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Keeping with my informational caches, here's the latest. Proper permissions were obtained for cache placement. FTF is bragging rights this time, but don't get caught looking, only a few staff members know about this. Take a few minutes to notice the huge nearby brick building. An account of it's history is listed below.
-Note: if you hit a porch you are to far into the property-
Aiken Hospital History
The history of the hospital's origins were documented by Margaret Matika Asbill in a letter prepared for the newspaper on Aug. 8, 1958, and the details of the beginnings were a hot topic at the reunion.
Reminiscing of when of when it was wooden, "The first local hospital was opened on April 17, 1917, and was known as the Aiken Hospital and Relief Society. The hospital was built with funds contributed mostly by the winter residents and had a bed capacity of 30 - 18 of which were for white patients and 12 for colored. The hospital had to close in 1924 due to lack of funds," wrote Asbill.
The hospital was reopened in 1927 with the help of the Legislative Delegation. At the time, the hospital had few resources and already needed more space. Pooling federal and county funds, a new building was constructed and opened in 1936. Asbill's letter reports there were 136 beds in 1958.
She describes the hospital by writing, "The hospital now has a fully equipped and well staffed laboratory and X-ray department. There are four operating rooms and three delivery rooms. There is an adequate blood bank. ... Recent additions and improvements include air conditioning, oxygen piped from a central supply to each room, telephone service from nurse to patient, recovery room, laundry, cafeteria, a separate pediatric department, and the laboratory has been enlarged."
It has been documented that in December 1941 accommodations for the nurses were complete and a nurses' home began operation. Also in the same year, an annual report states, "The crowded conditions of the hospital became acute. Plans were considered for an addition but before this could be realized, the shortage of materials, due to conditions of World War II, made it necessary to postpone building plans."
In 1958, the hospital cared for approximately 650 bed patients per month and about 1,000 outpatients with an average of 260 operations a month, 3,150 laboratory examinations, 750 X-ray examinations and 110 newborns, Asbill reports.
She continued by saying there were 25 members of the medical staff, a full-time radiologist and pathologist, and the hospital auxiliary actively operated hospitality services. A training school for practical nurses was added in 1957.
An updated account of the hospital's status from 1966 reports the number of bed patients had been reduced to 600 while the number of outpatients grew to 1,800 with approximately 232 surgical procedures, 10,000 laboratory examinations, 1,000 X-ray examinations and 68 newborns. The nursing school had received accreditation, and the medical staff increased to 30.
The closing of one hospital status update states, "Everyone in Aiken and Aiken County have always cooperated and have worked faithfully to make the hospital a better and more efficient one - always giving the best in patient care."
The old Aiken Hospital closed its doors in 1976 and moved to a new larger facility, taking many of its employees along for the transfer.
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