The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1940-11-07
Crippled Adults Hospital;
The Story OF A Service
Sponsored BY Rotary

especially in America, a comprehensive pro-
gram, with scores Of well equipped hospitals.
But, at the same time, thousands of crippled
adults were without medical attention; an es,
timated 5000 in the Tri-States alone in need
of orthopedic care.
In 1928, an orthopedic surgeon of Mem
phis determined something must be done for
these thousands of crippled men and wo-
men, many of whom were burdens on 1aml-
lies and communities. Their lives could be
remade if they could get the help they
needed.
= This surgeon sold the idea to a group OF
Memphis Rotarians, who pooled funds and in
March 1928 opened the Hospital for Grip
pied Adults. It was nothing more than a
Convalescent home in the abandoned Ala
bama Street Presbyterian Hospital building.
Operative surgery was done at nearby st.
Joseph's Hospital. Within a few years, the
load had become so great that these patients
interfered with the regular charity service
at st. Joseph's. Something had to be done.
In 1927, Mr.. b. B.. Jones of Kosciusko be-
came interested in the work and gave $780,
600 for the modern, 66-bed hospital building
which has been in use since Dectember
1928.
The hospital, since it's inception, had
been supported by the Memphis Rotary Club
and interested friends. Before the new build
ing was a year old, the depression struck.
The income of the hospital was curtailed
" SuCH all hbt IdJ d VI thC
had to be closed. 1t limped along for sew
eral years. In 1882 it looked as if the entire
hospital would have to be closed, but some
how it managed to keep going.
Then Rotray put its collective shoulder
to the wheel, with Rotarians in Arkansas,
Mississippi and Tennessee sharing the bur-
den. The hospital never closed its doors, but
it could not operate at more than half cap
acity. An organization was needed.
In 1886, The Tri-State Association for
.Cripples was formed by the Rotarians of the
three states. 1t was chartered as a non
profit organization to support the Hospital
for Crippled Adults, and is sponsored by and
made up mostly of Rotarians. The Constitu-
ten of the Association provides that it's dir
ectors must always be active Rotarians, but
the membership is open to the general public.
Last year, 168 Rotary Clubs in the three
pital which has operated at capacity for
two years. During the coming year, a still
larger number of Rotary Clubs is expected
to join the support of the hospital.
The following Rotary Districts shared in
the program last year, 138th, 140th, 141st,
163rd, and parts of the 136th and 186th. It
takes about $45, 900 a year to operate the
hospital at capacity.
The Hospital for Crippled Adults is a
provides operative surgery, physiotherapy,
modern, completely equipped institution. 1t
and convalescent care. Braces are fitted
anu mace III the hospital. Inc nOSpltal mas
its own laundry, complete X-ray equipment
and operating rooms. The hospital is free
of debt, WINS the grounds and building, and
has a small endowment. 1t has a staff of
nine nurses, a resident surgeon and two in
terms. Administrative work is done by an eX-
ecutive secretary and one assistant, and a
superintendent who also serves as an
eSthetist.
Thirty-two doctors make up the staff.
They are outstanding men in every field
of medicine and surgery and give their SER
vices without charge. Neither the hospital
nor any patient has ever paid a cent for
doctors fees. The cost of operating the hos
pltal is about 50 a day per patient, which, as
Tar as we know, is the lowest hospital operat-
ing cost in the United States.
Since it was founded, the hospital has
treated Pip patients. Think what this means
In terms of human happiness, in burdens lift
ed from families, In making community assets
out of natures liabilities! For the Rotary
year of 1939-4O, a total of 20,495 hospital
days of service have been provided. Total
admissions for the year, of both new patients
and old ones returning for treatment, was
439.
Fifteen Holmes county people have been
rehabilitated at this Hospital Thus it seems
that every man and woman here should be in
terested in the wonderful work it Is ac-
compIishing.
Every person able to contribute in any
way, even though it be small, should deem it
a privilege to voluntarily help the Rotary
Clubs IN their great work. 1t is done unself-
ishly IN the interest of humanity and GER
tainiy no need As greater than that of crippled