HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1965-11-25, Page 14uckersmith Br�thers�
ontributed to Scott Memorial
(Historical notes concern-
ing Scott Memorial Hospital
were contained in a brochure
prepared on the occasion of
the opening a new wing,
Wednesday, June 30, 1948.)
Scott Memorial Hospital,
which has served Seaforth and
district since that day in Sep-
tember, 1929, when its doors
were thrown open to the pub-
lic, had its beginning in 1921,
when as the result of a bequest
by the late William and Mat-
thew Scott, pioneer Tucker -
smith farmers, the sum of
$40,000.00 was bequeathed for
the purpose of establishing and
maintaining a hospital in or
near Seaforth.
During the years preceding
the opening of the Hospital, an
organization was established, a
charter obtained and negotia-
tions entered into whereby a
private hospital, operated by
the late A. A. McLennan, was
purchased. In 1927 the then
Hospital Board purchased the
former D. D. Wilson residence
on James Street from W. E.
Southgate, and commenced al-
terations and improvements to
the building.
Charter members of the
Board were: W. H. Golding,
chairman; J. W. Beattie, G. P.
Cardno, W. A. Crich, G. D,
Haigh, James Cowan, Mrs. J.
F. Daly, Mrs. R. S. Hays, Mrs.
W. G. Willis, W. J. Duncan, F.
Holmstead, K.C., A, D. Suther-
land and George Turnbull. To
the industry and foresight of
these citizens is due the splen-
did hospital facilities, which
through the intervening years
have been available to the peo-
ple of this district.
Scott Memorial Hospital was
officially opened to 'the public
on October 22, 1929, `when. Thos.
Inglis, Warden of Huron Coun-
ty, turned the key, admitting
those attending the ceremony
to the building.
In the years since that day
the history of the hospital has
been one of increased service
to the community, as indicated
by the steady year -by -year in-
crease in patient days.
During the late thirties, it
became apparent that improv-
ed accommodation for the nurs-
ing staff was essential, and in
1940 the. former Johnson resi-
dence, to the east of the hos-
pital, was purchased and con-
verted to a nurses' residence.
Necessity for increasing the
hospital capacity from its orig-
inal 23 beds, became acute in
1946, when the patient days
for that year rose to 8,209, with
an average daily population of
22. Contributing to this condi-
tion was an increase in the use -
age of hospital insurance and
the generally increased econ-
omic condition of the people
served by the hospital.
Following discussions with
officials of the Department of
Health, an addition of 27 -bed
capacity was decided on, and
in the spring of 1947 a portion
of the former RCAF hospital
building at Port Albert was
purchased, to provide materials
for the new wing. Design of
the wing was governed to a
great extent by the nature and
size of 'the materials available.
The Board entered into the
construction program on the
strength of assurances by the
Minister of Health that provin-
cial grants on the basis of
$1,000 per bed, plus an amount
to be determined to provide for
Hears Details
Of TB Seal Sale
Fergus Kelly, Seal Sale direc-
tor of the Ontario Tuberculosis
Association, was the guest
speaker at a combined" Huron -
Perth Tuberculosis Association
meeting in Clinton Tuesday eve-
ning.
Mr. Kelly pointed out that
670 people died of TB in Can-
ada in 1964. We, as Tuber-
culosis Associations, should per-
sonally tell as many people as
we can about tuberculosis—a
disease with the cause known
since 1900, and 65 years later
is still not eradicated. Every
15 seconds, someone died of TB
and it is still the greatest men-
ace to public health, he said.
George A. Watt, president of
Huron Association, presided at
the meeting. Ralph Goren, pres-
ident of Perth Association, in-
troduced the speaker. Mr. Kelly
was thanked by Dr. 'J. C. ROss,
of Goderich, an honorary vice-
president of the Ontario Asso-
ciation.
a modern nursery, would be
made available. To this was
added a grant of $25,000 from
the County of Huron.
As construction progressed,
certain qualifications were in-
troduced by the Department,
particularly in respect of alter-
ations, which the Department
considered essential in the ex-
isting hospital. The nature of
these further alterations are
now being studied' by the Board.
The regulations relating to the
payment of grants were also
amended, to relate the amount
of the provincial grant to the
over-all cost of the building,
rather than on a straight per
bed basis, as originally hal
been agreed on. Economies
practised by the Board result-
ed in the cost of the addition
being held to approximately
$2,500 per bed, as compared to
a Province -wide average of
nearly $10,000 per bed. The
Provincial grant as finally paid
,totalled $25,000.
The Board continues to be
faced with extensive alterations
to the existing hospital, and as
soon as full requirements are
known, and a financing scheme
determined on, and funds made
available, these will be pro-
ceeded with.
Once the decision to build
had been arrived at, responsi-
bility for construction was plac-
ed in the hands of a building
committee, including Dr.' E. A.
McMaster, chairman; J. M.
Scott, N. R. Dorrance, Ross
MacGregor, G. C. Brightrall
and A. Y. McLean, who work-
ed through L. F. De Lafranier,
appointed by the committee
as construction superintendent.
The manner in which he co-
ordinated the various trades in-
volved and expedited the ma-
terials necessary, resulted in
the rapid construction.
Of frame and brick construc-
tion, with a slate roof, the addi-
tion which lig fully insulated,
provides 5,000 feet of floor
space and makes possible 27
additional beds. In this number
are three private rooms, three
semi -private rooms, - one four -
bed ward,' two five -bed wards,
and two two -bed solaria.
A full basement makes pos-
sible a nurses' recreation room,
storage space and ultimately
the X-ray department and em-
ergency ward.
In arriving at a decorative
scheme for the wing, considera-
tion was given the arrangement
which would prove most bene-
cial to the patients who would
use the rooms. This led the
board to adopt individual dec-
orative schemes for each room,
in each of which the color chos-
en is carried throughout the
entire furnishings.
While construction of the
wing was financed by grants
received from the County of
Huron and Province of Ontario,
the cost of providing furnish-
ings and decorating, estimated
at approximately $13,000; was
not covered by these sources.
A persistent salesman refused
to leave when the secretary told
him her boss was out. An hour
passed, then two. Finally, weary
of being a prisoner in his own
office, the boss admitted the
salesman.
"My secretary told you I was
out," exclaimed the puzzled
boss. 'lloved you know I was
its?"
"Easy," explained the sales-
kY Litt "she was Working."
CONGRATULATIONS
TO
Seaforth and District
on the completion of their
New Hospital
We were pleased to have been selected to
supply the
READY--M,IXED CONCRETE
To McDougall Ltd., General Contractors
for this project.
HURON CONCRETE SUPPLY LTD.
SEAFORTH 527-1206 GODERICH 524-7361
IN THE PICTURE TO THE LEFT is shown
one of the two operating rooms in Seaforth Com-
munity Hospital. Oxygen, suction and nitrous oxide
are piped into each operating room ready for use,
and the outlets may be seen behind the large light.
(Lower left)) The radiology department in
the new hospital is complete in every respect. X -Rays
are taken in a lead shielded area to avoid radiation.
Here, Mrs. Elizabeth Kreiger and John Van Geffin
are about to take X-rays of Glenda Butt, who obvious-
ly isn't concerned.
CONGRATULATIONS
to
Seaforth Community
Hospital
JOHN H. McLLWAIN
SAND -- GRAVEL
EXCAVATING
Phone 527-1253 Seaforth
We join with the people
of the Seaforth District
in extending congratulations
on the completion of the new
SEAFORTH
r
COMMUNITY
HOSPITAL
REGI ER
TRANSPORT
Local and Long Distance Hauling
Phone 527-1740 : Seaforth
CONGRATULATIONS
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY
A VIEW OF A PORTION OF THE MODERN KITCHEN
Our company specializes in food service management
in hospitals, educational facilities and allied institu-
tions. We are indeed pleased to 'be a part of this
fine new, facility, both in the planning and operating
stages.
Beaver. Food Service Associates Limited
30 Wharncliffe Road North, London, Ontario
Telephone No.: 438-0531