A hospital which wishes to use music as an adjunct to medical practice must be willing to offer the space required for its activities. The extent to which music will be needed will depend upon the nature of the illnesses treated and the average stay of the patients. For mental and tuberculosis hospitals, music is a “must.” The chronic hospital usually has an assembly or recreation hall for musical performance. This hall will generally be adequate for band rehearsals, and may also be used at other hours of the day for instrumental practice. Where funds and space can be spared, additional rehearsal rooms should be built so that more patients will be able to participate. Space can be saved by building small cubicles sound-proofed with any of the sound absorbing fabricated wall boards such as Celotex or Transite. Cubicles should be built with much glazing so that the patient will not feel the smallness of the room. If there is only one music aide, there will be an advantage in centralizing all music activities, but if more help is available, music rehearsal rooms should be available in the different pavilions or wings of the hospital so that newly convalescent patients will not have to walk too far.
If the age range of the patients runs the full gamut, seating and instrumental provisions will have to include provisions for all. This means adjustable piano benches, music stands, etc. Chairs should be provided not only for musicians but spectators. Patients should be encouraged to attend band and other group rehearsals as a method of stimulating their interest in music and for the diversion which it will afford. Music stands for the bands should be dressed up to resemble those used by popular bands. These stands are colorful, collapsible, and hence transportable for any outside performances which the patient band may contract.
Instruments
Participation. The number and nature of instruments which a hospital should have will depend only upon budget limitations and the interest of the community. There is no limit except storage space to the number and variety of instruments which a hospital should accept as gifts. Ideally there should be at least one of each of the major instruments. Each instrument should have its own case, and it is wise to engrave the hospital name on each instrument to minimize loss. The initials of the hospital may be cut into an inconspicuous part of the instrument such as the inside of the brass bell or the under side of the wood body. All the instruments should be locked in cabinets when not in use.
In addition to regular band instruments, small instruments which can be played in bed should be acquired. These can be divided into those of normal construction such as the ukulele, mandolin, and autoharp and the toneless instruments which can be made by removing the resonating body. A toneless violin can be constructed from a donated violin in poor condition by mounting the tailpiece, bridge, and fingering element on a narrow strip of wood or plastic. A piece of rubber “kneeling” pad makes a good practice drum head.
For children toy instruments such as the Typatune, the toy-xylophone, trumpet, maracas, etc. should be available.
Listening. A room should be designated as a “Music Listening Room.” For economy of use this may be a multi-purpose room. It may be a combination of the music aide’s office and musical library used at selected hours of the day for both practice and listening. It should contain an instrument for playing recordings. The choice of record player should depend upon the sound produced by the instrument rather than its name. The record player for the listening room should have an automatic changer and wide tone control if possible. Because of the excellence of many musical broadcasts a combination radio-record player is most desirable.
Portable record players are also desirable for the bedside listening of those who request it. In hospitals not equipped with public address systems, the portable record player can act as an excellent substitute for it. If the player is mounted on a cart fitted with shelves for records and albums, it can be wheeled from one ward to another for daily musical periods. If the hospital has small-sized lantern slides with words to songs imprinted (such as those supplied Service groups during the war by the USO), a small slide projector should be added to the music cart to be used on the darkened ward for ward songs.
The Music Library
The hospital music library may vary from a few recordings to a composite collection of all forms of musical literature available. General hospitals which treat all diseases and age groups will require the most extensive and catholic varieties of all kinds of music. Specialty hospitals can operate on a library tailored to their individual needs. A hospital for the aged will not require too much of contemporary popular music. For purposes of inclusiveness, the ideal will be discussed in the hope that some hospitals will be able to afford it and that others will be able to select those items which become possible for them.