Dr O. W. Wyatt.

The Manning Hospital has been in existence since 1926, when Dr. Orren William Wyatt began its construction. Known then as the Wyatt Memorial Hospital, it was opened for use in November, 1927, and formally dedicated May 12, 1929, in memory of Dr. Merlin Boston Wyatt.

Dr. Wyatt designed the building, which included an annex for the heating plant and nurses' living quarters. Architect George Spooner drew up plans, and supervised construction. Rooms were furnished by various individuals and organizations. An elevator, still in use, was contributed by the children of George Dietz. A well-equipped operating room, laboratory, and X-ray were provided by Dr. Wyatt.

Dr. Wyatt was joined in his practice in 1930 by his son, Dr. Merlin Wyatt. The elder Dr. Wyatt died in February, 1942. His son continued his practice until he entered the army in September, 1942. Due to health reasons, Dr. Wyatt did not return to his practice here following World War II.

The hospital was sold to three young osteopathic physicians, Dr. Carl Waterbury, Dr. R. B. Anderson, and Dr. Laurel Dietrick, who opened the doors September 15, 1945.

Dr. Dietrick stayed in Manning seven months, and Drs. Anderson and Waterbury practiced as partners for three and one-half years. Dr. Waterbury left Manning to establish an obstetrical practice in Des Moines. He was replaced by Dr. W. P. Chandler, who moved here from Persia, Iowa, in September, 1949.

Following Dr. Waterbury's departure, Dr. Anderson found it necessary to incorporate the institution with people of the community and staff doctors. Following incorporation, a board of trustees was selected.

The first board was: Hubert Lamp, president; Carl Frank, vice president; O.R. Fink, secretary; Everett Dau, treasurer; R. B. Anderson, hospital director; Julius Schroeder, Herman Musfeldt, Harry Schroeder, and Dr. W. P. Chandler. Erwin Hansen acted as legal counsel, and Marie McGrath was publicity chairman.

Since its incorporation, many Manning residents have served on the board of the Community Hospital Association. Present board members are: Gilbert Phillips, chairperson; Virgil Rowedder, secretary; William F. Ohde, Arthur Rix, Erwin Hansen, Orval Fink, and Leland Foote.

The Hospital Staff at the time of its incorporation consisted of Drs. Anderson and Chandler, and 10 osteopathic physicians from towns surrounding Manning. O. R. Fink was pharmacist. There were eight consultants in surgery, internal medicine, orthopedics, laboratory, X-ray and opthalmology.

Dr. Lee Moore moved to Manning August 20, 1954, to join the hospital staff. His stay was brief. Dr. Anderson moved to Sioux City in 1955.

Drs. John C. Edgerton and John B. Farnham moved to Manning from Battle Creek in January, 1956. Dr. Farnham stayed two years and then moved on.

Dr. Philip Myer joined the staff in August, 1973. In September, 1976, Dr. Chandler moved

from Manning to Denver, Colorado.

In 1969, the hospital's governing board made the decision to undertake a building addition around the existing hospital. The board was: O. R. Fink, president; Dr. R. R. Dappen, Wm. F. Ohde, Willis Puck and Claus Bunz. Residents of Manning and surrounding communities were contacted. People in the area and organizations responded generously with contributions to purchase new hospital equipment. Open house for the new addition was held May 16, 1971.

Cardiac, laboratory and X-ray equipment were updated, and an inhalation therapy department established, equipped by funds from the Carroll County Tuberculosis and Health Association.

Business offices, emergency room, laboratory, X-ray, surgery, recovery room, central supply, doctors' lounge, rest rooms, kitchen and dining room are on the first level of the hospital, as well as the boiler room.

All patient rooms, painted in pastel colors with color-coded chairs and drapes, and all new furniture, including electric beds, are on the second floor. The obstetrical wing includes labor and delivery rooms, nursery, and mothers' beds. Color television sets and telephones are available in all rooms in the acute wing, which has 17 beds. An intermediate nursing care wing has 17 beds, also. Thirteen long term care patients are housed on the hospital's third floor.

Hospital equipment is being constantly updated, financed in part by donors who give memorial funds to the hospital. One businessman gave funds for purchase of a new autoclave. Equipment for the physiotherapy department, instituted in July, 1976, was purchased in part by a generous memorial contributed by Mrs. Florence Hawks, Lake View, in memory of her husband, Frank.

The X-ray department is dedicated to H.J. Brunnier, a well-known Manning native, who bequeathed a sizeable sum to the hospital.

Equipment purchase is also facilitated by work of the Manning Hospital Auxiliary. The Auxiliary was organized in February, 1950, with 12 members; it now has 250 active and sustaining members who have various fund-raising projects.

Four administrators have served the hospital since its incorporation. Mrs. Ruth Peters was the first administrator. Following a severe auto accident, Mrs. Peters was succeeded by Joe H. McGrath, who served from May, 1955, to February, 1957. Miss Emily Scheldorf then became administrator, serving until September, 1974, when Darrell Vondrak was hired by the board. Mr. Vondrak also became administrator of the Manning Plaza in December, 1974. At that time a joint governing board for the Hospital and Plaza took office.

The present joint board is: Gary Smith, chairman; Wm. F. Ohde, O. R. Fink, Lyle Arp, and Leland Foote.

In April of 1975, work was started to construct a two story connecting corridor between the hospital and Plaza. The corridor was finished on September 1, 1975, at which time the hospital kitchen began serving patients of both facilities. Laundry for both facilities is done in the Plaza laundry rooms.

The present staff of Manning General Hospital is: John Charles Edgerton, D.O., Manning, William James Nichols, D.O., Lake View, Philip LeRoy Myer, D.O., Manning, all general practice; and Martin E. McKenney, M.D., Lake City, radiology.

The consulting staff is: Martin E. McKenney, M.D., Lake City, radiology; Ronald A. Dierwechter, M.D., Storm Lake, general surgery; Dennis W. Crabb, M.D., Denison, general surgery; Vincent Runco, M.D., Omaha, Nebr., electrocardiology; and Pacifico C. Ramon, M.D., Atlantic, pathology.

Dental Staff: Martin G. Ahrens, D.D.S., Manning, dental and oral surgery.

Courtesy Medical Staff: John M. Hennessey, M.D., Manilla, general practice.

Honorary Medical Staff: Ronald K. Woods, D.O., Des Moines, general surgery; Wm. P. Chandler, D.O., Arvada, Colorado, general practice.

H. J. Tope, CRNA, Storm Lake, and Richard Hutchson, CRNA, Onawa, are the hospital's anesthetists. Thomas Crabb, Manning, is pharmacist.

The Hospital/Plaza complex employs 125 people, making it the largest employer in Manning.

Ambulance service in the Manning area has been upgraded with the arrival of a new vehicle which can haul four patients. Since January 1, 1974, the service has come under a county-wide program with each community providing its own staff.

Ken Fogleman is Manning's director, and Gerald Beck is the assistant. Trained emergency medical technicians who receive licensing by the state are David Rauch, Vic Schwiesow, Beverly Smith, Diane Genzen, Dorothy Schultz, Aloha Enenbach, and Don Lamb. Drivers are Marlin Kahl, Larry Popp, and Merlyn Irlbeck, with Fogleman and Beck also serving. Manning handles an average of six to seven calls per month.

The ambulance contains two portable stretchers for lifting accident victims, a portable suction machine and a vacuum suction machine operated by the vehicle's motor, two portable oxygen tanks which can be mounted on a cot, a large piped-in oxygen supply tank, and a portable resuscitator.

The purchase of a blood pressure monitoring machine was approved by the City Council in 1979 and installed in the ambulance at a cost of $1,250. It has a digital recorder to monitor high and low blood pressure and pulse rates.

Radio equipment in the ambulance has a range of 50 miles.