Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-02
INTERESTING FACTS
CONCERNING AUGUSTA
| GENERAL HOSPITAL

A number of interesting historical
facts concerning the Augusta Gem
eral Hospital are contained in =
statement issued in connection with
the production of .arhe Hottentot" by
the Augusta Kiwanis Club at City
Hall, February 18th for the purpose
of providing funds toward perpet-
ual free bed at the hospital.
For more than quarter of CEN
tury,-for nearly three decades, as 2
matter of fact" reads the statement,
the Augusta General Hospital has
been serving this community.
"Created through a special act OF
the Maine Legislature in 1891, the
hospital first began to function in
1898. following a fund raising cam
paign which was sponsored by Doc
tor B. T. Sanborn and supported by
practically all of the leading physi-
clans and surgeons in the commun-
ity.
"The first Board of Directors In
cluded Doctor b. T. Sanhorn, Ira H.
Randall, S. w. Lane, C. B. Burleigh.
George e. Macomber, H. NJ. Heath,
J. Manchester Haynes. S. G. White
house and A. w. Whitney. The first
officers of the institution were c. b.
IouIlSlSH. ~. ~. Fhoi Wv -
Secretary; and John +. Gould, Treas
urer.
"The first home of the hospital was
in the Kinsman house on Crosby
street. Within less than two years
the demand of this community for
the service offered by the hospital
had increased to such an extent that
new quarters for the hospital were
imperative. The Directors then pur-
chased the st. Catherine School
Buildings, which are now a part of
the present plant. In 1908, Mrs. J.
Manchester Haynes, in '1emory OF
her husband, gave to the hospital a
valuable building to be used as q
nurses home.
'By 1918 the steadily increasing
demands on the hospital, by citizens
of the community. had crowded the
institution far beyond its capacity.
and many patients were reluctantly
turned away. To meet the need for
additional room, our citizens raised
approximately $4,000, to construct
a fire prof addition to the hospital.
This wing was equipped through the
generosity of Mr.. William H. Gan
nett in memory of Mrs. Gannett.
"Still the demands of the commun-
ity, for service from the hospital,
continued to increase. BY 1924 more
room was needed and the directors
purchased the CARL house on an adj
joining lot, and named it "The Sarah
Hayden Home" In honor of the hos
pital's first matron,
"One hundred and four babies were
born in the hospital during 1925. A
total of 632 operations were perform
ed at the hospital last year, and a
total of 1176 patients cared for. The
average daily number Of patients at
the hospital during 1925, was slightly
more than 40.
"Thirty-five young women are TAX
ing a training course In nursing al
the Augusta General Hospital. and
as a part of their training, the hos
pital last year provided them with a
series of So lectures, covering the
many things which nurses must
thoroughly understand before going
into the homes of the sick. The phys
io-therapy department of the hos
pital has been provided with modern
equipment during the past year and
in this,--as in other hospital depart
ments-exceptional good results
are obtained. There are now nine
free beds at the hospital, and the
Augusta Kiwanis Club is giving a
series of public entertainments in
order to provide funds for an addi-
tional free bed"