PREFACE

In the preparation of this volume, three classes of readers have been in mind: the trained nurse who, without practical experience in hospital management, finds herself in charge of a hospital, small or large; the practical woman who, having had no opportunity for special training, has upon her the responsibility of the direction of the domestic affairs of an institution; and the lady member of the hospital board of managers who, in the discharge of the duties of her position, becomes responsible to the public for the proper government of institutional affairs. It was thought that the latter, especially, might, through the use of this volume, secure a better grasp of the details of hospital housekeeping as a whole than is possible without some such aid. The ability to see all around a situation, to view the institution as a whole, is essential to good management. As a rule, such ability comes only by experience. Especial pains have been taken to make the volume thoroughly practical, and to present clearly and concisely lessons learned in actual dealing with, and close study of, the questions discussed. The greater portion of the contents of the volume have already seen the light of day in the columns of the National Hospital Record. Since their appearance in that journal, the papers have been carefully revised, and much new and important matter added. For assistance in preparation, the author has been under great obligation to a number of hospital superintendents, who have furnished information as to methods, and to contemporary writers, especially on the subject of dietetics. Special mention should be made of the works of W. Gilman Thompson, M. D., Mrs. Ellen H. Richards, I. Burney Yeo, M. D., Sir Henry Burdett, and of the literature of the United States Department of Agriculture. To Miss Emma Lynch, who, as hospital matron, has been for several years associated with the author in institutional work, special thanks are due for valuable assistance. Many practical suggestions have been gleaned from the papers given at the annual conventions of the Association of Hospital Superintendents. To the writers of these papers the author expresses grateful appreciation. Many of the electrotypes used for illustration have been kindly furnished by courtesy of the business firms whose names accompany them. These have been introduced because they were deemed essential to a clear understanding of the subject on the part of such readers as may not be familiar with the use of such appliances. So far as the author is aware, no attempt has previously been made to discuss the subject of hospital housekeeping as a whole. As a pioneer in the field, the book doubtless has many defects. If it proves of practical value to even a small number of those for whose assistance it was prepared, it will have justified its existence.

Charlotte A. Aikens.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Preface 7-8

Chapter I— The Hospital Housekeeper; The Housekeeper’s

Province; Bookkeeping; Hospital Inventory 13-19

Chapter II— The Main Entrance; The Porter; The Private

Rooms; Hospital Couches; Fumigation;

The Daily Cleaning; Dusting; Bath Rooms 20-29

Chapter III— The Hospital Ward; Soiled Clothing;

Buying Beds; Bed Making; Ward Lockers; Care

of Patients’ Clothing; Ward Medicines and Records;

Adjuncts to the Hospital Ward; Quiet Room;

Matters Miscellaneous; Destruction of Appliances;

Screens; A Twenty-Bed Ward Equipment 30-42

Chapter IV— The Linen Room; Bed Linen; The Room; Linen

Accounting; Discarded Linen; Emergency

Supply; Removing Stains; New Linen;

Shelf Management; Laundry Bags 43-50

Chapter V— The Hospital Laundry; Manager’s Duties;

Laundry Workers; Starching; Blueing; Drying;

Ironing; Routine of Work; The Laundry Plant 51-59

Chapter VI— The Hospital Kitchen; General Construction;

Kitchen Cabinet; Plan of a Model Kitchen;

Cold Storage; The Storeroom; Dishwashing;

Dishcloths and Towels; The Chief Kitchen

Employees; Training Needed; The Diet Kitchen 60-70

Chapter VII— The Purchase and Care of Food Supplies; Judging

Food Values; Bread; Milk; Care of Milk; Cheese;

Eggs; Economy and Care; Meat; Beef; Veal and

Mutton; Chickens; Fish; Pork; Butter; Fresh

Vegetables; Approximate Estimate of Quantities

of Food for a Twenty-five Bed, a Fifty-Bed and

a One Hundred-Bed Hospital 71-87

Chapter VIII— Preparation of Food; Object of Cooking;

Classes of Diets; Broths; Soups; Cooking

Meats; Cooking Vegetables; Time of Meals 88-97

Chapter IX— Diet Lists and Blanks; Serving of Food;

Tray Setting; Bills of Fare; Dishes;

Hints on Serving 98-110

Chapter X— Hospital Dietaries; Supplies for One Hundred

Persons for Thirty Days; Menus for

Nitrogenous Diet 110-119

Chapter XI— Hospital Hygiene; Prevention of Disease;

Sanitary Kitchens; Pure Food; Filters and

Water; Air; Cleanliness; Flies; Garbage;

Garbage Crematories 120-131

Chapter XII— The Help Question; Number of Servants;

Contracts; Merit System; Schedule of

Work; Rules; Servants’ Dining Rooms;

Sleeping Rooms; Attire; Housekeeper’s

Relation to Servants 132-143

Chapter XIII— The Problem of Waste; Main Causes; First Steps;

Surgical Department; Utilizing Hospital Waste;

Soap making; Drugs; Wasteful Physicians; Teach

Economy; Abuse of Appliances; Careful Accounting;

Watching the Expenditures; Dietetic Department;

System 144-158

Appendix— Disinfection; Fumigation Can;

Exterminationof Vermin; Care of Floors 159-162

Hospital Housekeeping