The Gary American

FREEDMEN'S HOSPITAL
OPERATED TO ITS
FULL CAPACITY

WASHINGTON - (CNS)
The annual report of Freedmen's
hospital shows that during the
year just closed the institution was
operated to its full capacity. Dr.
W. A. Warfield, Chief surgeon is
quoted as saying "Never before
have the facilities undergone so
great a strain. The number of
patients admitted exceeded any
previous year, and the number of
applicants seeking hospitalization,
who could not be accommodated
because the number of requests
exceeded the bed capacity of the
hospital, was also greater than
any previous year"

Unemployment may account for
this situation to some considerable
extent, Dr. Warfield believes, but
the normal increase in the popu-
lation of the city and the addi-
tion of the new obstetrical wing
to the hospital, increasing the
number of beds from 276 to 316,
should be considered important
contributing factors.

July 1, 1931, 188 patients re-
maining in the hospital from the
preceding year. During the year
4,740, including births, were ad-
mitted, a total of 4,928 indoor
patients under care, an increase
of 13 per cent over the previous
year

Of the number admitted, 798
were pay patients, 1,458 were in-
digent residents of the States, and
2,484 indigent residents of the
District.

There were discharged during
the year, including births, 4,698,
of whom 2,256 had recovered,
1,928 improved, 169 unimproved,
and 347 died, leaving 230 in the
hospital July 1, 1932, of which
number 34 were pay patients.

There were 1,805 surgical oper-
ations with 40 deaths. In the
dental department 2,004 were
treated.

In the out-patient department
9,616 were treated and 5,668 in
the emergency department, total
of 15,284 as against 13,258 last
year. Forty thousand and nine-
ty revisits were made to the va-
rious clinics. The number of
patients receiving the benefits of
the hospital was 20,212 as against
17,594 the preceding year.