p. 22 | Sanitarium Relief Campaign by L. A. HANSEN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 28, 1911

Sanitarium Relief Campaign

By L. A. HANSEN

Over Thirty-Three Thousand Patients Treated Last Year in Our Sanitariums

The statistical report for 1910, as given in the REVIEW of August 24, shows a remarkable increase in the number of patients treated in our sanitariums. The increase is fully one third, bringing the number to 33,127. Last year we talked and wrote of having a yearly patronage of 25,000 patients for our sanitariums, and the number which did come was a happy surprise to many of our people. A consideration of its full meaning gives it impressive importance. The present figures add materially to the amount of work accomplished through our sanitariums.

The large number of patients treated in our sanitariums gives evidence that they are doing the work for which they were established. To see this work growing so rapidly is an omen of good. The patronage of our sanitariums means their very existence. It constitutes their business,—their stock in trade, as it were. Upon it depend all the interests of the entire sanitarium work.

While a large volume of business for our sanitariums means much in the relief given to the sick and suffering, and contributes to the financial success of the institutions, there is a more important object of this work. The activities of the Medical Missionary Department of our denominational work do not find their full end in the practise of rational therapeutics, even though it be on a self-supporting basis. To stop at this would be to give our sanitariums but little more credit than could be given to many institutions of the world. There is a greater work to be done, and in proportion as this is accomplished is the true object of the establishment of our sanitariums realized.

As we recognize in our sanitarium work an agency for advancing the gospel message for which we as a people have our existence, we see the primary reason for the establishment and carrying on of that work. The larger significance of this branch of our work is not that so many thousand persons have taken our treatments, boarded with us at so much a week, but that so many persons have had an opportunity of learning more or less concerning present truth.

The average stay of a sanitarium patient is about five weeks. This gives him an opportunity to obtain considerable knowledge concerning the work and the principles of the movement represented by the institution. Association with physicians, nurses, and other workers; attendance at lectures and devotional services; access to literature in rooms, on reading-tables, and in racks; special inquiry concerning our work,—all these help to give a knowledge of different phases of gospel truth and correct living. Many of these persons would probably not come in contact with our work or truth in any other way. Some of these are persons of wide influence, and the favorable impression gained of our people and work leads them to give a friendly support when opportunity affords or requires. This phase of our sanitarium work might be spoken of as an evangelical work, helping, as it does, to reach a large number of people with gospel principles. It is accomplished without financial cost to our conferences, except in a few instances where a chaplain may receive conference support, or the medical superintendent may have his salary paid, because he also serves as medical secretary of the local or union conference.

The high figure of patronage secured in 1910 does not reach the limit of the capacity of our sanitariums. While a part of the season witnessed crowded rooms in some of the institutions, many more patients could have been cared for in all of them during the year. The necessary workers and the required facilities are ready for fuller service. The entire administration of the sanitarium work is prepared to do much more than is done, with comparatively little additional expense. More business would mean more financial help for the work, as well as serving to enlarge the evangelical possibilities, already mentioned.

It must appeal to all of our people that wisdom indicates it a wise step on our part to do all we possibly can to widen the usefulness of our sanitariums by sending patients to them. We know of instances where individuals, by placing before the sick the advantages offered in our sanitariums, have influenced from ten to forty patients from one town, to go to our institutions. Many will recall the time when most of our people were interested in directing the sick to the older institutions, thus helping very materially in their development. An active interest now in placing before the public the value of our sanitarium work would show good results.

An excellent opportunity for meeting people who could be benefited by a visit to a sanitarium, is now afforded in the “Ministry of Healing” campaign. The introduction of the book opens the way for suitable presentation of our medical work, and a reading of the book will create and develop further interest. This is given as one of the benefits to be derived from this campaign. We have already seen this demonstrated. While we can not give the campaign much credit for the gain in patronage thus far, we do hear of persons coming to our sanitariums as a result of reading “Ministry of Healing.” The possibilities in this direction must be apparent to all. A simple way is thus given us by which we may render substantial aid to our sanitarium work, help to bring relief to the sick, and assist in presenting the gospel to many souls. Is this any more than our share of responsibility in this work? L. A. HANSEN.