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This first issue of the In-
terCom marks a step forward
in the progress of Duke Hos
pital. We hope that we can use
this corner to pass on infor
mation from the superinten
dent's office that will inform
you of current happenings and
plans, and also to bring atten
tion to some of our problems,
asking your cooperation in
solving them.
At present, the Hospital
is operating under an unbal
anced budget. The increase
of expenses over income is
due to pay increases put into
effect last year without a cor
responding increase in Hospi
tal rates to patients. The def
icit will be paid from Univer
sity funds. We pledged our
support to an economy drive,
believing that if you knew the
situation, you would conserve
supplies and equipment wher
ever possible.
Eliminating wasteful hab
its and procedures can result
in substantial economies with
out decreasing quality service
to our patients or impairing
our teaching programs. Fail
ure to control expenses by
voluntary methods may lead to
forced economies which would
impartially cut back desirable
as well as undesirable expen
ditures.
You will realize that this
is not a new problem. It has
increased in significance to
day due to the drop in ward
occupancy which has oc
curred in the past seven
months. Hospital income de
pends on the number of pa
tients in the Hospital; there
fore, any decrease in number
has an immediate effect on
the financial picture of the
Hospital.
PDC Says “Welcome Back”
By Maxine Cook
With the sound of Auld
Lang Syne still in the air, we
think it timely to say welcome
back to some of our personnel
who have been away for one
reason or another --a good
reason in most cases. Mrs.
Eugenia Suggs, Medical PDC
receptionist, has returned af
ter time out to await the arri
val of a pretty little relative,
Linda Gail, who will make an
extended visit to the Suggs
home for say, about 20 years
or so.
Mrs. Susan Noggle has
joined Dr, Pickrell's secre
tarial staff after a two-year
jaunt about the country with
her husband. The Noggle s
(she was also secretary to
Dr. Beard for a number of
years) have a son, Steven
Lee.
Also back with us in a
new capacity are Martha
Freeman, Providence, R. I.,
and Constance Jenks of Cam
bridge, Mass. , both Decem
ber graduates of the Physical
School here. They began
work in that Department last
month.
Adding a cosmopolitan
air, Miss Johanna Hutchison
from England joined the Phys
ical Therapy Department last
month.
We are asking everyone
to make a conscious effort to
avoid waste and to conserve
equipment and supplies as he
goes about his daily work.
The small economies that we
make can add up to large a-
mounts. Some areas of sav
ing are in the use of linen,
syringes, surgical dressings,
office supplies, pharmaceuti
cals, equipment repairs, etc.
We know that we can
count on your help.
L. E. Swanson
J. M. Pyne
We're sorry to report,
though, that Jean Gordon.has
succumbed to wily tactics of
the Los Angeles Chamber of
Commerce and leaves us to
bask in the sun there, as well
as work in physical therapy
in an L. A. hospital.
Another familiar face,
that of Mrs, Dorothy McMil
lan, is missing. Dr. Hart,
along with the whole Depart
ment of Surgery, we suspect,
has lost a valuable aide. Fol
lowing in Mrs. Mac's wake,
however, is the very able
Mrs. Polly Southern, whose
loss is felt in Surgical PDC.
Mrs. Bobby Jean Vanhoy also
is a recent addition to Dr.
Hart's office; and both these
friendly and pleasant people
are most welcome.
Kathleen Ward, who
comes to us from Edenton, is
a charming newcomer in Dr.
H a n s e n-P r u s s' office. We
hope that she is going to like
us and stay around for a
while.
D r, and Mrs, Edward
Whitesides are leaving Dur-
ham for a year at Warm
Springs, Ga. , where he will
begin work. Mrs. Whitesides,
for several years a member
of the Allergy Laboratory,
looks forward to a delightful
year of doing practically noth
ing but keep house and "bring
up father" --a result of the
arrival of cute Mary Ann.
Pansy Barker, formerly
of Dr, Nicholson's office, be
came the bride of Lt, James
T, Hedrick, formerly of Dur
ham, on Saturday, Jan. 16 at
the Duke Chapel,
Our popular employee's
nurse, Mrs. Rosalind Alexan
der, moved from her base
ment quarters to the materni
ty floor, where, reversing her
role, she became a patient and
the mother of a pretty miss.