Evening star., 1928-04-15
HOSPITAL BOARD
NAMES OFFICERS
Decrease in Maternity and
Infant Death Rate Re-
ported at Columbia.

A decrease In the maternity and in
FAINT death rate at Columbia Hospital
for Women was reported yesterday when
the work Of the institution for the past
year wss reviewed at the annual meet
ING Of the womens board. Officers were
elected by the board, with the presi-
6sncy going to Mrs. Reeve Lewis,
The board also was confronted with
figures showing the mounting expense
Of the charity work carried on at the
hospital and in this connection attcn-
ton was called 10 the annual bali To
he held tomorrow night at the Willard
Hotel 10 aid this cause.
Reporting on the activities Of the hos
pital. DR.. Warren r Morrill,. Superin-
tendent, Saic that 900 surgical patients
were cared for III the past year 1851
obStetrical cases admitted and that the
maternity death rate declined from .6S
per cent to IS per cent and the infant
! rate from 2.SS per cent 10 2.59 per cent,
as compared TO the previous year.
Particularly striking was the decline
of the colored maternity death rate.
from 1877 per cent to I'll per cent, due
in a large extent to the out-pauent de-
wear ago" said a statement given out
on behalf Of the board. which added:
But the operating cost exceeded the
budget prediction by. ABOUT 4 per cent
due to ths fact that the hospital is
doing far more charity work than It's
resources Justify. OF the 1881 days
treatment gwen patients last year.
1890 were given charity patients at a
cost of SIS. 80 per patient per day and an
income Of s2.l7 per patient per day.
Charity patients cost the hospltal
x7s,o4il7. while 1t received $l49S3
from the District OF Columbia and from
charity rate patients Si6,o6e. leaving
deficft on this group Of $4S.SS9.
Ss.ssl Is Raised.
During 1927 the womens board
raised $7,S6l toward the budget, supply
Ing the hospital linen, contributions TO
the support OF the prenatal clinic and
follow-up work. according to the report
Of the secretary, Mrs John Gulick.
Upon the proceeds of this ball depends
largely the extent 10 which the work
can be carried on during the coming
year, II was explained
Founded In the early days after the
Civil War, the Columbia Hospital Is the
only one in Washington expressly for
women. Il, those days the hospital was
practically supported by the Govern
rnent. This support continued until
1926. when direct appropriations were
discontinued, then being made through
the District Board OF Charities for pa
tients on a per diem basis. Under tniS
contract the hospital today receives only
81 per day TOR each patient, less tnan
40 per cent OF their actual cost to the
HOSPITAL. the statement added.
In all OF its 81 years OF service 70
the poulen of Washington. 1t con-
tinued, s.the hospital has offered the
use OF its facilities 10 pay patients as
weil rs 10 charity patients Charges
are made 10 'part-pay' patients on their
ability 70 pay. but this averages only
about IS per cent Of their cost 10 the
hospital
Seek ID. c. support.
Through its clinics. its interneships |
and its training Of nurses. Columbia |
Hospital now IN its large quarters at i
L and Twenty-fifth streets. fulfills its |
oblirations to the public in training /
both physicians and nurses In the care |
Of diseases OF women. With its exeep- I
tionsl record OF long and high-grade /
service TO the pubaic, the wouen's .
board, through its president. has stated. |
We depend upon the support Of every /
washinetonian 10 help US maintain the |
high standard Of service and progress I
In our efforts TO meet the demands of /
The women Of the community
Newly elected members OF the board, /.
IN addition to Mrs. Lewis. are Mrs /
Chester Wells. MRS. Barry Mohun. Mrs. |
George Hewitt Myers and Mrs. Sidney /
Talisferro. vice presidents: Mrs John |
w. Gulick and Mrs. Frank Anderson. |
secretaries. and Mrs. Robert v. Flem- /
ing. treasurer.