LONDON AND OTHER HOSPITALS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5213, 1 March 1904, Page 7

LONDON AND OTHER HOSPITALS.

IBSEII VATiOXS OS A TRU' ABROAD Ariss Novtllf-. Die* sonior nursing sister )f Hut U’i-lli)i"ton lfos|>Ui.l, Ims just vesurncd from ;i visit to the JioUicr feuutry. Haring her absence, M:ks Neville bas ixtilif?r*t£ a considerable portion ol her limo in an extensive examination of the principal hospitals and nursing homes md lias acquired a large amount of vainihlc* in format ion. She has fa voured. one )i‘ our represent alives with ihe following Interesting notes of her experiences “I first visited Iho London Hospital, Thick is situated in Whitechapel, at the fast F;;d of London. This hospital contains 7M) beds ami is famous iov many jensons. Sir Frederick IVaves. the Kind’s .surgeon, was the honorary surgeon jf the London hospital at the time the King look i!h with apxmndicil is. He selected from it the nurses lo attend the King during his illness, and for the critical upend ion porfornied by him. T was preatly Impressed, wilh the general manBgcmenf and uu-to-dale appearance of Uio iii'dilulion. The authorities appear to h:iM' every nrr; appliance in connecliou with liospil a I mailers. The London Jlospil.il has no less limn eight operating theatres., the one used bv the sen tor utir-

feott being filled up with marble. The Miiof feef ure in connect ion with it which jirmd; me was the new l-'insen light., This light, as is well-known, is used for ihe cure of lupus, that terrible malignant a l/: it I ion which deslrriys the skin and rats array (to- flesh. I had Ihe good fortune 10 see unite a number of patients under treatment for lupus, arid to •,*ximine the records and photographs of iliose who bail already gone through the jpecinl course. 'The medical staff appeared to have achieved some wonderful results in connection with their lupus ward. It will bo remembered (hat Gueen Alexandra presented lo the London Hospital the largest lamp in use, which is of -IhOO candle power, and has proved a wonderful boon to rannv sufferers. "St. George’s Hospital, in Hyde Park, was the aexfc on my list. This is an old building, and the wards appeared to me to he a little out. of date as regards Hieir arrangements and general system. ?,hmousl.v enough, while this is the case. Die point T was most struck with in connection with this hospital was Us wonderful kitchen and cooking nrrangemenls. The kitchens arc situated on tho fop floor of Ihe building, the result being a nerdire absence of any smell fiom the cooking. After examining this method of dealing with a kitchen. I 1011, •satisfied that the whole of our hospitals and public institutions would be wise to adopt this principle in connection with their kitchens and cooking. St. George’s Hospital is murine amongst London hospitals in Ihis respect. "St. Thomas’s Hospital is situated close to Westminster. It is very remarkable for its vast size and the beauty’of its surroundings, its site on the river Thames being absolutely perfect. While t was there they were building three new pperating theatres and four new wards, two of tin? latter being specially devoted lo children. The accommodation generally was being improved throughout. One nf the ngw features in hospital work just Introduced and recently fitted up at St. .Thomas’s is a very lino electric apparatus for baths. one of the latest forms of treatment for rheumatism, and which appears to bo verv successful. "Guy's Hospital struck mens being tKualed in a very dingy part of the City pf London, and the building, being also Tory old, ihe wards, and everything connected with the hosnital seemed somewhat ploomv. Guy's, however, stands out from nil other hospitals in having Dio finest Nurses’ Home in the City of London. I t was ouitc a revelation to sco the beautiful building which has been proofed for the nurses. There is a won-

dovful marble staircase - . which was snoci»llv nrosonted by Hie Raphael family. v i I)nniiMf‘ul swimming baths. Gnv'a ilosmtnl will always be remembered h> - mo for its charming and perfect Nurses' Rome. ■'Bartholomew's Hosnitnl is one of the eldest institutions in London, ami very rr/ur-li out of date. One can really learn i/ttle from its management in any rc/noet. It is only fair, however, _ to say that it is pronosod to do away with .the present building, and erect an entirely new one, and there is a vigorous attempt being made to raise the necessary funds for this uurnose. _ , ".St. Mary's Hospital, in Paddington, contains -IOU beds. Tt is situated in one af the most crowded parts of London. A new wnrd is being built with all the latest improvements and there, are a large number of new wards and additions all rery fine and perfect in their appliances. I was greativ interested with the working af the nursing stall. They appeared to bo thoroughly well up in their duties, being bright, efficient and smart in every respect. The out-patient department of St. Mary’s struck mens being one of the best in‘London for the comfort of the patients, and the convenience of nurses and doctors. . „ "At Brighton. I visited the Sussex Countv Hospital, a very fine, institution s-ith ifiO beds. The special feature m iouiiectiou 'with this hospital is the extellcnce of its sanitary arrangements, which are altogether of a highly superior sharnctor, and the very line laundry which has been recently erected. "Hero I also visited the celebrated Infirmary, being tho Horne for Incurables. The infirmary contains 700 beds, JOO of them being exclusively reserved for absolutely indigent people. The rule In connection with the Brighton Hospital is that, in order to relievo it, pa‘ients who are recognised as likely to be ehronic cases are, at the expiry oi t!m?o months, removed to the infirmary. The kitchen mid laundry arrangements appeared to mo as of special excellence, and tho nursing staff as one of great efficiency. The whole of the patients looked jo bright and happy that it was a pleajure to go through tiio building. "At Chichester, .1 visited the hospital, which, although containing only about 100 beds, is a verv admirably designed and well-conducted institution, everyihinpr being 1 good and well set up. It has i verv fine operating theatre. One of the inr~eons. Or David Ewart, is a brother if Dr Ewart, of the AVellington Hospital, and the latter formerly occupied tho position of house physician to this hospital. ' . , "I had a great deal of.pleasure m making a special visit to the Greenwich Hospital and examining tho naval and military records there. This hospital building* is very old, but the wards are good, jnd tho sanitary arrangements very extellont. Here I had the pleasure of meeting a young Wellington lady who had entered the hospital as a probationer. , “On a short visit to Ireland I made a jpecial inspection of two cottage ■ hospitals. ouo at Port Stewart.,- in the North of Ireland, and the other at Coloraino, They were charming illustrations of how sorfect a cottage hospital can be made, the wards, fittings and everything connected with the work being of the very pest and latest design. They were alJogether splendid little places, and were .in education in themselves. "At Belfast I had tho pleasure of going over the new Royal Victoria Hospital, which had boon oppnod by his Majesty tho King six weeks before my visit. Jlere Belfast has distinguished itself by the creation of.ong of the finest institutions in th e K iugdom. The' wards wore heated by hot air and ventilated by tho jxhausts in connection with that system. ■)’he fittingis, surgical appliances, etc., wore of tho most superior typo. No exDenso appeared to have been spared. Great regard has been paid to tho accommodation and comfort of the nursing itafl, and every provision that science »nd experience cocjd suggest appears to have been provided for the benefit of patients. Belfast is naturally very proud Of its great hospital. "In addition to the hospitals which I have named I visited Westminster Hos pital and quite a number of otnors, and specially a largo number of private aospitals, many of which impressed me is being! of marked excellence, all their ipplianects being perfect and un-to-dnto. "On niy return journey I landed at Colombo and ‘spent a most interesting time visiting the General Hospital for Nations. It contains 500 beds, is beauti-

fully situated, and lias most lovely gardens. The sanitary arrangements were quite perfect and the kitchen and laundry were fitted in a very superior manner. Tho nursing right throughout is entirely in the hands and under the control of a Ereneh order of Dominican Nuns, who devote themselves with great earnestness to the beneficent work they undertake.

“In tho course of my examination of tho whole of tho public institutions I was struck with tho fact that tho management in each case appeared desirous of taking advantage of all new methods and improvements. Additional buildings wore going up, now wards being constructed, and in every case the sanitary arrangements were being made quite perfect. The improvements which could be made in this respect in more than one hospital in the colony aro well - known. Another feature was the comfort and convenience provided for the nursing staff. It is fully recognised in tho Motherland that good and efficient nursing cannot bo given unless the staff aro treated with consideration and kindness, and when this is received urn patients in their turn receive more attention and greater patience is exercised in connection with them.

“I was greatly pleased to find that the new operating theatre of the Wellington Hospital and tho surgery arrangements connected with it are quite equal to anything I saw and compare most favourably with those of the large hospitals I visited. I am convinced that tho nursing staff in the Wellington Hospital have a 'bettor surgical training tinder Dr Ewart than is obtained by tho average nurses in the Mother Country. This is partly accounted for by the absence of medical students in the AVellington Hospital, which leaves the resident surgeon more time to attend to the training of tho nursing staff. Nothing could exceed the special courtesy and attention shown to mo during my visits to the various hospitals and public institutions. Ibis was largely due to tho official letters kindlv furnished to mo by the Right Hon tho Premier and the Agent-General. The practical effect ot my inspection is that I have come back richer in experience in ail matters connected with my profession. I am sure that if many of the matrons and senior members of the staffs in our hospitals’bad an oppor-

I tnnity of visiting tho Old World and I making themselves intimately acquaintI cd with the newer methods by which tho burdens of sickness and ill-hoaltu aro lessened and life in many cases preserved, I tho cost to the colony would he recouped a hundred fold."