The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-10-13
Human Salvage

This is a mechanical age, III u III WAnNA AAA~S"
do some of the mightiest work Of the world II Is d
oh.ro.+eristic of this era that the capitalist is extra
ordinarily solicitous about the welfare OF the D'esel en-
pines in his employ, the workman about the autoanoone
that takes him to his job. But it is not TO De expected
that regard for human life would ever be Sngn'. alH
to the hospital betterment movement begun IL years ago
bv the American College of Surgeons repair o hunian
bodies and minds is being given as much tnougnt aS "'a'
Of machines. What is more, results OF TINS human Sal
"a > annarent in the lowered hospital mortality rate
inst as surely as the saving of machinery Is visible IN
a corporations account books.
rrodav the average total death rate for the hundreds OF
hospitals which have been approved by tne Ame11ca'
College of Surgeons as being safe for care OF Inc SICK NJ
only 4 ner 100 patients. When one considers that TINS
figure includes those many emergency pauen0 wao IL
rive in a comatose or dying condition the rcal1zauon
comes that these hospitals and the pnys'clAls *oN.'
in them are doing a truly remarkable Job OF salvaeing
urected humanity. Through their achievements the
,,osnit.l has now become a place to inspire hope ratner
than fear.
The vast improvement in mortality rates among ap-
proved or standardized hospitals. as they are KNOWN
has come about almost wholly through the nign STANDARDS
set by the American College of Surgeons ana tneE o.
servance on the part OF members OF the medical PROBES
sion. These minimum standards which hospitals must
meet in order to gain approval prevent unquah1ieo
physicians from ~practicing in such institutions require
the keeuinr of clinical records. demand q review OF all
eases resulting in death, make laboratory EXAMINATIONS
essential; in short, they seek to improve al phases u
hospital activities. It is rather amazing to learn tnat
IL wears ago only 80 hospitals In the United states ana
Canada met the above so-called minimum requirements.
Now 2063 hospitals meet the standards for the safe and
efficient care of the sick and injured established by the
surgeons association.
The number of hospitals has increased stupendously
since 1918, the year in which the American College OF
Surgeons began its program of inspecting and improving
hospitals. If there had been no organized effort to align
these institutions in a movement Tor oeueT care VI
patients, it is quite probable that the public would be
at the mercy of ~unethical and inefficient persons who
were allowed to work side by side with reputable ply
sicians and hospital personnel. Now prospective pa
tients can choose their hospitals from an approved list
OF institutions which are known to meet standards OF
good care. For this service the public owes a debt OF
gratitude to the American College Of Surgeons and to
the hospitals that have voluntarily met the standards.
What could be Of more concern to the people OF these
two great nations-the United States and Canada-than
good health and preservation of man power? On this
depends the happiness, the safety and the prosperity of
the nation, as we'll as all good things in this world. The
standardized hospitals are strong ~fortresses from which
the great army of ~health-doctors, nurses, and their CO.
workers-can successfully battle disease. Deaths from
accidents, heart and kidney diseases. cancer, tuberculosis.
arterioscleross or high blood pressure, and many other
diseases causing premature death of our citizens can be
reduced and held in check by the great corps of workers
In standardized hospitals, but only with the intelligent
understanding and cooperation Of the public.
Bismarck and the Missouri Slope country are fortunate
in having two fine accredited hospitals here. 1t is this
fact which has made the capital city a focal point for
the business of making over Human Salvage" into
worthwhile residents of the communities which these
great institutions serve.