(Editor’s note: Third in a series)
In the late 19th century, the idea of entering a hospital was viewed with hesitancy and often with fear. Hospitals were often considered to be “places where one simply went to die” and were avoided if at all possible. Doctors made house calls, and if a patient was not financially able to pay for medical services, he or she often was forced to rely upon the skills of “home care” from a family member. By 1900, Erlanger had helped to change that perception for Chattanooga residents.
In January 1902, according to The Baroness Collection, 20 private and 33 charity patients were cared for at Erlanger as the hospital continued to open rooms. Even with capital expenditures, Erlanger’s monthly expenses were maintained at about $1,000 as Supt. Charles Connor and lead nurse Jeanette Rose carefully studied expenditures. Capt. H.S. Chamberlain, A.J. Gahagan, A.W. Gaines and E.Y. Chapin served as hospital trustees in 1907. Later that year, prominent Chattanooga resident Frank Rees was killed in an automobile accident, leaving a trust to Erlanger earmarked for indigent care. Using the interest from the trust, the board chose to establish a ward for female charity patients. Erlanger had committed itself to continuing to care for the city’s patients, regardless of ability to pay.
By 1914, hospital admissions were increasing dramatically, and local physicians including Dr. J.H. Barnett, Dr. H.O. Hull and Dr. W.F. McManus advocated for increased funding, modernized equipment and additional experienced nurses. A $100,000 bond issue coupled with the selection of Dr. W.E. Raht as the new superintendent resulted in the construction of an annex and the completion of the original central building, allowing more space for patient rooms and intern education.
The new patient rooms were equipped with suspended buttons that could be pressed to ring the nurses’ station. Patient rooms were divided into male and female wards, and the top floor of the east wing was reserved for children. Increased donations and conservative financial management by hospital administrators over the next decades allowed the hospital to continue growing and to expand its indispensable three-year nursing school, providing fees to help support the hospital and a steady stream of well-trained nurses for patient care. The black band on the distinctive Erlanger nursing school cap along with the Erlanger nursing pin became visible badges of accomplishment.