MANTENO STATE HOSPITAL
Population - Patients
Present at the close of year June 30th...
1932: 886
1933: 969
1934: 1,193
1935: 1,803
Members of the medical staff, as of June 30, 1935,
included the following:
Dr. Ralph T. Hinton, Managing Officer
Dr. Thomas Pekin, Senior Physician
Dr. Bernard Skorodin, Senior Physician
Dr. Harry Burstein, Junior Physician
Dr. A. H. Gollmar, Junior Physician
Dr. Edward Gagnon, Junior Dentist
This Hospital, the newest of the State institutions,
was opened in the fiscal year 1931, for the admission
of patients. The majority of its patients have been
transferred from the Elgin, Kankakee and Chicago State
Hospitals to relieve overcrowding.
Although during the 1932 and 1933 fiscal years the
building program of this institution had to be halted
due to the financial condition of the state treasury,
during the 1934 fiscal year contracts were let for an
extensive building program, made possible by a $500,000
grant from the Federal Government. These contracts called
for the construction of six units of ward buildings,
a laundry building, a general stores building, a hospital
building and the completion of the kitchen and dining
room building. By October 1, 1935, the total capacity
of 3000 beds will have been reached.
During the past year, Todd Cottage for female patients
was completed. The six new ward building units, four
for men and two for women, are exact duplicates of this
cottage, which consists of a dining room and serving
room in the center, flanked on each side by a dayroom
and two dormitories. These units are of single story
construction, accommodating approximately two hundred
and fifty patients each.
Special emphasis has been made during the past three
years on landscaping. The ground on which the institution
is erected, was in 1929 a cornfield, in 1931 a mass
of dirt piles, incomplete roads and walks, very few
trees and shrubbery, with little if any, attempt at
landscaping. Since then great improvement has been made
in the way of roads, walks, tree planting and landscaping
of the grounds. Five hundred and fifty elms were planted
in 1934 fiscal year, as well as 250 other trees. Several
thousand shrubs have been obtained from other institutions
and placed about the grounds. A nursery containing cuttings
from various trees, shrubs and grapes has been started.
The vineyard of some 2600 grape vines is well begun.
In the absence of hospital facilities one ward on the
male service and one ward on the female service have
been used to meet the requirements of the hospital's
medical service for temporary hospital needs. Each ward
is equipped with a small surgery where emergency medical
and surgical treatments are given. THe few surgical
cases of the Hospital have been transferred to the Kankakee
State Hospital for treatment. During the 1934 fiscal
year ten cases of tuberculosis, discovered among the
patients, were transferred to the Kankakee State Hospital
where adequate care could be given them.
The work of the diagnostic laboratory in the examination
of blood, sputum, in urinalysis, etc, is being performed
by members of the medical staff, since the hospital
has had no technician.
The dental department was organized in the 1932 fiscal
year, with a full time dentist in charge. Examinations
at the rate of about 3000 yearly have been made, since
that time, with the necessary repair and extraction
work being carried out.
Social Service investigations have been carried on
from the office of the chief of social service in State
hospitals, Mrs. Margaret Platner.
The two farm colonies, one housing twenty-three men
and the other fifteen, devote their time to garden activities
and to the care of live stock. Both colonies are in
charge of a man and wife. The patients occupying these
colonies, for the most part, are contented and evidently
enjoy living under the conditions provided for them.
An extensive building program involving the expenditure
of approximately $4,000,000.00 has been laid out for
the current biennium. It is expected that liberal grants
will be made by the P.W.A. to advance this project so
as to give employment to a large number of men in Cook,
Will and Kankakee counties.
Among the buildings contemplated in this program is
the diagnostic hospital to cost $555,000 and to accommodate
a receiving service and all of the professional work
of the institution. In this station the new patient
will receive not only a mental examination but a physical
examination comparable with that given in the very best
general hospitals. The dentist, pharmacist, the social
service, the occupational therapy, the hydrotherapy,
the small auditorium for staff meetings are included
in the plans for this building.
The hospital has had no place of assemblage except
a large dining-room designed for employees. With three
thougand patients present it is neccessary to provide
a place of assemblage and recreation. Consequently,
such a building will be erected out of the appropriation.
Twenty-six ward units for the accomodation of three
thousand patients will, when completed, raise the bed
capacity of this institution to six thousand. Other
building projects are five cottages for medical men
with families, additions to the employes' quarters,
a mechanical store and shops building, a second deep
well, additions to the equipment of the laundry, and
additional boilers in the heating plant. In connection
with the hospital for sick patients will be built a
sanitarium for tuberculosis men and women.
References to the origin and beginnings of this institution
will be found on pages 6, 18 and 225 in the report of
the Department of Public Welfare for the year 1931.
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS IN 1933-34-35
On December 20, 1933, contracts were let for an extensive
building program, made possible by $500,000 obtained
from the Federal government. These contracts called
for the construction of six units of ward buildings,
a laundry building, a general stores building, a hospital
building, the completeing of the kitchen and dining
room building and the installation of three engines
and gernerators to supply the hospital with electricity
for all purposes.
All the various contracts and the amount called for
in each are as follows:
Contract No. 5871 - For the general work on the above-named
buildings awarded to the English Brothers, of Champaign,
Illinois. Amount of contract - $1,061,608.00
Contract No. 5872 - For the construction of tunnels,
transformer vaults, engine foundations and alterations
to engine room awarded to English Brothers, of Champaign,
Illinois.
Amount of contract - $33,485.00
Contract No. 5877 - For electrical work on wards, dining-room
building and general stores building awarded to the
Hoffman Electrical Company, of Chicago, IL.
Amount of contract - $41,257.00
Contract No. 5876 - For electrical wiring in the laundry
building awarded to Kelso-Burnett Electrical Company,
of Chicago, IL.
Amount of contract - $11,919.00
Contract No. 5879 - For electrical wiring in the hospital
building awarded to the S. C. Sachs Company, of St.
Louis, Missouri.
Amount of contract - $15,227.00
Contract No. 5878 - For the electrical wiring in the
kitchen building awarded to the Wadeford Electrical
COmpany, of Chicago, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $15,880.00
Contract No. 5884 - For electrical wiring for three
engine and generator units, main feeders, etc., awarded
to Divane Bros., of Chicago, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $9,270.00
Contract No. 5881 - For passenger elevator and dumbwaiter
for hospital building awarded to Hollister - Whitney
Company, of Quincy, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $5,046.00
Contract No. 5882 - For elevator equipment for laundry
building awarded to Colley Elevator Company, of Chicago,
Illinois.
Amount of contract - $2,300
Contract No. 5887 - For engine and alternator units
awarded to the Elliott Company, of Ridgeway, Pennsylvania.
Amount of contract - $44,033.00
Contract No. 5888 - For elevator equipment for general
stores building awarded to Montgomery Elevator Company,
of Moline, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $3,170.00
Contract No. 5885 - For heating and ventilating all
male and female ward buildings and connecting dining
room buildings; general stores building; laundry building;
hospital building; kitchen and dining room building;
awarded to Klein and Heckman, Inc., of Dixon, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $118,977.00
Contract No. 5885 - For piping connections for three
new engine-alternator units awarded to awarded to Klein
and Heckman, Inc., of Dixon, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $13,400.00
Contract No. 5875 - For plumbing and sewering system
in laundry building awarded to awarded to Klein and
Heckman, Inc., of Dixon, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $43,226.00
Contract No. 5873 - For plumbing and sewering system
in and for the kitchen and dinning room building awarded
to M. J. Corboy Company, of Chicago, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $9,145.00
Contract No. 5874 - For plumbing and sewering systems
in all male and female ward buildings and connecting
dining room buildings; general stores building and hospital
building awarded to the United Heating and Plumbing
Company, of Chicago, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $128,145.00
Contract No. 5886 - For refrigeration systems in kitchen
and dining room building awarded to The Burge Ice Machine
Company, of Chicago, Illinois.
Amount of contract - $51,250.00
Contract No. 5889 - For laundry equipment for laundry
building awarded to The Ellis Drier Company, of Chicago,
Illinois.
Amount of contract - $39,500.00
The six ward units, four for men and two for woman
are all alike, Each consists of a dining room and serving
room in the center, flanked on either side by a dayroom
and dormitories. These separate parts are connected
by dour corridors, each 45 feet long and 4 feet, 6 inches
wide, The dining room proper is 96 feet by 28 feet,
1 inch. The serving room is 70 feet by 28 feet, 1 inch.
From either end to the 2 day rooms will branch a dormitory,
each of which is 95 feet, 11 inches long and 34 feet
wide. Both of the day rooms are 72 feet, 9 inches in
length and 45 feet, 11 inches wiide. At the north end
of each is found a bathroom 23 feet by 11 feet, 6 inches;
a toilet 23 by 7 feet, 4.5 inches; a utility room 7.5
feet by 6 feet, 5.5 inches; a clothes room 13 feet 2
inches by 15 feet, 7 inches; an attendandts' toilet
5 feet 9 inches by 7 feet 6 inches. At the south end
is another toilet ten feet, two and one-half inches
by twenty-three feet; a surgical dressing room; a coat
room 12 feet by 15 feet 7 inches; and a linen room 6
feet and 1/2 inches by 15 feet, 7 inches. Along the
east and west sides of both dayrooms is a porch 14 feet
wide supported by colonial stone pillars. Each of these
units accommodate approximately 250 patients.
Several additions have been made to the kitchen and
dining room building. A basement has been constructed
under the dining rooms with a concrete floor throughout
to be used for vegetable preparation and canning. Two
large pressure cookers, have been installed, each having
a capacity of 900 number two cans.
On the main floor of the kitchen, a dishwashing room
39 feet, 2-1/2 inches by 13 feet, 9 inches, has been
built and contains a large dish washing machine. The
main kitchen itself, 98 feet by 54 feet, contains 6
electric ranges with the hoods over these stoves being
enclosed with plaster. The floor of the kitchen proper
is covered with red tile. A dietitian's office 13' 9"
long by 7' 10" wide occupies one corner, while there
is also found two large general refrigerators, one will
be 14' by 13' in size and the other 15'6" by 16'6".
An ice cream room, consisting of central section and
hardening room has been constructed. The former occupies
a floor space of 14' x 20', and the latter 17' x 7'
11". Moreover, there are 2 large refrigerators, one
for fresh means, 19' x 32' and another for smoked meats
19'x10'. The dairy refrigerator is placed in a space
16' 1" x 19' 8". The flour room is 19' x 22', and the
store room occupies a space 22' x 29'. The bakery section
is composed of a general room 31' x 62'; a refrigerator
13' x 10' 4"; and a bread storage room 21x32'. In the
northwest corner of the building is located the refrigerating
machine with its tanks and coils for making ice, the
condensers, and 3 40-ton Baker ice machines. Leading
from the machinery room is a tunnel to the store building
where there is another refrigerator. Going down the
main corridor leading from the platform adjacent to
the switch-track, a track is installed that ends in
a meat-weighing scale. The equipment to be found in
the bakery consists of a high speed mixer, an electric
oven with a capacity of four hundred pounds every thirty
minutes, a glass enclosed proofing box and other equipment
essential to a modern bakery.
The general stores building had been erected as a large
2-story structure at the northwest section of the grounds.
On each side of the first floor of this building there
is a wide platform running the whole length; the one
on the west is 13' wide and adjoins the railroad track
while the one on the east is 6'4" wide. The building
itself is 168'5" x 95'8" wide. The office, 18'x18',
is located north of the entrance, and the distributing
room, 36' x 18' wide, is situated opposite the main
entrance. There is a cold storage room 55'x32' in size
on the first floor. In one corner of the main floor
is situated a shoe and clothing department where patients
will be outfitted.
Metal shelving has been installed on the first floor
and in the basement. A large truck scale has been installed
on the north side of the building and all goods delivered
by truck will be weighed by the storekeeper before being
accepted. Gasoline tanks now at the farm and power plant
have been installed near the store building, and will
be under the direct supervision of the storekeeper.
It is planned to have all supplies, general and mechanical,
stored in this building and issued only on requisition
upon the storekeeper.
The second floor is to be used temporarily as a ward
with a capacity of one hundred and seventy-five beds.
The dormitory occupies a space 93x92' and the dayroom
is 94x74' in size.
On the south side of the power plant is located a new
engine room. The foundations for the engines extend
from the floor level to three feet. The equipment consists
of 2 units of a non-releasing Corliss type engine, 634
HP, directly connected to a 500KVA, 2400 volt, alternating
current generator. All steam piping to the engines are
in the basement, and there are no overhead steam lines.
Other equipment consists of a 10-ton overhead crane
and a five panel switchboard directly connected to a
buss bar off the distribution panel.
The hospital is a building 336' in length and 2 stories
high, located behind and to the north of the Administration
building. In the basement are the morgue and autopsy,
utility and storage rooms. On each of the two floors
are four dormitories, of twenty beds each, and single
smaller rooms. The first floor contains an operating
suite with adjacent X-ray, anesthetic, sterilizing,
etc. rooms, while on the second floor is found in addition
to what has already been mentioned, ten single rooms
for sick employees.
The laundry is a two-story building with one-story
wings on all sides, located directly to the south of
the power plant. The main part is 75' wide and 90 feet
long. A receiving room for clothing, 95 feet, 2 inches,
by 23', is situated on the south side; while 2 annexes,
each 68'10" by 30'3-1/2", contains respectively, the
washers, flat work irons, extractors, fry room tumblers,
and the ironing boards and presses. The main floor is
divided into 2 sections, one for washing and the other
for mangling. There is also a stairway and elevator
leading to the second floor where the sewing and mending
rooms are located. Future expansion is provided for
in the form of one story wings situated on the east
and west sides of the building.
Female ward buildings Nos. 5 and 6, now known as Todd
Cottage, were completed in August, 1933. The work done
required one year's time. The general contracting work,
totaling an expense of $106,143.00 was done by Chris
Hansen, of Calumet City, Illinois. $4545 was spent on
electrical work, the contract being fulfilled by the
Marrs-Tanner Electrical Company, of Danville, Illinois.
The plumbing and heating contract, amounting $28,397.63,
was assigned to the Carson-Payson Company, of Danville,
Illinois.
This building is being used for ambulatory and infirm
patients. In the last annual report the dimensions for
this building were given. There are 2 dayrooms, the
floors of which are covered with five 15x18' Klearflax
linen rugs and several smaller 3x6' rugs. Large library
tables, settees, arm and rocking chairs, radios, and
cretonne curtains on the windows complete the general
furnishing of these two rooms. There are four dormitories,
each with a capacity of fifty beds. The north dormitory
of Todd 1 is used for bed-ridden and infirm patients,
while all the others are inhabited by the ambulatory
infirm. These four dormitories are furnished with white
dotted swiss curtains, valances and tie-backs, but each
has a different color scheme. There are 2 examining
and treatment rooms, each equipped with a Paragon examining
table, instrument and medicine cabinet, Hodlick treatment
table, electrical plate, and instrument sterilizer.
The dining room of this unit seats two hundred and is
furnished with ecru marquisette curtains, and linoleum
topped tables, each seating eight. The serving room
contains Crescent dishwashers, coffee and tea urns,
an electric plate, and a large General Electric refrigerator.
The court leading to the dining room is to be developed
into a lounging place for the patients.
MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS
An attempt will not be made to detail all of the improvements
that have been made about the Hospital grounds and property
during the past year. Beginning as we did, a very few
years ago, the erection of a new Hospital on unimproved
property, the metamorphosis since 1930 has been, we
think, remarkable. Then there was nothing but plain,
level farmland on which small grain and corn grew. Today
there is a well established hospital with streets and
walks and all the requisites of a small city. As in
the past special emphasis has been placed during the
year on landscaping.
Some of the major improvements made during the year
are as follows:
1. A basement under the main kitchen building has been
excavated. This was accomplished during the winter months
by patient labor. In addition to a cement floor throughout,
two doors, eight windows and two entrance stairways
were installed. This basement will be used for vegetable
storage, vegetable preparation and canning.
2. A sidewalk leading from the power plant to the reservoir
and pump house was installed. Approximately 3600 square
feet of cement were laid.
3. A 14-stall garage west of the power plant has been
constructed. Most of the material used in this construction
was obtained from what was left over by the contractors
from the previous building program. Part of this building
is now being used as a blacksmith shop, carpenter shop
and lumber storage.
4. Four cement hot beds were constructed at the garden
farm. These beds are 60 feet in length, 6 feet wide
and 4 and 1/2 feet deep. A six inch drain tile extends
through the center of the bed.
5. 2 small houses were built over the fire hydrants
at the north and middle farms. These are so constructed
that they will adequately protect the fire hose and
other tools, but can be reached only in the case of
emergency. In addition, a house sufficiently large to
contain a hose cart was constructed doe the south farm.
6. The kitchens and dining rooms for both patients
and employees were painted during the winter months.
7. 810 loads of brickbats were hauled from the yards
of the Illinois Brick COmpany, at Manteno. These brickbats
have been crushed and used as road material.
8. 460 feet of 4" water main have been laid to the
site where it is proposed to build the hog colony houses.
A hydrant for fire protection was also installed.
9. 550 elms, 210 hackberry, and 40 walnut trees were
planted about the Hospital grounds. In addition, the
following number of seedlings were started and successfully
transplanted into nursery rows:
3,000 Elms
1,500 Black Walnuts 1,200 Chestnuts
200 Weeping Willows
150 Norway Maples
1,500 Lombardy Poplars
2,000 Bridal Wreath
3,000 Bush Honeysuckle
1,500 Spirea
10. 1300 posts were placed in the vineyard where there
are now 2600 healthy plants which should produce a large
crop next year.
