MOLINE PUBLIC HOSPITAL

 

The Moline Public Hospital of the city of Moline was organized and is operated under the public hospital law of the state of Illinois.

Dr. P. H. Wessel of Moline in a conversation with the late Judge John M. Gould of this city some time prior to the enactment of the present hospital law, asked the Judge if it was not possible to have a law providing for public hospitals similar to the law providing for public libraries. Dr. Wessel, who at that time was mayor of the city of Moline, and always anxious to improve conditions and give the citizens of Moline every advantage possible, was desirous of having a public hospital.

Judge Gould replied that he thought it was possible, and he, also being a very public-spirited citizen, took up the matter with the late Hon. John P. Browning, with the result that Mr. Browning drafted the hospital bill as it was finally passed, and through the influence of Dr. Wessel, Judge Gould and Mr. Browning, it became a law in 1891.

Shortly after the enactment of this law the city of Moline proceeded to take advantage of its provisions and the mayor appointed a hospital board consisting of three members, which, owing to lack of funds, was a hospital board in name only, acting as custodians of the moneys which were received by taxation under the law, this being necessary until sufficient funds had been accumulated to begin practical operations.

This board consisted of W. K. Sloan, William B. Ullniaii and Dr. A. H. Arp, and the first meeting of this board was held July 26, 1802, Owing to the fact that William Ullman moved from Moline, Judge John M. Gould was appointed in his place. At an election held in April, 1S95, a new board consisting of J. W. Morgan, J. B. Oakleaf, and Dr. A. H. Arp was elected. The latter had the necessarj plans prepared for a hospital building, and Mr. Oakleaf was the attorney. As a result of their ceaseless and untiring efforts to secure a hospital, Moliue now has one of the best institutions of its kind in this part of the state.

OPENING OF THE HOSPITAL

The contract for the building was let on October 23th, 1895, but it was soon found that it was inadequate as to size, and has been twice enlarged by one-third. The capacity in 1913 is seventy-two beds.

The cost of the original building, including grounds, was approximately $47,000. This it has paid and made improvements costing $40,000, and all during the past fifteen years. These additions have been made in addition to defraying the expenses of operation, from the taxes and income of the hospital. The present hospital was opened for inspection August 22nd, 1898. and for patients, September 29th of the same year, at which time the board consisted of William Butterworth, president, G. A. Stevens, secretary, and Dr. A. H. Arp.

A nurses' dormitory was fully equipped in 1898, and it is recognized as one of the valuable adjuncts of the hospital. The hospital grounds consist of about seven acres on the brow of the bluff overlooking Moline. extending from Sixth to Seventh street, and from Fifth avenue to Eleventh avenue. It is an ideal location because very central and within five blocks of all the greater factories of Moline. It is easily reached from any part of the city, the street cars passing within one block of the entrance to the hospital grounds, and being on the bluff, it is out of the smoke and dust of the lower part of the city.

The hospital board is preparing to erect a new building immediately west of the present one, at an estimated cost of $80,000. It will be an exact duplicate of the present structure, which testifies to the efficient service rendered by the board which built it, except that it will be constructed according to the most modern methods, being absolutely fire-proof. The old and the new buildings will be connected by a twenty foot corridor, forty feet long and five stories high. The corridor on the first floor will be used as a receiving ward and offices. The second floor will be used as rooirs for the matron and superintendent; the third floor fot dressing rooms and rest room for the physicians; the fourth floor for a dining room and kitchen, and the fifth floor for hydropathy, solar and thermo-electric baths, thus by utilizing these corridors, leaving both the old and new buildings free for the patients.

It is proposed to have accommodation for 154 patients, or double the present capacity of the hospital, making it the largest in the state outside of Chicago. The grounds surrounding the hospital are beautiful, sloping down to the level of Sixth street Plans have been made for the erection of a new three-story quarantine hospital, away from the main buildings. This is needed to take care of all contagious and infectious diseases.

The success of the Moline City Hospital can be attributed to many things. Among otters Is the fact that it has been run by a board in close touch with the leading members of the medical profession. At one time the majority of the board was of the medical profession which, became a source of contention and strife. The physicians who were on the board naturally dictated the policies of the hospital and the result was that many of the other physicians in the city sent their patients elsewhere

. For a hospital to be a success it is absolutely necessary that the board and the physicians work in harmony, as before stated a medical board can never work in harmony with other physicians. Another thing which has contributed to the success of this hospital has been that the board has been composed of but three members. A larger board would be unwieldly and could not secure the results which can be attained by a small body. Of course the board cannot please all members of the medical fraternity, but it advises with and receives suggestions readily. It is the aim of the hospital board of the Mo­ line Hospital to apply business methods and tactics to the running of its institution. Still another cause for success has been the fact tfiat there have been no changes in the hospital board for political reasons for years. The present board, and the one about to erect the new building is composed of Mrs. Edward H. Sleight, Frank W. Gleesing and W. V. Richards.

It is also very necessary to have experienced persons as matron and superintendent. At first the Moline Hospital placed young graduates from larger hospitals in charge, but experience taught the board that it was far wiser to have those who had attained to years of discretion and been connected with other like institutions. The present hospital law provides that a nurse must have at least an education equal to the first year of high school, but an effort is now being made to have this amended so as to require only an eighth grade education.

The Moline Hospital conducts a training school for nurses, which is one of its most valuable features. The superintendent of the training school has absolutely nothing to do with the running of the hospital or the management of the nurses outside of their training. The matron of the hospital is a trained nurse and dictates the placing of the patients and the detailing of the nurses to special work, and also the placing of nurses in the operating room, but there her jurisdiction ends. The superintendent of the school, however, is always present to see that the nurses attend to their duties as they should, and to instruct them when necessary. Keeping the training school separate and apart from the managing of the hospital prevents friction which would otherwise naturally occur. The training school is operated un- der the auspices of the Woman's Hospital Asso­ ciation which was organized at the opening of the hospital. It has had charge of the appli­ cants for the training school and supplied the furnishings of the original hospital.

The Moline Public Hospital receives pay from every patient who is in the hospital. If the patient is a county ward, the hospital receives the same amount that it costs to care for a similar patient at the county infirmary. The only patients who are admitted without charge, are those who are injured on the streets of the city or become sick while on these streets. Then if they are able to pay they are charged the regular price, but if not, the expense is borne by the county as a county charge. So in no respect is this hospital a charitable institution. All the hospital agrees to do is to admit patients upon the payment of its regular charges, or to admit the poor who fall sick or are injured, for which the city feels responsible.

It may be of interest to the reader to have the following tables for reference, regarding the expenditure of money received by the hospital from the two-mill tax from 1892 to 1909 inclusive. The 1910, 1911 and 1912 tax was a three mill tax, the increased levy having been allowed in 1909. Following are the amounts received: 1892, $3,530.45; 1893, $3.471.06; 1894, $4,024.83; 1895, $3,629.40; 1896, $3,540.92; 1897, $3,704.95; 1898, $3,975.96; 1899, $3.915.90; 1900, $3,805.18; 1901, $3,090.20; 1902, $4.452.90; 1903, $4,585.25; 1904, $4,807.92; 1905, 84,- 843.55; 1906, $4,975.81; 1907, $5,119.69; 1908, $8,071.44; 1909, $9,000.00; 1910, $17,300.00; 1911, $16,350.00; 1912, $16,350.00.

 

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