AFTER TWENTY YEARS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 308, 22 September 1908, Page 6

AFTER TWENTY YEARS.

THE WELUNCTON HOSPITAL. ITS GROWTH AND NEEDS. Twenty years ago, when Dr. Ewart first took charge, the Wellington Hospital was an unpretentious looking building, without a nurses' homo, or many of the present wards, or the present operating theatro. Within the next few years, after Dr. Ewart has resigned the medical superintendentship, which ho intends to do as from January 31, large extensions and improvements will bo made to tho present building. Tho occasion is a fitting one for retrospect and forecast. "lie Day of small Things. Twenty-one years ago tho average daily number of patients in the hospital was 76; last year it was 265. The number of inpatients during' tho year 18S6 was 615; during last year 2300. When Dr. Ewart camo there were due resident medical officer, 15 nurses, two honorary surgeons, and two honorary physicians. Now there aro four salaried doctors, 7G nurses, and an honorary staff consisting of four, surgeons, four physicians, an opthalmic physician, a dentist, masseuse, and' others. Tho number of outpatients' attendances in 1886 was 704; last year it was 8000. Tho number of operations in a year has increased from 21 to between a thousand and two thousand, and tho propbrtion of fatal operations has immensely decreased. Twenty years ago it was a desperate and awful thing to open a man's abdomen; now it is done frequently, without thought of. risk. Opprations in the old days—which yet are not so long ago —wero performed only when there was no other chance of snatching tbe patient from death's jaws. Surgeons have learned much in tho interval.

It is noticeable that in the annual report 'of tho medical superintendent of the hospital the year before Dr.. Ewart took charge, reference was made to tho "large percentage of. typhoid cases, due, no doubt, to the insanitary condition of many parts of the city." At one time after Dr. Ewart's arrival there wore 85 typhoid cases in the hospital. That was before tho present drainage system of Wellington' was introduced. At the present, moment thero is only one typhoid patient in tho hospital, and lie is from the country. A case is hardly ever received from the town. The only member of .the Hospital Trustees who was a member in ,1886 is the present chairman, the Hon. C. 11. Luke., The only member of tho honorary staff still acting is Dr. Collins. ' - Prosent Needs. ThG \Yellington Hospital is inuch tho largest in Now Zealand; and is well equipped on the whole. The construction of the walls, floors, ceilings,,and other inside fittings cannot compare, Dr. Ewart states, with that of tho most modern. British hospitals, in which no expenditure is spared for these arrangements, -but then no hospital in Australasia can compare with these erections, and the English hospitals ..built about the same time as Wellington's are very like it. Then the Wellington Hospital has some advantages of its own. Since this is not a large centre of, population, the air is hotter than some pationts, breathe, and the death-rate is. beliovod to be as low as any hospital can boast.. The operating theatre is really modern and a source of pride, and the electrical department, with its X-rays, Finsen light, electric baths, and other apparatus, is very satisfactory. " ; ' , '■ ■ Yot many things ar? wanted, and it is good to know that some of them will soon bo supplied. Tho accommodation is inadequate; every day bad cases are refused because there is no room for them. A second operating theatre is sorely needed; very often patients aro kept waiting days to undergo an operation, because the only theatre is "engaged." A new children's ward, new men's ward, and now womon's .ward are required. Dr.' Ewart thinks it will be imperative to get a new theatre within-tho next two years. The now women's ward might be done Without, perhaps, for two or three years to come, : out tho now men's ward is needed urgently. The' present- children's ward is very much- behind -. tho times. . -.- > '

A new' fever ward is at last in sight, but further off on the horizon are a dental ward, a cancer ward, and additions to the nurses home. The dental ward has been for a considerable time ,in prospect, but this need is not regarded as so urgent as that of the new operating theatre. , A year ago a citizen of Wellington gave.a generous sum to found a cancor ward. The trustees have been waiting for the removal, of the fever ward, to build this structure •'on .its site. The fever ward is going, and it ; is probable that the cancer ward will be commenced before very long. The lavatory arrangements of the hospital' require readjustment. When the additions now in view are made the present wards will be and the lavatory accommodation will then be improved.

When the Nurses' Home was built many people thought that it was absurdly large for tho requirements,, but Dr. Ewart thinks that additions to this building may be needed fairly soon. It is quite large enough at present, but when the hospital' accommodation is increased every inch of its room will be required, even if additions are not necessary. Works Almost In Hand. With a view to_ increasing the accommodation at the hospital, the trustees drew up a comprehensive .scheme, for doubling'its present sizo. It was riot proposed to effect so much at- once," but the intention was to provido a plan to work by, so that when tho hospital attains its ultimate dimensions it will not look too much like a patchwork. Dr. Ewart and the honorary staff met and dis-" cussed tho scheme, suggesting what was r<P quired, and tlie trustees have invited , competitive plans for additions, which must 110 seut in by tho end of this mouth. The ueed for a new fever ward has been a great worry to all parties. The present building was never meant for that purpose. It was an old wooden shed originally; no doubt it is saturated with germs, and the sooner it is pulled" down the better. The other day a part of it took fire, and tho survival of the building' was not thought to bo a blessing unalloyed. It is so near tho children's ward that there is constant fear of scarlet fpver. spreading to the hospital. Two or three years ago there was a caso of this disease in the main institution, but' the superintendent could not be certain that it had come from the fever ward. The nurses are also in danger under present circumstances, and surprise has been .es-' pressed that they_ consent to do their work under such conditions. '

It will be seen that the hospital has an expansive future before it, and a very large expenditure will be required before its full development is - readied. The expenditure will bo spread over successive years. , Dr. Ewart states , that his relations with the trustees have always been very pleasant. "I'iiave never had any real troublo with them since I came. They have always been very good." : ■

An. excursion was made in the tug Pilot, with the scow Rona in, tow, by . Messrs. Gow and Russo to the wreck , of the ship Halcione m Fitzroy .''ay' yesterday... The high wind prevailing greatly interfered with the diving operations, and another visit will be made at an early date.

For the first ten months of 1907 the arrivals of immigrants in America were 1,210,815, and the departures were 363,778. But for the first half of 1908 the departures were 390,476, against 193,830 arrivals. Here is the expression, of a judgment that must make all thinking: Americans feel "somewhat uncomfortable. iTor more than, a century we ha'vo been tolling all the world, and truthfully, that it is the best country on earth to come to. —"Intcr-Occan," Chicago.

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