Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1928 [PAGE 412]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1927]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

409

R E P O R T O N McKINLEY HOSPITAL (21) The Committee in charge of the McKinley Hospital submits the following report for the year 1926-27: Urbana, Illinois, June 14, 1927 President David Kinley, SSS Administration Building M y dear M r . President: The committee in charge of the direction of the McKinley Hospital met in m y office a few days ago and went over the situation of last year and of this year. I am enclosing with this a financial report for the year which will indicate the earnings and the expenditures. I have authorized a transfer of $2,000 from the Students' Hospital Fund to the University to help meet the deficit. If, as you inferred might be done, the University will meet the charge on heat, light, power, and water, and the income from the $25,000 endowment is transferred to the operating fund of the hospital these three sums will more than wipe out the deficit. I have agreed to transfer $2,000 additional to the University to take care of such supplies and equipment as we shall need for next year, and in addition to that to transfer $5,000 for an operating fund for the ensuing year. This is done with the understanding that such amounts as are not necessary for the operation will be held in reserve for the succeeding year. The unusual deficit this year comes largely from the fact that we have had very l t l illness. Although there have been epidemics of various contagious diseases ite throughout the state we have escaped and have had almost no measles, mumps, scarlet fever, and chicken pox. These diseases retain the patient for a longer period of time and add materially to our income. There was very l t l serious illness and ite no fatalities so far this year. The operation of the sterilizing plant has been as unsatisfactory this year as i was last. W e have had very l t l sterilization to be done but the linen s i l t ite tl comes back badly stained and almost ruined because of the use of formaldehyde instead of steam and the clothing of patients after sterilization is almost impossible for them to wear again. I have suggested to the Supervising Architect's Office some improvements which I believe would eliminate these conditions. I am told by the Comptroller that there is s i l a balance of the appropriation tl made for the installation of the sterilizing plant which might be used for making the changes suggested. I enclose with this a letter which I recently wrote to Professor White concerning this matter. I said something last year about a house in which the nurses might live. At present the nurses are housed in the north end of the secondfloor.The quarters are comfortable but do not give the night nurses who must sleep during the daytime the quiet which they very much need. I believe i should be possible for us t to rent a house and furnish i with the equipment now in the nurses quarters and t give the nurses such living quarters as will make them comfortable and quiet. Should we have a normal amount of illness we could utilize all the rooms in the hospital to advantage. Last year we could have more than f l e the hospital ild i we could have had space during three or four months. I should like to discuss f this matter with you sometime at your convenience. The rules which were proposed for the operation of the hospital have not yet been printed. It would seem to me that these were made quite as much for the protection of the University as for the benefit of the student and that the printing might be charged to the University to get these out. I am sending you a copy which you approved and which was returned to me from the Business Office with a letter from Mr. Morey that they be held until funds are available or for indication of some other source to meet the expense. The laboratory which was established this year for bacteriological analyses has more than paid its cost and has been a great addition to the hospital facilities.