The Will Rogers Hospital Story Industry Leaders Hear of Advances in Service During Two-Day Inspection NEW YORK—A story of heartening progress in rehabilitating the Will Rogers Memorial hospital. Saranac Lake, and placing it on the path to becoming an outstanding tuberculosis research center as well as a haven for afflicted workers in the film and allied amusement industries was unfolded during a tour of the hospital by the board membex-s and guests Fi'iday (20i A meeting of the board was held Saturday (21) at the Al-Bur-Norm hotel on Schroon lake, owned by Herman Robbins. head of National Screen Service. In the three years since Variety Clubs International took over the institution 119 patients have been admitted from 24 states and three foreign countries, and they have received treatment at a per capita cost of S64.50 per week. Sixty-eight patients have been discharged. The average stay of patients has been 17 months and the average age 34. COST $148,613 TO OPERATE Operating expenses last year were $148,- 613.68. Capital improvements were made at a cost of $10,250.40, and expenses of the Christmas Salute campaign were $34,654.94. As of June 1. 1952. the cash balance was $191,897.19. This tells the stoi-y only in cold figures. What has actually happened is a striking improvement in the appearance of the beautiful Tudor building on the top of a hill surrounded by well kept landscaped grounds with flower gardens. Robert J. O'Donnell is now chairman of the board and A. Montague, vice-president and general sales manager of Columbia, is president, and Charles E. Lfewis is executive vicepresident. Since the board meeting last December, when the patient population was 44 persons, 22 new patients have been admitted and 16 have been discharged. In the meantime the research laboratory has been reopened and staffed and the new A statue of Will Rogers is unveiled in the stairwell of the hospital, with Robert J. O'Donnell and A_ Montague pulling the rope to life the covering. The statue is the original plaster cast made by Jo Davidson, eminent sculptor for the bronze figure now in Claremore, Ok]a>. L to R: Jack Cohn, Max A. Cohen, Tom Connors, Harry Brandt, O'Donnell, Montague, Marvin Kirsch and Arthur Krim. TB drug, Rimifon, has been used. Even before the New York City publicity on the new drugs the hospital was already experimenting with them, not always with complete success, however, because some patients develop immunity to them. A close study in the laboratory is necessary for all treatments and combinations of drugs. This work is under the direction of Dr. Morris Dworskl. "Within the next year or two," says a report by Lewis, "we believe the Will Rogers Laboratory will earn a recognized position among the top TB laboratories of this country. In all probability, we will be able to take on specialized research for some of the Agree on Four Financing Plans NEW YORK—Four plans were agreed upon for raising funds for the Will Rogers Memorial hospital at a weekend meeting of the boaid Saturday (20>. They are: 1. An immediate effort to get groups to support one room each at an expense of $2,000 each per year. The hospital has 80 rooms. A metal placque would be placed on the door of each room thus endowed. Robert J. O'Donnell heads the group in charge of this undertaking. 2. Continue the Christmas Salute which raised $92,000 last year from 94,000 contributors. 3. Request theatres to place collection cans with suitable display cards on their concession stands or elsewhere. 4. Insert tactful requests to the recipients of armual passes that they send contributions for the hospital. Deferred for later consideration as a means of raising funds was a group Insurance plan by means of which a person in the industry could take out a pohcy up to $40,000, with the understanding that at least halt of this would go to the hospital on the death of the holder. It was pointed out that this plan would require at least 100 participants; that the cost would be less for the $40,000 than would the cost for $20,000 on a straight life policy; that no physical examination would be necessary, and that the armual cost for that part of the pralicy payable to the hospital would be deductible from income taxes. About 25 film executives have already signified their willingness to go in on this plan. After the first 100 policies have been issued it may be possible to issue policies for lesser amounts. larger pharmaceutical houses and on a research fund-grant basis." The hospital now has a new X-ray machine. So that patients' morale will be kept at a high pitch the main room on the first floor is to be redecorated, with a limit of $8,000 placed on the cost. Max A. Cohen, board member, is chairman of a committee to take charge of this. A roof aerial is to be erected at an outside cost of $7,500, because during the repainting of the exterior of the building it was necessary to remove many outside wires used for radio receivers. Another project authorized by the board was the conversion of the heating plant from coal to oil. With coal, it is necessary to unload cars from the nearest railroad siding about 1,000 yards away, to truck it up a hill and dump it outside the boiler room before taking it inside. This is a slow and expensive operation. It is expected that the hospital's capacity of 80 patients will be reached in a few months. Except in specified cases, no more patients will be admitted from the radio and television fields until such time as these branches give satisfactory financial support to the institution, and no Actors' Equity members will be admitted unless recommended by the Actors' Fund, which pays the hospital $60 per week for each person recommended. A committee is now trying to induce the radio and television industries to share in the cost of running the institution. During the Friday inspection of the hospital the original plaster cast of the statue of Will Rogers was unveiled in the circular stairwell of the building. The bronze casting from this original model by Jo Davidson is now at the Claremore, Okla., Rogers memorial. The estate of Davidson presented the original to the hospital. I9i bi 12 BOXOFFICE June 28, 1952
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