiston,
Portland, and Bangor alone cared
for over 5000 people in 1924 and the
percentage Of charity patients is
probably not far different in hospital
and sanatorium. Sickness comes to
rich and poor alike.
I'VE talk a good deal about char
ity. All such work is charitable.
Hospitals are nothing but charity.
No public hospital ever was run for
money. The mere ability to pay for
treatment does not lessen the obli-
cation of the invalid towards the in
stitution that perhaps saves his life.
All pay who can. He who is rich
would die the same as tho he were
poor. we're the hospital not there to
assist in man cases. When we pick
the mangled or the dying out Of
train wreck, we do not ask Can they
pay?' All are treated alike"
A very important feature in this
consideration is the amount Of val
liable service freely rendered as
civic and a christian duty to the
local institutions. Mr.. Martin is the
president Of bank, man of affairs
in his community, giving of time and
energy to the management of a hos
pital. This would not be the case of
a State owned and managed insti-
tuition. Right here at home we have
evidence Of this. We know, if we
stop to consider, that he has not ex-
aggerated in these words:
"State-managed hospitals are
good. I have nothing to say against
them. But look also at the class of
men who are managing the hospitals
in Lewiston. The management of
these hospitals is in the hands of
some Of the ablest and shrewdest
men in Maine. We have men who
give their time and labor to the sue
cess of the Central Maine General
hospital whom you could not hire for
money. They are signal successes
in large business. They give time,
work and funds to these institutions.
We have men who have made great
successes in business who besides
giving large sums to the hospital
also give their daily attention, sit
on boards give the hospital every
bit of Their best brains and wisdom
and all foe no compensation. They
ask not even their expenses. The
State could get no better. Some of
these men would not accept a public
charge or Office Of such a sort. They
do it for love of the community and
pride in the service. 1t is Christian
service"
We do not know how much these
institutions should receive Of State
aid, but We do believe Maine Is get
ting better value for its money and
better service than possibly could be
had were attempt made to do with a
State institution that which It now
assumes to be paying the local insti-
tuition to do.
Tho RaoRAvAyt IVA Alta. T. A.