SOLDIERS' HOSPITALS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 32, 1 November 1918, Page 6

SOLDIERS' HOSPITALS

FURTHER ACCOMMODATION NEEDED VISITING DELEGATION'S ItEPORT By Telegrapli—Press Association. Auckland, October 31. Tho report of the delegation appointed to investigate, complaints 'egardiug provision for the treatment of -eturiied soldiers at King George V Hospital at Kotorua states: "The immediate object of visiting the King George V Hospital wus to investigate complaints in regard to tho inadequacy of the rest room, the need for a comfortable recreation room, tho lack of hot water conveniences in the lavatories, and the need for drying rooms for wet clothes. The delegation found that the cummcuts were quito justified, as only the poorest makeshifts existed at the time of the complaints." The report continues: "From figures ami from information we could obtain, we think that hospital accommodation equipment for at leasl 1000 patients in all stages of treatment is the very least that should be immediately provided for the North Island. This should include first-class orthopaedic equipment."

Concerning such hospitals, the delegates express the opinion that they should all have a common irest room in the hospital, in addition to any provision that may be' made in adjacent buildings by patriotic institutions. They also say that die use of dining rooms for sitting rooms is inconvenient and not hygienic, and for those tcasons alone should be discontinued. The delegates declare their' belief that the question of orthopaedic accommodation is a vital and urgent mn.ttei', which should be widely ventilated, so that public opinion may insist that adequate provision be' made for the prompt treatment of our (returned soldiers. Importing on conditions at Eotorua Hospital, the committeo says: "Every opportunity was given us to see everytmng we wished to inspect at ltotonw, but i'd'om telegraphic instructions which we saw, the officers in charge wero not free to 'supply any statistics of the past, nor were they authorised to express any' opinions regarding the effectiveness ot the methods of treatment" hiid duration of the same, or adequacy of the accommodation. The sanatorium was originally built for about forty patients, but has been enlarged by a hotch-potch ot additions to accommodate, say, !)U in more or less makeshift manner. The sanatorium is a decidedly unattractive looking place inside. The wards are dismal, with a general air of shabbiness. The floor coverings are worn and threadbare, while a fresh coat of paint all round would make a great improvement. ■ The smokin» and sitting room could hardly be more cheerless and uncomfortable, and some effort should be made to render it more homelike. At present it is - calculated to »ive any patierit 'the blues' ly its depressing - tone. In the bathhouse there have been no structural additions during tho war. The accommodation for message treatment in the bathhouse is pitiably small, and is already congested. The rooms, originally designed for one patient at a time, are now f.ccommodating three, four, on more. To illustrate the scale of increase, the treatments in the bathhouse during December, 191 a, were 845, while for August, 1918, there were 4000. Tho electric apparatus is also overworked, and it seemed 'hat 20 Bristowe batteries, instead of two, could be effectively used. A makeshift policy is here allowed to exist also, Mid the. mens treatment cannot but bo delayed by it.' As to whethor adequate hospital accommodation was being provided for orthopaedic treatment, continued the report, Sir James Allen had made a statement that 80 per cent, ,'rf returned wounded soldiers needed some orthopaedic or curative treatment, and that the North Island surgical-hospital to be | established at-Eotorua is to contain IS6 beds. This 4110 committeo thought inadequate. Orthopaedic treatment certainly averaged six months per patient. During tho past six months about 5000 returned soldiers had arrived in New Zealand. Assume that half of those were not wounded and did not require special treatment. Of the other half, say 80 per cent, or 2000, required orthopaedic treatment, half each in the North and tho South Islands. The question was how could tho treatment of these 1000 possibly'bo provided in the, proposed North Island orthopaedic establishment and workshops without evacuating the men as out-patients, before their treatment is fully complete, and thus runniti" the risk of retarding their ultimato recovery? Such a number rf patients required a huge establishment of trained inassuers, which did not exist at present. The problem was a ' difficult one, but it was evident that some of the returned men were bound to suffer from lack of efficient treatment, or at least from delay.