H.—3l

90

been sent out for rest and change. There are two maids, who are quite reliable, and can take charge when the nurse is out. This Home is a very useful adjunct to the Auckland Hospital, and should relieve the wards of many patients not sufficiently convalescent to he away from nursing treatment and supervision. Goveunino Body : Wellington Hospital and Chabitable Aid Board. Usual date of meeting: House and Finance, Thursdays;'Hospital Committee, monthly; Charitable, Tuesdays. Secretary: J. Coyle. Wellington Hospital. Honorary medical stall: Surgeons —John Ewart, 8.M., M.D.; H. C. Faulke, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S.; W. E. Herbert, M.8., M.D.; D. J. McGavin, M.R.C.S., M.D.; W. Young, M.D., F.R.C.S.: physicians—C. B. Begg, M.R.C.S., M.D.; H. E. Gibbs, M.8., F.R.C.S.; C. D. Henry, M.8., M.D.j M. Holmes, M.8., M.D. ; St. .1. A. Tolhurst, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. : ophthalmic surgeons—G. W. Harty, M.8., F.R.C.S.; C. F. G. Webster, M.8., B.Ch. Stipendiary medical staff: Medical Superintendent—H. Hardwick-Smith, F.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., house surgeons —R. Woodhouse, M.8., Ch.B.; E. E. Brown, M.8., Ch.B.; H. Robertson, M.8., Ch.B. Matron : F. K. Payne. Localities, broadly, from which patients came: Wellington City, 1,992; Wellington suburbs, 341; Petone Borough, 166; Lower Hutt Borough, 83; ships in port, 69; Upper Hutt District, 45; Porirua, 16; Levin, 15; Wairarapa South, 14; Wairarapa North, 9; Kangitikei, 11; Palmerston North, 10; Hawke's Bay, 10; Taranaki, 8; Westland, 7; Westport, 6; Otaki, 5; Foxton, 3; Dunedin, ■'<; Auckland, 3; Wanganui, '■> ; sundry small places, (it); not stated, 11. The Hospital was visited several times during the year. The wards were all fairly full, and the children from the children's ward, which was being demolished to make room for the new building, were distributed among them. The day-room of (he Victoria Ward downstairs was converted into a children's ward, and there were Ii children there, 5 being babies —2 of these with hare-lips. An important addition to the Victoria wards is a wide balcony and verandah, on which many of the chronic patients can be wheeled from the wards. In the Seddon shelters there were only 13 patients. The removal of the old lever ward was accomplished during the year, ami the site, with that of the children's ward, prepared for a new and up-to-date hospital for children. The sanitary annexes of the main hospital, which on this visit of inspection were found in as good order as possible under the present conditions, are now being altered and improved. The kitchen and scullery of the Hospital need rebuilding and enlarging, and providing with proper receptacles for refuse, &c. The means of serving the food -which was of good qualit) ami well cooked —to the wards has been improved. On passing through the dispensary and the adjacent corridor and dispensary store, they were found to be not by any means in a proper condition, and showed need of supervision. Though there was a daily average of 2.") more patients under treatment, the total cost of provisions only increased by about £200, the cost per bed in this item having decreased by £1 6s. There is also a slight decrease in cost per lied in " Surgery and dispensary "; and a considerable decrease (£4 10s.) in "Domestic and establishment." The cost per bed in "Salaries and wages " has also decreased. There is a general reduction in the cost per bed of over £10—a very creditable record, which says much lor the energies of the Medical Superintendent, and the Secretary. Fever Hospital. The new Fever Hospital was opened by His Excellency, Lord Islington, early in the year. A visit of inspection was paid on (ith April. There were 16 patients in, of whom 12 were children. The Hospital is proving to be very conveniently planned. The Matron, Miss Polden, a nurse lately from England, rinds the division of the male und female wards into acute, semi-convalescent, and convalescent very workable by glass partitions, there being no difficulty in keeping patients in the various stages of the disease apart. A matter which will have to be considered later is further provision for the disinfection and discharge of patients. At present the block for " suspect " cases is used for this purpose. The arrangements for nurses' disinfection work very well. They pass through three rooms, the centre one a bathroom, and change their clothing before entering the Home after being on duty. They can then go out without risk of carrying infection. .\ boiler is to be provided for disinfection of clothes, as the use of strong disinfectant before being taken to the general Hospital laundry is ruinous to the linen. The probationers from the Hospital are drafted here for three months, and this should form a valuable part of their training. Otaki Hospital. Honorary medical staff: H. C. Faulke, F.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Stipendiary medical staff: W. H. J. Huthwaite, M.R.C.S.. f-.R.C.P. Matron : E. M. Sealy. Localities, broadly, from which patients came: Levin, 42; Shannon, 6: Ohau, 9; Manakau. 13; Otaki, 4S; Te Horo, 2; Waikanae, 15; not stated. 9. Visited on 3rd October, 1911.