Some Items of Sanitarium Work by L. A. Hansen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 21, 1910

Some Items of Sanitarium Work

By L. A. Hansen

WHILE our attention is being particularly called to the financial needs of our sanitariums, it is not out of place to look at some of the encouraging features. The excellent article by Dr. W. A. George, in last week's REVIEW, presented the fact that sanitariums may pay in other ways than that of making a good showing on the balance sheets.

We can even now rejoice that there is more to our sanitarium work than financial deficits. Even these present a different appearance when viewed in full light. Due credit should be given where it is deserved.

The magnitude of this branch of the work at the present time is cause for gratitude, especially in view of the trying experiences through which it has recently passed. During the last few years of its history it has made more rapid progress than ever, in number of institutions established and in increase of workers.

We have about eighty sanitariums, in various parts of the world. Careful judgment has been exercised in the selection of locations. Most of them are veritable natural beauty spots. There have been many indications of Providential guidance in securing properties. The buildings are nearly all of a class to be a real credit to the denomination. The investment in sanitarium property is nearly three million dollars.

Of more than one hundred fifty physicians, over one hundred are connected with our institutions, while the others are doing independent work, but in sympathy with our cause and its advancement. The nurses in our institutions number more than a thousand, while there are others in the employ of conferences directly or doing private nursing.

The total number of workers employed by sanitariums is nearly two thousand. It is an item for special thankfulness that we have the loyal allegiance of this company of self-supporting workers. Much of their work could properly be considered in the line of evangelical work, such as usually enters into the labor reports of conferences, and is paid for as such. It does not show in that form on the financial statements of sanitariums. If it did, it would be an item of some consequence.

The work of training nearly, if not fully, one thousand student nurses, and providing their board, room, and laundering, with a cash allowance besides in most instances, is another item that is not a small one. The education received by the student could properly be reckoned as worth one hundred fifty dollars a year, making close to one hundred fifty thousand dollars' worth of educational work that is being done in the institutions, and is paid for by their work.

The money for these purposes comes from the patronage. Statistics now coming in for the past year indicate that the number of patients will exceed that of the previous year, when twenty-five thousand persons visited our sanitariums, stopping on an average of five weeks each. Over two million dollars was received from this source. About six hundred thousand dollars of this was paid out in wages to employees.

These are items that we can present in figures. They make big figures too. But there is much done that can not be told in this way. We can not estimate the worth of the blessings that come to people through healing of body and soul. We do not know the full value of the good influence that is created for the advancement of our work with individuals and in communities.

We should not overlook the fact that our sanitarium work could be much more than paying its way entirely if it were relieved of the interest-bearing indebtedness. In nearly every case, if not entirely so, institutions would be making a gain if it were not for the interest they have to pay.

All of this should be an encouragement to us to make every effort possible to place our sanitariums on that footing where they can carry forward unhindered the good work they are doing.

L. A. HANSEN.