Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-06
Child HOSPITALS
WORK INCREASED
Thomas B. SWeeney's Report
Shows 600 Treated
During Past Year.

A vast increase in the work of the
Children's Hospital for the past year Is
disclosed in the annual report o.
Thomas B. Sweeney, vice president o.
the board of directors, at the annua
meeting of the board yesterday.
Mr.. Sweeney reported that more thar
900 children passed through the dis
pensary during the year, 5000 more
than last year; more than 5000 patient!
were treated in its various wards, ar
increase of 1000, and the actual mum.
Der of hospital days for these patient.
was $4,000, an increase Of 1000. Hos
pital days" is the technical term fol
patients per "a hours"
It was the busiest year in the history
of the hospital, Mr.. Sweeney reported
and was made possible only through the
support of Washingtonians who have
contributed funds that the institution
might operate efficiently.
Praises Two officials.
In his report Mr.. Sweeney paic
tribute to the service of two faithful
| and long time officials, Cuno H
Rudolph, who had been a member OF
the board since 1909 and president since
1922, and l.. N. Birchell, who had
served without pay as treasurer for q
years. Both men died during the past
year.
The speaker pointed out the crying
need of the hospital at present is more
space
Mr.. Sweeney also praised the efici-
ency of the superintendent, Miss Matte
Gibson, and acknowledged special gifts
made by particular friends of the hes
pital, including some of the most mod
ern equipment known to medical
science.
Elwood Street, director of the Com
munity Chest, pointed to the hospital
as 100 per cent member of the
1 Chest" He declared Children'S Hos
pital is the kind of organization which
the Chest is proud to welcome into
membership and cited a number Of in
stances of its cooperative activities in
connection with other Chest agencies.
Reporting for the medical staff, DR..
Frank Leech, its chairman, stated 6,016
| patients received 46,223 hospital days
care this year, compared with 4,06l pa
tientS receiving 39,315 days care last
year, and Al ,056 visits were paid to the
dtspensary, compared with 81, 1893 visits
last year. DR.. beech cited these figures
to show there has been very marked
Increase in all departments and in the
demands made upon those in charge.
He paid tribute to the memory of DR.,
Reginald r. Walker, a former member
of the staff, who died during the past
year, and also expressed appreciation
for the cooperation extended by the
Ladies Board, the Junior League Social
Service Department, the Board of Di-
rectors and the Child Welfare Board.
| Mrs. F. H. Brooke Reports.
Mrs. Frederick H. Brooke, in her re-
port as president of the Board of Lady
Visitors, pointed out the gravity of the
situation through which the community
is passing and which has been shown
at the hospital in the record of the
longer convalescence Of patients owing
to the fact that poorly nourished chill
dren have not the recuperative powers
necessary for speedy recovery.
| Mrs. Brooke also paid tribute to the
social service department inaugurated
by the Junior League over two years
ago. She then cited instances of gen.
erous gifts from the Thrift Shop, the
Ladies Board and other friends which
have enabled her organization to pur-
chase needed equipment and to finance
extension of the kindergarten work
from the Gale fund so it was carried
on in the homes.
Mrs. Brooke also thanked the District
Employment Committee for assigning
workers to the hospital and said the
result of this service is shown by the
excellent physical condition Of the
plant.
Miss Lucia Murchison, director Of the
Junior League social service department
reported an increase over last years
work. There Were>451 cases referred to
the department and 2,010 cases worked
on during the year, some of which had
to be carried many months In addition
the department made contacts with
1,411 patients not counted as actual
cases, as against BIT In 1881. The visits
paid in behalf of the patients amounted
to 3,409, compared with 1904 in 1881
Miss Murchison also outlined other
activities of the Junior League in con.
nection with the hospital work.
Mrs. Frederick R. Solger. secretary
OF the Child Welfare Board, reported
745 new cases registered with the boarc
during the year and a total of 1855
visits paid to the clinics Nurses con.
nected with this department made 6. 321
home visits and the attendance at tn,
nutrition classes and health talks con.
Quoted for mothers and children wa,
1853. The effects of the depression
she ss said. have been very keenly felt il
Tells Of Work at Home.
Mrs. Philip Owen Coffin, president O.
the Childrens Country Home. gave {
report on the activities of that oreani.
zation which works in close cooper.
alton with the Children's Hospital. Shit
said that, with maximum Of so avail.
able beds, the home has had as many
as 48 children at one time during the
Summer months and that, since Jan.
uary. 1882, there have been admitted tt
the home 212 children, which is double
the number Of the same period in 1881
She told of improvements made at the
home through the generosity of Mrs
! Arthur O'Brien.
. Following the reports the annua
elections were held, resulting as fol-
lows:
Directors for q term Of five years
George w. Brown, Frederick dec
Faust, DR.. Edgar P. Copeland, Charlie,
, Drayton and Mrs. Stanley Rinehart.
; Directors for term expiring in 1886
Mark Lansburgh, Col. M. E. Locke, L
Corrin Strong and H. L. Rust, jr.
The following new corporate mem
bers were elected: DR.. Malcolm Gibbs
Robert Swope, Frank Edmonds, Henry
Brawner, Frederick Mckenzie, DR.
Loren B. T. Johnson, w. F. Ham, vii
liam Montgomery, G. w. Pimper, w. B
Marin. Woodson Houghton, Samue
H. Kaufman, Phillip o. Coffin anC
Lloyd B. Wilson.
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