USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1938 > Part 11
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At the conclusion of the dinner, President Sweet said that he had come into the possession of three original documents, which he felt should be carefully preserved: the first was the original charter, which should be framed and hung in a conspicuous place in the hospital; the second was the original membership book dated Sept. 2, 1910, containing the names of the 55 original members and an undated first annual report of the Hospital Aid Society signed by Lina Coe Bliss, secretary which he read to the gathering.
He then called on Dr. Herbert L. Rich, as the dean of the staff of Sturdy Memorial hospital, and Dr. Rich gave a lengthy report on the staff activities from their first meeting on March 26, 1913, at the home of Dr. George McPherson at which time Dr. Joseph Battershall was elected president and closing with a tribute to Miss Gwendolyn G. Rice and Miss Katherine V. Lloyd for their con- tinuous service from the time the hospital opened up to the present day.
Dr. Joshua W. Clarke was then introduced as the doctor who had delivered the largest percentage of the 5,114 babies born since the hospital was opened up to April 12 of this year. Dr. Clarke after a few preliminary remarks presented Miss Rice and Miss Lloyd each with a silver bowl from the staff.
Dr. Charles F. Painter, the member of the consulting staff chosen to speak for his colleagues was unable to be present, although he sent his written speech. Called upon at the last minute, Dr. Harry H. Germain, of the original consulting staff, spoke for his group, saying that he had been performing operations in this vicinity since 1902 and gave some reminiscenses of the early days in the profession. Dr. Germain's address was a fine piece of "pinch hitting" and it was enthusiasti- cally received.
The hospital kept open house from 2 to 5 in the afternoon and several hundred people viewed the rooms and enjoyed the hospitality. Tea was served in the lobby from a beautifully appointed table laid with a lace cloth and silver services. The women who were in the lobby and who poured at the tea table were under the direction of Mrs. Walter A. Briggs and included Mrs. Graham Shields, Mrs. C. Wallace Cederberg, Mrs. J. L. Sweet, Mrs. Frank J. Ryder, Mrs. George Crosby, Mrs. Harold E. Sweet, Mrs. Lloyd Elliot and Miss Annie Wheeler.
172
ANNUAL REPORT
History of the Sturdy Memorial Hospital
By a generous clause in the will of Mrs. Ellen A. Winsor, the homestead estate of her father, the late James H. Sturdy, was bequeathed to the Town of Attleborough to be used for a general hospital, in memory of James H. and Adah S. Sturdy. In addition to this gracious act, Mrs. Winsor placed her residuary estate in a permanent fund, to be known as the Albert W. and Ellen A. Winsor Fund, to be held in trust, the income only thereof to be used to assist in the main- tenance of said hospital. The original gift of real estate known as the Sturdy Foundation, is valued at $30,000 and the personal property left by Mr. and Mrs. Winsor, known as the Winsor Foundation, is valued at $93,000.
The location for such an institution was ideal, but to prepare the property for modern hospital work required the expenditure of a larger sum of money than the town officials felt warranted at this time in asking the citizens to appropriate. At this crisis the Attleborough Hospital, a corporation organized under Massa- chusetts laws, came forward and offered to take the property in trust, reconstruct the home house, build new additions, erect in connection therewith a modern operating wing, equip the whole plant, and open the institution as a general hospital to be known as the Sturdy Memorial Hospital.
The Town of Attleborough at a special meeting held May 14, 1912, accepted the offer of the Attleborough Hospital, and in due time placed the property in question in trust with said corporation.
The work of reconstruction and new building was commenced in July, 1912, and on April 14, 1913, after an expenditure of something over $30,000, the hospital was opened.
Again in July, 1914, another addition was made, known as the Nurses' Home, with provisions also for maternity cases, thus making 30 beds as the total capacity of the hospital, being largely possible because of a gift of $10,000 from the late Fannie M. Tappan. The total cost of this addition was approximately $18,000, and the balance was provided from income from trust accounts and individual gifts.
In 1922, Joseph L. Sweet, President of the Attleborough Hospital since its beginning, provided for the erection of a $125,000 fireproof addition to be known as the Florence Hayward Sweet Maternity Building, and adding 21 beds to the capacity of the hospital. This addition was opened June 4, 1923, and the gift included a new plant and boiler house situated at the rear of the lot back of the present Nurses' Home, providing the steam and heating and other needs of the whole hospital.
With the realization that its facilities were being taxed to the limit and the needs of a substantial addition presssing, the Board of Managers, in the fall of 1924, voted to undertake a campaign for additional funds. With an enthusiasm on the part of the subscribers and workers unparalleled in the history of our community, this campaign was brought to a successful conclusion on February 9, 1925, with total pledges of over $392,000, the objective having been $300,000
The Sturdy Homestead, formerly the main hospital was relocated in the rea. of the Nurses' Home, giving much needed additional accommodation for nurses, and a three story, sixty-five room, buff brick and stone, modern hospital building was erected on the site of the old hospital.
The new unit reached such a point of completion as to permit of the registrra- tion of the first patient therein on July 25, 1926. On September 30th the building was thrown open for inspection by the public, and while no formal exercises were attempted, in the evening a dinner was given to the local and consulting staffs, with an especially splendid representation of the latter who were ex- ceedingly generous in their commendation of the entire hospital plant and its equipment-highly significant, coming from professional men who have frequent contacts with the very best hospital facilities in the country.
173
ANNUAL REPORT
The death of Joseph L. Sweet in July, 1932, ended the services of one who has been active in the management and expansion of the hospital from its be- ginning. For more than twenty years, he was president of the corporation, and to that office he brought not only an executive ability, but the financial support which the institution needed so badly. He was intensely interested in seeing first, that the hospital was well equipped to meet the needs of the community, and second, that it was endowed and fortified against financial stress.
Up to the time of his death, his donations exceeded $207,000, not counting various annual gifts given from time to time for needed equipment or special purposes. Under his will, he generously provided for further gifts, of which $155,000 has already been received and added to the permanent funds. Further- more, his will directed that the residue of his estate, after the termination of the life interest of his widow, should be paid to the hospital.
We now have an up-to-date 125 bed hospital with a replacement value for the plant of over half a million dollars, well nigh complete in its appointments, with well-equipped and competently administered X-Ray, Laboratory and Physiotherapy departments.
A capable and devoted staff of physicians, superintendent and nurses, a consulting staff of physicians and surgeons of wide repute, and an interested public, largely represented through the effective help rendered by the women's organization now known as the Sturdy Memorial Hospital Aid Association, have resulted in the development of one of the finest hospitals in New England, with a standard of efficiency equivalent to that in many of the larger and well known hospitals.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS
January 9, 1939.
To the Honorable Mayor and Municipal Council:
Perhaps nothing will bring more effectively to your attention the increased service of this hospital to Attleboro and the surrounding towns than a comparison of the number of patients admitted ten years ago and in the year just closed. There has been no marked increase in population in this district within the past ten years, and it is doubtful if industrial activity is even yet equal to that of the pre-depression year of 1928 judging chiefly from comparative payrolls, and yet Sturdy Hospital in 1938 admitted nearly 50% more patients than it did ten years ago-1,542 in 1928, 2298 in 1938.
The most notable increase was from the southern section of the city-South Attleboro, Dodgeville and Hebronville-where the number of patients more than tripled in the ten years-214 against 68. But our super-service appears to be in the obstetrical field-492 babies in 1938, an all time high, compared with 233 in 1928.
Again we have to report a deficit of nearly $3,000 on the year's operations figured on a cash basis. This brings our accumulated deficit since 1926 to $16,372.22. Reference to the auditor's report indicates that the debt figure on an accrual basis does not show a wide variance from the above amount. An analysis of our accounts for the year 1937 reveals the fact that we have, after the elapse of a year, collected over 92% of our regular charges-a rather remarkable record, and yet inadequate for our substantial amount of free work.
After writing some twenty or more annual reports of this sort, it becomes a bit difficult to vary the type of our appeal for a continuation of generous public support, so this year we are going to make use of a neighbor's material, slightly altered to fit our particular situation.
"The word deficit' has acquired a deplorable connotation in recent years through its frequent use in commenting upon the failure of governments to live within their tax incomes. But the terms can actually have a constructive meaning as in connection with the annual balance sheet of the Attleborough Hospital."
174
ANNUAL REPORT
The hospital incurred an operating deficit during the past year, but it did this in pursuit of its original and splendidly continuing purpose to provide good and safe medical care to the people of Attleboro and surrounding towns who are unable to afford a doctor.
The deficit, therefore, represents in the truest if not the strict financial sense, a gain and not a loss, for it is a gain to have sick people relieved of their suffering, made well, and returned to their normal environments in health and with hope.
To make up the deficit the hospital has recently appealed to its friends, some of whom, understanding the circumstances, have already made generous reply. But it is essential that all should understand, and share a part of the burden. The Attleboro Hospital functions continuously as a part of and not apart from the community. It needs continuously a wide circle of friends, intelligent and lasting ones, informed as to its basic obligation toward the sick poor, and determined that the institution shall not fail to serve them."
Grateful acknowledgment is made of the creation of the Frank P. Toner Memorial Fund by Mary A. and James V. Toner.
We have signed a contract with the Associated Hospital Service to provide hospital care to their subscribers at a moderate annual fee and a growing number have taken advantage of this modern and economical plan of meeting the ever present possibility of an unforseen addition to the family budget. An announce- ment has just been made of a substantial increase in the benefits obtained under this Blue Cross plan.
Our service and our standards are constantly raised in order to meet the requirements of our Class A rating by the American College of Surgeons and made possible only by the constant devotion to the highest ideals of their pro- fession by our first-rate staff of doctors and nurses, generously assisted by the Hospital Aid, church and club organizations and a fine public response on our annual Donation Day.
In submitting this, our 26th annual report, reference is made, as a matter of record, to the noteworthy recognition of our 25th anniversary on April 14, 1938, and adjacent dates.
We attach to this report the amounts expended by the City of Attleboro for the hospital in 1938 and respectfully request your favorable consideration of our estimated requirements for the same items in 1939.
Members Ex-Officio 1938
Harold E. Sweet, Chairman
Joseph Finberg
H. Winslow Brown, Mayor
Victor R. Glencross
William J. Luther
William Marshall,
Samuel M. Stone
City Treasurer
Edwin F. Thayer
Board of Managers, Attleborough
Hospital, Inc., operating Sturdy
Memorial Hospital for the City of Attleboro.
Expended Requested 1938 1939
Water.
$1,182.18
$1,200.00
Insurance
193.57
105.00
Hydrant.
60.00
60.00
Fuel and Light.
5,129.25
5,245.00
Treasurer's Bond
25.00
25.00
$6,590.00
$6,635.00
Earle L. Swift,
Municipal Council Representative
175
ANNUAL REPORT
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the Board of Trustees and Managers, of the Sturdy Memorial Hospital:
Gentlemen:
I herewith present my annual report of the Hospital for the year ending December 31, 1938 :-
Total number of patients admitted to the hospital. 2298
Male 870
Female 1428
Out-patients treated at the hospital 59
X-Ray out-patients. 81
Basal Metabolism out-patients. 31
Physiotherapy out-patients. 26
Total out-patients 1470
Total number of Private Cases 1454
Total number of Ward Cases 844
Total number of children 12 years of age or under. 354
Medical patients 212
Adults. 186
Children 26
Surgical patients 691
AduÎts. 616
Children 75
E. E. N. & T. patients. 391
Adults. .
138
Children 253
Obstetrical patients. 1004
Mothers 512
Babies 492
Total number of births 507
Total live births. 491
Total stillbirths.
16
Total number of deaths for the year
111
Medical 58
Surgical 37
E. E. N. &. T. 2
Obstetrical
2
Newborn 12
Autopsies
7
Daily average for the year. .60.64
Maximum number of patients. 92
Minimum number of patients. 41
Total number of accidents 131
Automobile accidents. 44
Industrial accidents 47
Other accidents 40
176
ANNUAL REPORT
Report of the Operating-room
Major operations. 423
Minor operations 907
Transfusions. 43
Cystoscopies.
11
Total 1384
Report of the Physiotherapy Department
40 patients admitted to the department. 675 visits to the department.
Treatments given :
Massage.
394
Diathermy 193
55
Infra Red. 423
Sinusoidal. 19
Total 1084
Diseased conditions treated:
Acne. .
1
Arthritis
3
Bronchitis.
1
Bursitis, subdeltoid.
4
Cerebral hemorrhage
2
Contusions .
4
Granulating wounds.
4
Fractures
17
Myositis
1
Neuritis
1
Synovitis
2
Total 40
(26 Out-patients; 14 House-patients.)
Report of Basal Metabolism
34 Basal Metabolism examinations
(31 Out-patients; 3 House-patients.)
Report of the X-Ray Department
X-Ray examinations 1105
Fluroscopic examinations 87
Total number of patients
1192
(816 Out-patients; 376 House-patients.)
Ultra Violet A. C.
177
ANNUAL REPORT
Report of the Laboratory
BLOOD WORK:
W. B. C.
1593
R. B. C. 709
Hemaglobins 784
Differentials . 404
Coagulations
360
Typings
212
Miscellaneous
3
Cultures.
40
BLOOD CHEMISTRY:
Sugars
128
N. P. N 120
Creatinine 43
4
Van den Bergh
3
URINES
4235
Renal functions
36
FECES.
21
CULTURES
151
SMEARS 134
SPUTUM
37
PNEUMOCOCCUS TYPING
30
SURGICAL TISSUES. 383
27
SENT TO STATE LABORATORY:
Hintons 138
Widals.
5
Undulant Fever
5
Report of the Training-School
Student Nurses in the School December 31, 1938
50
(12 of these students are always away affiliating.)
Students admitted during the year 1938.
27
(2 of this number gave up the course.)
Students graduated. 11
We have had many more applicants in 1938 for training. There will be a class of nine for February, 1939. leaving a waiting list of five up to the present time, for the September, 1939, class.
There have been just minor cases of illness among the nurses for the past year.
The two instructors appointed in September have been doing very satis- factory work.
I am gradually reducing the number of Graduate Nurses employed for general floor duty, as the student nurses become capable for the work. This will eventu- ally make quite a reduction in our payroll. We have eleven graduate nurses employed at the present time.
Respectfully submitted,
Gwendolyn G. Rice, R. N., Superintendent.
Icterus Index.
SPINAL FUILDS
178
ANNUAL REPORT
Patients admitted from
Attleboro
988
South Attleboro
135
Hebronville
48
Dodgeville.
31
1202
North Attleboro
381
Attleboro Falls
44
425
Plainville.
81
Wrentham
22
Norton
85
Chartley
32
Mansfield
157
Foxboro
19
Seekonk.
87
Rehoboth
55
Franklin
1
539
Other cities and towns
132
132
Total.
2298
Cases of
Attleboro Welfare 188
North Attleboro Welfare.
17
Seekonk Welfare. 15
Rehoboth Welfare 21
Mansfield Welfare
21
Norton Welfare
14
Plainville Welfare
3
Wrentham Welfare
1
State of Massachusetts 23
Free Cases
79
179
ANNUAL REPORT
Nativities of Patients
United States
Foreign
Massachusetts
1633
Canada.
99
Rhode Island
230
England.
30
Maine.
42
Italy
26
Connecticut
26
Portugal
25
New Hampshire
24
Ireland
13
New York
20
Poland.
13
Vermont .
18
Sweden
12
New Jersey.
12
Germany
9
Pennsylvania
5
Scotland.
6
Virginia.
4
France
3
Indiana
4
Russia
3
Ohio
4
Greece.
3
Illinois.
4
Belgium .
2
Maryland
2
Switzerland.
2
Michigan.
2
Finland
2
Florida.
2
Denmark
1
South Carolina
2
Syria
1
Georgia.
2
Latavia
1
Washington
2
Honduras
1
Washington, D. C.
1
Iowa.
1
252
South Dakota
1
Kansas
1
Utah.
1
Delaware
1
Nebraska.
1
Louisiana
1
2046
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HOSPITAL LIBRARIAN
1938
The resignation of Mrs. Whittemore from the Hospital library took effect in June and since that time the work at the branch has continued much the same as before. Collections of new books are taken to the hospital about every six weeks and magazines subscribed to by the Attleboro Coal Co. including Popular Mechanics, National Geographic, hunting and Fishing, American, Woman's Home Companion, Photoplay, and Cosmopolitan, furnish the basis of the maga- zine collection.
The circulation to nurses and employees at the hospital is slightly greater than to patients although circulation of magazines to patients is greater. Maga- zines and books charged out during the year totaled around 3,600; a slight gain over last year. About 600 of the total were juvenile and the rest adult.
The problem of lost and overdue books remains much the same. Pooks become lost and misplaced until long overdue and no remedy can seem to be found except more vigilance on the part of the borrowers.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Shaw, Hospital Librarian.
180
ANNUAL REPORT
To the Board of Managers,
and Members of the Staff of the Sturdy Memorial Hospital,
Gentlemen:
The following is a summary of the activities of the Surgical Service for the year 1938:
Total number of surgical patients admitted. 691
Adult 616
Children 75
Major operations performed 423
Minor operations performed . 907
Transfusions. 43
11
Cystoscopies. Total number of surgical deaths 37
The above figures very closely parallel the record as reported a year previous- ly, with one notable exception, and that is in the number of fatal cases. In 1937 there were 56 deaths as compared to 37 in 1938.
Among the 423 cases upon whom it was necessary to perform major opera- tions there were 18 deaths, giving an operative mortality of 4.25%, which is lower than has been shown in any previous year.
There were 907 minor operations performed with one death, and in this single instance the operative procedure could not have been a contributing factor to the unfortunate outcome.
The total number of combined major and minor operations during the year was 1330, with an operative mortality of 1.35%. Of the remaining 18 fatal cases death was caused by injuries in 13 instances, six of these being the result of automobile accidents, as compared to 11 automobile fatalities in 1937. It is of interest to note also that injuries to the brain were responsible for eight out of the thirteen cases. In the remaining five fatilities no operation was performed.
The year just ended has been quite a busy one for the surgical group, which has not been marked by any out-standing changes or innovations. The work has gone along quite smoothly, and generally speaking, in a most satisfactory manner, thanks to the never failing interest and untiring zeal of my fellow workers on the Staff.
The Board of Managers, the Superintendent, and the Nursing staff have given us whole hearted cooperation and support which we have learned to expect at all times, and in closing we should like to express to them our sincere apprecia- tion and thanks.
Respectfully submitted,
John A. Reese, M. D., Chief of Surgical Staff.
181
ANNUAL REPORT
To the Board of Managers and Members of the Staff of the Sturdy Memorial Hospital,
Gentlemen:
The following is a summary of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat service for the year 1938.
A total of 391 patients were treated by this department as follows: Tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies. 346
Mastoidectomies (single) 17
Mastoidectomies (double) 2
Submucous Resections of Nasal Septum 7 Turbinectomies 2
Iridectomies.
Minor Procedures 15
There were two deaths on this service as follows: Retro-laryngeal abscess. 1 Asphixia from insufflation of blood following post- operative hemorrhage 1
There was an increase of 29 in number of patients admitted over last year, due mainly to tonsils and adenoids.
May I express my appreciation for the help given by the other members of the service. Thanks also is here extended to the administration and nursing staffs for their cooperation and help.
Respectfully submitted, Arthur C. Conro, M. D., Chief of Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Service.
To the Board of Managers, and the Members of the Staff of the Sturdy Memorial Hospital,
Gentlemen:
Herein I submit to you the report and summary of the work of the members of the Staff on the Medical Service during the year 1938.
During the year, the number of patients admitted to and treated on the service increased twenty-three over the year 1937. Again this increase was in adult patients, the number or children admitted remaining the same. It would be a decided advantage to the hospital and its training school could we increase the service given to children, for here we are able to offer the least work to the student nurses.
There were 2128 hospital days on the service during the year and the average stay of the patients admitted was 10.03 days.
A study of the deaths on the service during the year is not only illuminating and instructive, but furnishes thought for serious consideration by the members of the Staff. Nineteen or 32.8% of the deaths occured during the first twenty-four hours after admission, nine or 15.5% during the first forty-eight hours, and eight or 13.74% within seventy-two hours after entering the hospital.
This record certainly shows that neihter the hospital with its ample facilities for the treatment of patients, nor the physicians attending the cases are given the chance to minister to these patients. It creates a situation which is neither just
182
ANNUAL REPORT
to the hospital, nor to the physicians on service. It is a question which calls for serious consideration by the hospital authorities and the members of the Staff of the hospital.
The following is a brief summary of the work of the medical service during the year 1938:
Total number of patients admitted to the service
212
Adults. 186
Children 26
Total number of deaths.
58
Three cases admitted on the medical service were transferred to the surgical service, two were received from the surgical service, one was transferred to one of the Boston hospitals, and two to the Bristol County Hospital. The total number of deaths was 58 due to the following diseases.
Cerebral hemorrhage. 6
Cerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid.
1
Cerebral hemorrhage, pneumonia.
1
Carcinoma of brain, metastasis to lung. 1
Meningitis, influenzal. 1
Meningitis, type undetermined.
2
Lobar pneumonia . 12
Lobar pneumonia, cerebral hemorrhage
1
Lobar pneumonia, mitral stenosis.
1
Lobar pneumonia, pneumococcus meningitis. 1 1
Lobar pneumonia, acute nephritis.
Arteriosclerotic heart disease, pulmonary embolism
General arteriosclerosis, pulmonary edema.
General arteriosclerosis, cerebral hemorrhage
2
Arteriosclerosis, pyelonephritis, cystitis
1
Chronic valvular heart disease.
1
Chronic rheumatic heart disease
1
Hypertensive heart disease, acute decompensation
Myocarditis, pulmonary embolism ...
Myocarditis, chronic interstitial nephritis
Coronary thrombosis.
4
Coronary thrombosis, diabetes mellitus
1
Luetic aortitis.
1
Luetic aortitis, tertiary syphilis
Ludwig's Angina, leucopenia.
Congenital defect of auricular septum (Mongolian idiot).
Acute infection of G. U. tract, renal dysfunction .
1
Chronic nephritis, lobar pneumonia.
1
Chronic nephritis, acute pericarditis.
1
Chronic nephritis, coronary thrombosis
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