AI English Translation, Pages 201-225
19
Fils | Dinar
907 | 15312 | Brought forward
360 | 153 | Subsistence costs for the on-call doctor at a rate of 426 fils per day
120 | 51 | Subsistence costs for the laboratory doctor for one lunch meal only at a rate of
| | 142 fils per day.
120 | 51 | Subsistence costs for an on-call warehouse clerk with an on-call dresser for one
| | meal only at a rate of 71 fils per day for each of them.
507 | 15568 | ⟦line⟧
⟦line⟧ | ⟦line⟧ |
Some poor patients are given additional meals at ten o'clock in the morning
and also at four o'clock in the afternoon, i.e., five meals daily, and that is according to
the doctor's orders. As for paying patients, they are always given five meals
daily, i.e., morning, at ten o'clock, noon, at four o'clock, and evening, and all
that is within the daily costs listed above.
2 - Despite the difficulties caused by the war, the number of poor patients increased by
33% compared to what it was before this war without costing the community any sums
additional, besides the amount given in the year 1944, which was 1500 Dinars, against
cost of living allowances.
1 - Furniture, tools, and other items were lost from the hospital during the events of May and June 1941,
and after great difficulties, the committee was able to remedy the situation and restore the condition
to what it was before the aforementioned incident.
2 - The late Raphael Haron Gabbay left in Hong Kong an amount of
30,000 Dinars to be distributed to the charitable institutions of the Jewish community in Baghdad
established before the year 1922. The amount that our institutions received from this estate
was 14,900 Dinars, and that was in the year 1942. The Lay Council borrowed from it
at the time an amount of 6,000 Dinars according to the agreement made at that time, so
the net amount received by our committee from this estate was only 8,900 Dinars. This
committee, like other community institutions, has paid from this
amount the salaries that were accumulated for its employees at that time, which amounted to 2123/812
Dinars, as the Lay Council itself did. The remainder after paying these
debts was 6776/188 Dinars.
This committee has found that supplying the hospital pharmacy with what it needs of
21
Reserve medicines, medical tools, and cotton are the best way to save the hospital
and ensure its operation during the years of high prices that were approaching. In this way,
it was possible to establish stores whose assets of medicines, instruments,
foodstuffs, and others on 1-10-1944 reached an amount of 7532/942 Dinars, which
had been paid from the principal of this estate, noting that the total deficit for all hospitals
on 1-10-1944 was only 1565/931 Dinars.
The existence of these reserve funds of medicines, tools, cotton,
and foodstuffs helped the hospital pass through the difficult years of high prices, and
the committee did well to spend the amount of this bequest in this manner, which
saved the hospital thousands of Dinars, noting that it had been decided at the time to seize
the first suitable opportunity to open subscriptions and collect this amount from benefactors and return it
to the bank to serve as a permanent reserve fund for these institutions. In addition to what was spent
on medicines in this manner, the committee paid from the amount of this bequest the purchase price
of the road surplus adjacent to the hospital, measuring 1024 square meters, and the cost
of some repairs carried out in the hospital during the years 943-944.
5 - The Physical Council used to previously grant lump-sum allocations amounting to 2100
23
C - Increasing hospital efficiency and introducing technical elements into it
1 - Given the hospital's overall need for modern sterilization machines in the operating
room and another machine for sterilizing bandages, gauze, cotton, and operating
clothes, the Chairman of the Committee decided to write to Mr. Sayon Isaac Yehuda
in Manchester to send that, and also urged him to build two large rooms for paying
patients as stated above. Indeed, the aforementioned person responded to the Chairman's request and sent
the machines and donated the cost of construction, until the total price of these machines and construction
costs reached 1100 Dinars.
2 - The Committee did its best to bring surgical tools and instruments according to the need,
including a large operating table with all its accessories of the latest
style, donated by the late benefactor Menachem Salih Daniel for the soul of his late
father Salih Daniel in 1940, as well as a special device for short-wave therapy
Diathermy with all its instruments, donated by the benefactor Senator Ezra Menachem
Daniel for the soul of his father Menachem Salih Daniel in 1941. As for the instruments
22
⟦...⟧ dinars annually as a grant to Meir Elias Hospital and Rima Khedouri
Eye Hospital and Dar Al-Shifa Dispensary. All the expansions, construction, organization,
and purchase of furniture, etc., did not cost the community fund anything except those fixed
allocations. Therefore, the successive committees from 1934 until now have faced
immense difficulties and numerous obstacles to cover the deficit resulting from those
expansions and reorganizations, in addition to the daily subsistence expenses, medicines,
and salaries that began to double in proportion to those expansions which included
all facilities of these institutions. Thanks to the renovations, the committees were able,
by building sleeping rooms for paying patients, to generate revenues
for the hospital to help treat the poor and provide them with what they require on one hand, and to employ
skilled doctors and bring in necessary tools and supplies on the other hand.
Knowing that the current annual revenues derived from the room fees in these
rooms amount to more than 20,000 dinars, and approximately another 9,000 dinars
come from the fees for surgeries, analyses, births, examinations, etc., and without
these revenues, we would not have been able to bring the hospital to its current level.
24
As for the laboratory equipment, the late Daoud Somikh in Manchester donated
part of its cost, and the other part was donated by the late Munshi Haskel Rubin Safi.
3 - The committee took great care in furnishing the hospital with the required luxury furniture, so it furnished
all the wards and doctors' clinic rooms, etc., as necessity required.
4 - In consideration of the requirements of the public interest and in view of the difficulties arising from the current
war conditions in purchasing and bringing medicines and supplies, the committee decided since
1943 to purchase quantities of medicines, cotton, gauze, and bandages
and foodstuffs season by season and store them in the hospital warehouses
little by little, so it established a warehouse for medicines, another for cotton, gauze, and bandages,
a third for foodstuffs, and a fourth for furnishings, porcelain, and electrical
tools etc. ⟦line⟧
5 - The committee set its sights on advancing the technical staff, which is the basis of every
health institution, and introducing appropriate elements into it. The table mentioned in Article
One of paragraph (b) on page 13 clearly and specifically indicates
the degree of progress and expansion introduced to the technical staff in this
institution. After the hospital included one doctor and an assistant to treat
25
and the treatment of various diseases. The committee found it very necessary after
establishing the new departments mentioned in paragraph (a) above, to employ
specialist doctors for each department to manage the work as required by the profession. After
continuous efforts, it was able to appoint a specialist doctor for each of the Surgical
Diseases Department, Internal Medicine Department, Pediatrics Department, Obstetrics and
Gynecology Department, and the Laboratory Department, until the aforementioned body now includes
an elite group of skilled doctors and nurses.
And when Dr. Palyan was appointed head of the Internal Medicine Department at the
hospital, the committee decided to appoint him as its technical director in addition to his original post
to be responsible before it for both technical and health aspects in general.
Furthermore, the committee has been accustomed to inviting the aforementioned individual to attend some of its sessions
to benefit from his point of view and to review his proposals regarding
reforms that must be introduced in these two aspects in order to study and implement them as much
as possible.
27
6 - On December 25, 1942, an agreement was reached with Dr. Mills, the famous
professor in the art of analysis, to perform all hospital analyses, whether for poor
patients or for paying ones, in a manner that does not cost the hospital expenses and salaries;
on the contrary, that agreement resulted in revenues for the hospital in addition to
the sincere and proficient service performed by the mentioned professor with his assistant, Dr.
Raouf Simah, in the hospital laboratory equipped with the latest machines and tools.
The following figures clearly indicate the increase in the number of analyses and their revenues between
the year 1942, i.e., before the agreement with the mentioned doctor, and the year 1944
Year | Number of Analyses | Revenues in Dinars
1942 | 1860 | (*) 128
1944 | 6208 | 704 Net Revenues
(*) The hospital paid in the year 1942 an amount of 252 dinars for
the salaries of the analyzing physician at that time, and since the laboratory revenues for this year
reached 128 dinars only, the hospital has paid from its funds an amount of
26
Note:
⟦line⟧
We would like to indicate here that the specialist doctors referred to receive,
in addition to their monthly salaries, certain shares of the revenues generated from
their services in the hospital, including consultations, surgeries, births, analyses, etc.,
according to their specific contracts. The amounts usually listed in the hospital's budgets
and accounts represent only the hospital's share. As for the doctors' shares referred
to, which in the year 1944 amounted to 5,496 Dinars, they were paid to them by the
hospital and were not included—as is the customary practice—within the realized
revenues and expenditures shown on pages 15 and 16 of this report. If we add this
amount, which is from non-fixed revenues, to these revenues and expenditures,
the total of those non-fixed revenues becomes 40,187 Dinars, as shown below:
Year | Total Expenditures | Total Revenues | Fixed Revenues | Non-Fixed Revenues
1944 | 47,858 | 46,292 | 11,601 | 34,691 Dinars
Doctors' Share | 5,496 | 5,496 | ⟦...⟧ | 5,496 Dinars
Total | 53,354 | 51,788 | 11,601 | 40,187 Dinars
28
124 Dinars to pay those salaries, while the net income of the laboratory for the year
1944 had reached 704 Dinars.
7 - For several reasons, the committee did not find it appropriate to renew its contract with the doctor who
was working in the X-ray department at Meir Elias Hospital before the war, and
communications took place at that time to reach an agreement with another doctor, but due to the outbreak of
the current war, no agreement was reached in this regard on one hand, and on the other hand
it was not possible to bring films and other necessary materials for the aforementioned
department, so it became impossible to operate it. However, given its importance to the hospital,
the committee has for some time exerted continuous efforts until it was recently able to
reach an agreement with a company in London to supply it with films and necessary materials
on a continuous basis, and it will open this department as soon as it receives those materials
in the near future.
8 - The committee has for some time been considering opening a special course to teach female attendants
and train them in the principles of nursing for the purpose of utilizing them in its institutions in
the desired manner. Indeed, the course was opened on a preliminary basis last
year and was reopened this year as well, and lectures are being delivered by doctors
29
the hospital and external doctors as required by the interest, and the committee hopes by this
means to prepare a sufficient number of practitioners who will have the knowledge and ability
sufficient to work in this profession.
Rima Kadoorie Eye Hospital
This hospital was in an old house, so the great benefactor, the late
Sir Elly Kadoorie, kindly built it in the modern style in the year 934-935
for the soul of his late wife Rima, after annexing some neighboring houses to it, then
it was equipped with the necessary furniture and the surgical instruments required for the
operating room, and it was organized in terms of doctors and administration, and we provide below a table
showing the degree of progress that has occurred in it from both the technical and administrative aspects, namely
between the year 933/934-1937-1944.
30
1933-34 | 1937 | 1944
1 | 1 | 3 | 1 - Number of doctors
5 | 6 | 11 | 2 - Number of nurses, attendants, and dressers
1 | 1 | 2 | 3 - Administration
120 | 171 | 437 | 4 - Number of eye surgeries
35410 | 81276 | 107915 | 5 - Number of visitors
12 | 32 | 32 | 6 - Number of beds
Note that the committee is currently studying the idea of making improvements
and extensive reforms in the mentioned hospital in view of its importance.
Dar Al-Shifa Dispensary
1 - This dispensary was integrated with its pharmacy located in the old building
opposite the Albert Sassoon School, but in view of the steady increase in visitors
31
And that was as a result of the benefits they felt from the service provided by the doctor on one hand
and the medicines dispensed to them by the institution for free on the other hand, it has become
difficult to accept them in such a narrow place, therefore the committee decided to separate
the pharmacy from the clinic, so it rented a private house for the clinic and thereby ensured
the organization and preservation of the interests and comfort of the visitors. Total expansions
were carried out in the mentioned clinic from both the medical and administrative aspects, so a permanent
doctor and a licensed pharmacist were appointed along with an assistant pharmacist, a capable dresser, and two female attendants, so the
clinic became open to visitors in the morning throughout the official working hours after it
used to accept visitors for only two hours, until their number reached during the year 1944
only 36,746 visitors.
2 - The virtuous benefactor, Senator Ezra Menachem Daniel, endowed for the soul of his late
mother, Rifka Menachem Saleh Daniel, in early 1944, the two houses numbered
37/139 and 94/393 located in the Taura neighborhood to be used as a permanent clinic
for treating the poor patients of the Jewish community in Baghdad and to take the
place of the current clinic rented by the community, and he also endowed a sum of
3,000 Dinars to be spent on repairing the mentioned clinic and furnishing it.
33
additional, except for the lump-sum allocations amounting to 2100 Dinars annually which were
and are still being granted to all these institutions.
While the Directorate of Public Health had condemned the state of the hospital
in its letter No. 11403 dated 16-9-1933 mentioned at the beginning of this
report, this institution has received the appreciation and encouragement of prominent figures during
their visits to it from time to time after seeing its technical and administrative facilities
and its service to the patient. We are pleased to conclude this report by listing the precious words
kindly recorded in the guestbook by Their Excellencies Mr. Abd
al-Razzaq al-Azri, Minister of Social Affairs; Dr. Sami Shawkat, Director
General of Social and Health Affairs; and Dr. Ibrahim Akif al-Alusi,
Inspector General of Social Affairs, during their visit to the hospital on
16-6-1943
Speech of His Excellency the Minister of Social Affairs
"I visited Meir Elias Hospital today and found it in the best possible condition of"
32
according to the necessity, keeping in mind that the two mentioned houses are very suitable
to be used as a clinic, due to their location, spaciousness, and construction.
⟦line⟧
It is also worth noting once again that the advancement of these institutions to
their current level is due to the valuable services and assistance provided by those
benefactors who donated what their hands could afford of money, and to those who
constructed the greater part of the buildings listed in this report, in addition
to the amounts that the committee was able to spend on those improvements and constructions
from its revenues derived from the fees for overnight stays, surgeries, examinations, etc... for patients
with fees. Accordingly, the committee was and still is doing its best when submitting
the budget for these institutions to take into account the progress and expansion that occurs
to them from time to time in relation to the necessary requirement on one hand and the interest
of the institutions on the other. Had it not been for this plan, it would not have been possible to advance
them technically, administratively, and financially without charging the community fund any allocations.
34
regarding the care for the patient and the attention of the doctors to their duties, and in terms of excessive cleanliness
which has caused my extreme satisfaction.
The word of His Excellency the Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health
"Perseverance and sincerity in work are always the secret of success, and Meir
Elias Hospital is successful, and we have felt this success during our visit today to all its facilities, for we are proud
of each other as we are all Iraqis and Semites."
The word of His Excellency the General Inspector of Social Affairs
"I thank the hospital administration and the treating doctors for their care
for the patients and the cleanliness of the hospital, which every visitor admires."
⟦decorative divider⟧
202
8/29/1949
Presidency of the Hospitals Committee
Greetings,
Your letter No. L/714 dated 8/12/1949
⟦line⟧
The Council approved your decision regarding the cancellation of the position of Assistant Director at Mir Elias Hospital.
Your letter No. L/722 dated 8/24/1949 (Secret)
⟦line⟧
The Council approved the non-confirmation of Mr. Kamal Lawi, the newly hired administrative officer
at Rima Khedhouri Hospital, and the appointment of Mr. Naji Ghetayat in his place at the same salary proposed by
you.
Your letter No. L/731 dated 8/24/1949
⟦line⟧
The Council approved your decision regarding the sale of the debris of house No. 393/94 Torah Al-Ma'ida
belonging to the endowment of Rifka Menahem Daniel Clinic for the amount of 137.250 Dinars to Mr. Abbas Saleh.
Your letter No. L/733 dated 8/25/1949
⟦line⟧
The Council approved the extension of Dr. Haroun Hayya's employment contract under the same previous terms
for an additional six months starting from 8/1/1949.
Please accept our respect;
Vice President
⟦signature⟧
7/22
14
Jewish Hospitals Committee
Baghdad
Established 1884
Telephone No. 3006 / 7480 Baghdad
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eye Hospital
Dar Al-Shifa Pharmacy
JEWISH HOSPITALS COMMITTEE
BAGHDAD
Established. 1884
Telephones 3006 / 7480
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eyes Hospital
Refouah Pharmacy
Administration of the Lay Council ⟦illegible⟧
Number 288
Date 8 / 9 / 949
File Number ⟦illegible⟧
Number: L / 726
No.:
Date: 8 / 9 / 1949
Date:
Presidency of the Lay Council
Greetings,
With reference to your letter numbered 353 and dated 29 / 8 / 1949.
We request approval of the decision of this committee numbered (4) paragraphs A and B, taken on
6 / 9 / 1949. Sincerely,
⟦signature⟧
President
Copy of the Decision
⟦line⟧
4 - After reviewing the approval of the Lay Council contained in its letter numbered 353 and dated
29 / 8 / 1949 regarding the appointment of Mr. Naji Jitayat as Administrative Officer at Rimah Khedouri Hospital, and in view of
what became clear from the report of the sub-committee of Rimah Khedouri Hospital that Mr. Kamal Lawi, recently employed
as Administrative Officer in the aforementioned hospital, has shown competence in his position in addition to the technical qualifications he
possesses, it was decided as follows:-
A - The continuation of Mr. Kamal Lawi in his position as Administrative Officer at Rimah Khedouri Hospital at the
present time until his probationary period ends.
B - The appointment of Mr. Naji Jitayat at the Dar Al-Shifa Clinic with a nominal salary of 20/- Dinars
to which is added cost-of-living allowances in the amount of 6/250 Dinars, provided that he performs at the present time the duties of
Mr. Ezra Lawi.
Approved
⟦signature⟧
8 / 9
⟦line⟧
14
266
1949/9/18
Presidency of the Hospitals Committee
After greetings,
The Council has approved your letter No. L/736 dated 949/9/8
regarding ⟦line⟧
A- The continuation of Mr. Kamal Lawi in his position as Administrative Officer at
Rima Khedouri Eye Hospital.
B- The appointment of Mr. Naji Jehtayat at Dar Al-Shifa Clinic
at the salary proposed by your committee ⟦line⟧ ;
With best regards ;
Vice President
14
⟦illegible⟧
JEWISH HOSPITALS COMMITTEE
BAGHDAD
Established. 1884
Telephones 3006
7480
⟦line⟧
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eyes Hospital
Refouah Pharmacy
Jewish Hospitals Committee
Baghdad
Established in 1884
Telephone Number 3006
7480
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eye Hospital
Dar Al-Shifa Pharmacy
297
9/27/649
No. 725/L
Date 9/27/1949
Directorate of Rimah Khedouri Hospital
We convey to you below a copy of resolution No. (2) adopted at the fifty-second meeting on
9/22/1949, to act accordingly, please.
⟦signature⟧
Honorary Secretary
Copy to :-
⟦line⟧ Presidency of the Honorable Lay Council
Directorate of Meir Elias Hospital - to write to the health authorities accordingly
Subcommittee of Rimah Khedouri Hospital
Dr. Rabchik
Dr. Hayawi Nissan
Archive
In the Lay Council file
Copy of the Resolution
⟦line⟧
2- The committee reviewed Dr. Rabchik's letter dated September 14, 1949, containing his agreement
to be an honorary consultant physician for Rimah Khedouri Hospital, and it was decided to ratify the contract concluded
between him and the Chairman of the Committee in this regard. It was also decided to request the approval of the Lay Council for this arrangement
mentioned in resolution No. (2) adopted at the fiftieth meeting on 9/6/1949, and after
reviewing the letter of the Subcommittee of Rimah Khedouri Hospital No. (7) dated 9/19/1949,
the following was decided :-
3 - Writing to the competent health authorities that Dr. Rabchik has become a surgeon and a consultant
physician for Rimah Khedouri Hospital. As for the directorate of the aforementioned hospital, it has been entrusted by proxy
at the present time to Dr. Hayawi Nissan.
(End of text)
JEWISH HOSPITALS COMMITTEE
BAGHDAD
Established. 1884
Telephones 3006 7480
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eyes Hospital
Refouah Pharmacy
Jewish Hospitals Committee
Baghdad
Established 1884
Telephone Number Baghdad 3006 7480
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eye Hospital
Dar Al-Shifa Pharmacy
No.
Date:
(Previous)
B- Writing to Dr. Raitschik so that he may perform external examinations and check-ups for paying
patients and the indigent under the same terms agreed upon with him regarding operations recently.
C- Approval to limit Dr. Raitschik's visits to the hospital to Mondays and Thursdays
for routine cases, provided that he remains ready to attend to urgent cases when
summoned by the hospital administration.
⟦line⟧
⟦illegible signature⟧
JEWISH HOSPITALS COMMITTEE
BAGHDAD
Established. 1884
Telephones 3006 / 7480
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eyes Hospital
Refouah Pharmacy
JEWISH HOSPITALS COMMITTEE
BAGHDAD
Established 1884
Telephone Number 3006 / 7480 Baghdad
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eyes Hospital
Dar Al-Shifa Pharmacy
Administration of the Lay Council - Baghdad
Number 294
Date 20 / 9 / 1949
File Number ⟦illegible⟧
No. L / 721
Date: 20 / 9 / 1949
Presidency of the Lay Council ⟦line⟧
Greetings,
We request approval to write off the following amounts as uncollectible debts:-
Debts owed by the servants ⟦line⟧ | Dinars | Fils
Abbas Shahbun | | 600
Qadaha Shua | 1 | 575
Total | 2 | 175
Miscellaneous Debts ⟦line⟧ | Dinars | Fils
Owed by Mr. Mahmoud Abdel Khaleq, tenant of shop No. 412 / 94 Torah | | 400
Owed by Shaul Heskel, tenant of shop No. 416 / 94 Torah | 1 | ...
Owed by the late Saleh Qattan, the lawyer | 19 | 185
Owed by Mr. Muzahim Saleh Abu al-Qir | 16 | 200
Total | 36 | 785
Please accept our highest respects,
⟦signature⟧
The President
20 / 9
28 / 9 / 949
A. A.
JEWISH HOSPITALS COMMITTEE
BAGHDAD
Established. 1884
Telephones 3006 7480
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eyes Hospital
Refouah Pharmacy
Jewish Hospitals Committee
Baghdad
Established 1884
Telephone No. 3006 7480 Baghdad
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eye Hospital
Refouah Pharmacy
Administration of the Lay Council -- Baghdad:
Number: 295
Date: 20 / 9 / 1949
File Number:
Number No.: L / 722
Date Date: 20 / 9 / 1949
Presidency of the Lay Council
After greetings
We request approval of this committee's decision regarding the employment of Dr. Rawiczek
at the Rimah Khedouri Hospital as a volunteer consultant physician!
⟦illegible⟧
The President
Copy of resolution number (3) taken at the fiftieth meeting
on 6/9/1949
3 - The committee reviewed the correspondence exchanged between it and Dr. Rawiczek, ending
with his letter dated 2/9/1949, and it was decided to agree with him in writing to be a consultant physician
for Rimah Khedouri Hospital without a salary, provided that he receives two-thirds of the fees collected from paying
patients and that the committee pays him half of the fees decided to be paid by second-class patients
with regard to free patients whom Dr. Rawiczek examines personally.
⟦line⟧
Y/
1/1
272
4/10/1949
⟦Health of the Department⟧
Presidency of the Hospitals Committee
Your letter No. L/731 dated 20/9/1949
⟦line⟧
The Council has approved the write-off of an amount of 38.960 Dinars considering it as
uncollectible debts.
Your letter No. L/732 dated 20/9/1949
⟦line⟧
The Council has approved the appointment of Dr. Rawinschik as a consultant physician
at Rima Kadoorie Hospital without salary, provided that he receives two-thirds of the fees
from paying patients and half of the prescribed fees to be paid by second-class patients
regarding free patients who are examined by him personally.
⟦signature⟧
Vice President
⟦signature⟧
5/10
On behalf of /
JEWISH HOSPITALS COMMITTEE
BAGHDAD
Established. 1884
Telephones 3006
7480
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eyes Hospital
Refouah Pharmacy
JEWISH HOSPITALS COMMITTEE
BAGHDAD
Established in the year 1884
Telephone Number 3006
7480
Meir Elias Hospital
Rimah Khedouri Eye Hospital
Dar al-Shifa Pharmacy
400
1949/10/5
No. / No.: 729 / D
Date / Date: 1949/10/5
To the Presidency of the Lay Council
Greetings,
Due to the absence of Mr. Naji Jihanyat from his duties at the Dar al-Shifa clinic
starting from 14/9/1949, it was decided to consider him resigned and to abolish his position. Please
approve this.
⟦Meir⟧
President
Sh /