Milford chronicle., 1935-01-04
Begin ActiUe Campaign
For NeIO Hospital
[Continred from Flrn Enn.l

Many expressions of enthusiasm and
confidence have been voiced as the
I result of the impending action
4 which has struck a responsive chord
IN the minds Of the local people.
The fact that the movement TO-
ward the establishment of a new
I hospital is based on a very thorough
and scientific survey has engendered
a feeling of confidence on the part
Of community leaders.
The survey covers some eighty
one pages of text, tables and graphs
it outlines the hospital history of
the territory served by the Milford
Hospital; analyses the hospitals
growth, and suggests the demand
for the future. Expenses and in
come over period of nearly nine
years have been analyzed and brok-
en- down into departments. The
amount and character of work done
for each of the communities during
each of the past nine years is an
alyzed and the support in terms Of
patients and work brought to the
hospital by each of the doctors
( practicing therein is indicated.
DR.. Layton GTier has personally
undertaken to bear all of the costs
of the campaign, so that one hun
dred (lO0) cents of every dollar con-
tributed by the citizens will 90 di-
rectly into the building of the new
institution.
The Milford Emergency Hospital
serves a large part of lower Della
ware but with a continually growing
population and the continued de- /
mand for more disqualification it /
has reached a point where it is full /
to overlooking and is unable to /
serve the public as it should AL !
though it is called Emergency" it .
could not meet an emergency of any
size. The real emergency is the alb
sOlute need for a new, larger and .
highly efficient plant-and those
with vision can see the start of this
new hospital.
Since the closing of the Marshall
Hospital, the Milford Emergency
Hospital. with thirty-seVen beds. is
running full to capacity most of the
time. A hospital of this size. how
ever, according to the hest prac-
tees, should not use more than 500
or 6O26 of its beds in normal times,
so that il would still have room for
an emergency. I!
Very recently. the Milford Emer-
gency Hospital has seen some days
so crowded that there was serious
consideration of turning the offices
of the superintendent and the book
keeper into a ward.
AS against these crowded and in
adequate conditions, the survey :
shows a staff of busy and skillful
doctors and surgeons, giving gener-
ously of their time. It shows a group
Of efficient and devoted nurses and
another group of younger women
securing their training in the school
Tor nurses. 1t shows a good equip 7
nent in laboratory, X-ray room and t
operating room, crowded into space {
90 small for proper functioning. i
But it shows also an old building, +
never intended for a hospital t
with narrow halls, of wood y
p interior construction. none too S
modern electric wiring and, with
he present number of beds, wholly
Unsuitable. In faSt, according to n
modern ideas, it is not in any way "
uitable for a hospital, even if it u
Fere running half the number of Il
eds. Hospitals nowadays are plan
ed from the ground up. But here c
re find the laundry, such as it is, is
sed in part tor a storeroom for NJ
upplies and in part for the storage
records. v,
Worse than everything else, the le
resent hospital is a fire-trap. Sur A
rise has been expressed that a new fl,
nd modern plant has not been de-
landed long before now. The rem
ly appears to be at hand. however,
much needed new hospital seems
ertain.
1t was pointed out by DR.. Grier I'll
lat such d new hospital plant will si
ire for more patients and, with or
st ambulance over the straight and -,
highways which lead in 20
Milford, both north and south, the ~
of patients is not -
ficult. The new plant will start, 49,
erefOTe, with modern facilities, its - -
'esent capable staff of doctors and ~ %
lrses and under the excellent bus -,
ess management which it has en- -
yed for several years past. Se Se
The survey suggests that the nur- &c, &c,
s. training school should be con- ~ ~
lued and developed, for from it VI, Wv
rises are drawn for the whole of ~ =.
uthern Delaware, just as the hos -
tai itself serves a large territory g.
this part of the State. There is no ~ ~.
ubt, the survey points out, that 81, o.,
der new and better conditions, the i'''
ford Hospital will be awarded the n,
rade A" by the American College ""
Surgeons which is so much de-
ed. -
The American Red Cross reports
It a hospital should have five gen Lae Iiis
Il beds for every 1000 of popula- ota .1
n and as the Milford Emergency oe'
spital serves a territory of $4,000 VI
$4,000 souls, this would mean IN
leral beds to the number of sixty pi. .,.
: to seVenty-five. With the growth r.; ~
population, however, the survey "'S, =
Is for eighty beds, fifty per cent 7sS
which would be in use in normal 80.
les, with the other fifty per cent I aI
reserve for emergency. Dr.
here has been a suggestion that D.
present hospital be enlarged hut Mor
is considered ill-advised for the 0,T,
son that the present fire hazard n
liu commune or even De eNuenueu' aIoSu perC
he present hospital is in n close clos