TRENTMAM MILITARY HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 90, 10 January 1920, Page 8

TRENTMAM MILITARY HOSPITAL

AN ORTHOPAEDIC INSTITUTION i THE DEPARTMENTS AT WORK The war lias left thousands of men either maimed or undermined in health, and tile Allies, re.ilisiiu; their duty, have ' built counties:; homes and hospitals where tiie=e vtlcsaus may Iw treated and an eliort l:o mads to liriiur them back to ' no'.iual health. In New Zealand the largest' and most up-to-date hospital carrying out such work u situated at Trentham Camp. During the war t'iie work oi this lio.-piiul wns constantly h"foi'e the public eye, but since iiie signing af the ariniatiee very liitle ha» beer, heard about it. Yet it is probable that mote work —work of a more valuable nature—is being done thele noiv than ever before. The main addition to the hospital lias been a compleie ortliopaedic department for the treatment oi nerves and musclcs that lefuse to perform their pi oner work through some liijurv. There is only one other hospital in New Zealand so litte:, and thai is situated in .the South Island. The installations for this worn, weio brought oat from New Zealand s ho.-pi-tals at Home when they we:« dwbamle'l. and were distributed equnlly betwetn various hospitals in the Dominion. An orthopaedic ho.pital is-really u hospital where certain injured parts aro retaught what to do and helped and pushed along until they return to their normal state. This is exceedingly important work, as it is estimated that, 3000 out oi the -iflOO odd New Zealand mildiers at present requiring treatme.it for various reasons have fo 'to an orthopaedic institution. There ave not as many as_ 4000 men taking treatment at present, as sonic of them have been lost trace ot, but about 1)000, or 35(10 are being treated by tlis various institution*. Processes Described. When the patient needing treatment, ill this new science arrives at 'Ireuthain the first tiling that is done is to take a cast of his deformity, in order to ascertain what nature ot treatment is best in his interests. The cast is made by ! tne plaster department with the aid ot a llawiey table—an Anurican ' invention. This may lie described as a movable table—every part of it beina momle ut one way or another. A largo rod runs through it in about the centre, and on to this is affixed a mnail seat, on' which the patient sits. Sittiny on this Jus legs are stretched out in front of 'him -to leu and riguc. Adjustable loc'cpieees are litted on to, his feet, and as these are movable the attendant is able to give tlie leg internal or external abduction,, or simply flexion. . Belorc the plaster work is commenced, the patient liej back ami ins siit/iiluers on the .'iiouliier rest or movable upper part of t'he table. This can lie slipped along so as to suit t lit: patient. It' he is Buffering from spinal trouble a swing bar, forming a ngnt angle, w inserted into the cent.e rod unit affixed thereto. 'Bandages are wauiiu lTom the bar hanging above the patient round the man's bacJt, thus helping him to suspend himself. In very bad cases a slab is placed between the seat and the shoulder rest, and on this th& mjumi man lies. Certain injuries, such as those caused by a wound through tliq centre of thu hand, necessitate a splint, and it is by means of plaMer tiio.vo ui'B uiaiii?. ,When the patient is in the position described above, the attendants commence to make their plaster settings. Special book muslin has the plaster rubbed into it; after which it is placed in a howl of water and allowed to remain there until the bubbling attendant on such profcuure has entirety scoppeii. it is then taken out and afterwards laid out on it slab. Whilst wet it is moulded over the deformity, markings being made where it is desirable, to place straps and otherwise make it eomforcttble. Tin? having been done, the cast is allowed to dry oil an electric radiator. Next morning, any supernuous pieces are cut, off and straps put or. where necessary, aiul wiles vii leimorcc its strength inserted. The inside is lined with linen and the edges finished off with muslin. These splints then £0 to the workshops, where tliey aro finished oil.. The east of the deformity must be made beiore the splint, and it is done in a somewhat similar mannei. A large number of the men beins treated have lost the use ot n limb, 'find for those who have lost x - a leg sticks are made with splints of iron, which grip the forearm and are affixed firmly to the fiticks. One officer, who hud made such a pair, stated that he could jump, over a fence 4ft. Bin. highland immediately proceeded lo demonstrate his prowess. The patients help in the workshops, performing some useful work, which at the ( same, tnne is improving their deformity. ' Thus a. man with the muscles of his leg injured presides at the forge bellows. The workshops contain all the nocsssary tools, including; lathes, drills, and a saw for iron work, and they have now been founded on a sound commercial basis, as they can supply outside hospitals with ordinary splints and splints to measure.. Other Branches of tho Work. Orthopaedic work is clo.-:elv connected with massage, and the pliysio-therapeut.ie department is one of the most important brandies in orthopaedic work. Before the patient has his injured limb massaged it is 'subjected to an electric bain. These whirlpool baths, as they are called, when in operation, somewhat resemble the action of file hot. springs n.t Kotorua. Therb are three ty'fics of baths in this dcpavtii'fent, one for the treatment of legs, a second lor arms, and the third for spinal cases. A perforated board is lifted a few inches above the bottom of each bath, and the apparatus necessary for the operation of the various currents which flow through the baths stands handy. As soon as rhc attendant moves a switch the water in the Imtn begins, at first sluggishly, but later at it fast pace, fo swirl round until a clear hole is noticeable ill tile centre. The action of such a bath on the patient's leg or arm causca really what is simply < a water massage. Air may also bo let into tlie bath, but if this were done when the wator is swirling a waterspout would shoot up to the roof of the room. When the air is let into thejiath it bubbles up through the perloratcd board and gives the water the resemblance of boiling. Having had lii.s bath, tho patient proceeds to the massage.] room,» where competent masseurs give him the treatment his wound needs. He:e electric machines for' ascertaining important details with- regard to the degeneration of affiicted muscles and nerves, etc., are also working. By ii'.«in; of various electric currents it is possible lo find out whether the muscle or nerve conccrncd is progressing favourably or otherwise. No orthopaedic work is complete without an X-ruy,.av.t tlie one at I'reuthain, if not very big, is at least quite large enough' lor tho work reouired to be done., Many of the men .who 'have .returned arc human derelicts, and attention is paid by the authorities at Trentham not only lo the physical condition of the patient, but also to I.is mental slate. Endeavours are, therefore, made to inter- i est him in sonic work, and vocational training is in full swing. I.'aiptiiteruig and engineering seem lo be Kui two mosi | popular subjects, an averaee of 1") lo SU i attending the former elas-es and !)j the ' hitler. An old traction engine has been j obtained, and this will lie taken to pieces | by the students of the engineering school > and later put together agajn. There arc j also basket-making, leather work, and j tailoring classes, and Die results obtained have been highly salhiactory. !