WESTLAND HOSPITAL

Hokitika Guardian, 6 September 1921, Page 4

WESTLAND HOSPITAL

GROWING IX IMPORTANCE. | .MODELIN IM I’KUV !CNI ENTS INSTAG GEL). Westland Hospital is growing m importance, and becoming more and more a highly essential institution. Its accommodation. particularly lor male patients is of late very much taxed, and lie nor!, of the stall is increasing. One of ihe special departments of the lit spilal long out ot date was the laundij,

a depart nient of tin- greatest importunee. \\ here sanitary and cleanliness is of lii st (onsiderntion. Tile old order (>l ill.' primative \vus!i-tul> lias now passed, and there lias been Installed and is l.o\v in operation a modern steam laundry, at enee ensuring cleanliness and tilt sterilisation of lied elu thing and gatmenis so essentially requisite for rich an instilll l ion.

Tin. | lospital Hoard took mi important step in niTnioj.iii.ct for tin' nist.illntion of tile iviisliiii}' plant now in operation. Jf appeared to lie a costly utidertakiiiH on the fare of it. but the ltna"<l appears to have joiie about the -matter with a, particular eye to econoim and the result is to he seen to-day. in a well run plant, ionimodiotisly housed, and in very effective operation. For a new plant of lesser capacity than that, installed, the Hoard had a quote of alienl M.OOO f.o.b. I.yttelton. In nd■dition there would have been the ct r-ria-je, the hptisititi here, and the ultimate erection, the total expenditure not belli": less than <;l,ol)0. The Hoard was fnrtniintr in s*'ruring n

- i .iiui-liainl plant at (Ireymoutli for A buildino 1 n 3<i was c(l to liolil tin* iniifliim*iy for £l.Ol ill. dud tlit* ilist:ilint ion of tin* plant. was ('ll extra, tin* cost ol wliiell is not asieitninctl. Tim cross c(>st, however. "ill I.C less than .if* that a material saving; in price has h(*en inane. Here il inifflit he remarked the limit d (and incidentally the public) is fortnnhavia - as ( lie of ils members. Mr (ieiirpe Davidson. v.-lai takes a personal interest in the whole rntinin-' of the West Inn! I Inspil al. Heine an e-.per-i ehanieal eiieilioer lie has <_ivIn's services and experience yratuii,,i;s!y ill ore.inisilie matters in reeard to 1 1-,, steam washing plant, and lias supervised the installation and initiation of tlie machine, without cost til the Board. This, by the way. is only one phase m Air Davidson's self-deiiyiiii wold; for ( ),e Peneht ef the institution lie lakes so. Il a I ride in.

Tin* pl.-uil ulii.-li was pur< li:iso<l tnon Mi' \a !i iif (:!i■ vinmit li, lias In'i'M in--j;,]!c.] !;v liiiii am! is nmv in P'"il 1111 1 11i1 1 hi'li'i'. It i t)ii>ist> nl l" 11 liiijr,. 'vasliin;/ mnt-lli »n*' i , one 'if shirts i-a| arity anil tin- swiikl of -ll* l .flirts rajiai ily. Tltfii tlii'l** is a i'.i vin<- i-'.l it.i Inr \\liicli lilt* nrtirl<** r' “ it ll . i mu!. r>i.>in« tri'.itiiH'iit in lie

washers. These are .'ill worked l>.v inaelitiiery with 't »■;> in power, mwl operate very (|ttiekly. \Vliters may lie ,hi Hired as often ns mvessary, ami is ~ led at I,oil ill point, so that the :i• ti h? ,im* hotli Morilisril ,and delivered snow white without, a touch of hamllinn. The rot ary exlriirtdr. revolves with op'at, rapillity and ill so iloino practically lakes all the writer unit of the uashed articles. The 'washing and the e\l reel ion or (lrviiio is a very brief pro. cess saving time. ami leaving lho htamlry stall’ quite iinlependeiit ol wind or weal Iter. It is a tine example of what the Alnerirnils lull “l.'ihor Without work."

\V!it»ii tlit' articles ccine from the drying r\trni-lnr. they art' 1 lion ready lottin* laundry woman's attention. i hey yiv |t*ft damp enough lor ironimj. am! tliis Irtlifr process is done also 1 » y machinery. A lontr weighty roller *'t»:jm leaned. revolves with measured pace, aifd s||.*«*ts. pillow-slips, and what not. am inserted as they come. put tl.tmi<rli tin* roller and they arc ironod or maii'ilr l in tin* one process, the extra appliralion of heal at tin' sunn* time drying out all trace of dampness, sn that the articles an* at owe ready for !,:>e. 'rims in a very brief process, the nrti«*les fmm tin* hospital to tin* laundry. and are ready ti> return n-ain eleaJi mid flossy IVir immediate use. Nut only is there net the same wear and tear "n the articles in the process of washing, Imt the steam plant dees the work more elicit ively and mneh <lllieker than the most deft pairs of hands lould do. Artielus which nay mil pass lliroiioli the roller mangier, he. cause ol Ini ll<>ms. or other reasons, may lie pm into a steam (Irvine room, where they are ipiiekly treated, and are ready for other machines, which handle shirts, collars, millers, or other frilled or erimtded articles. Tim whole process, of was hi no is provided for and is carried out mi a system which is labor savino and completely eU'erlivc in those essentials ol cleanliness and hrieht snow while appearnnee, which delight (lie eye of the house-wife who lakes special pride in such matters. The whole oi the machinery is driven by a steam plant, ol eielit Imrse power, hut it is not necessary (o use more than one cylinder. The Imiler is in a separate apartment, and a coal shed admins all under the one roof. The Imildim; is iptile roomy erioiedi at present, mil as there is a possibility of I lie Mental I Ins-

pii.-il wnslmm lu>in«r •rlmu* l»y iln* s.-nno riant. I In* I’xlrn sj-jh i* will in :i very '.hurt I inn* I,*’ I’numl vi*ry iH'ooptnMo. A lu*r»* tit if y nf wiitor u usod in ? f)nn , jl iuji with tin* opri'iit intis nl* tin* siniim :iml it will l>o mv'ossary In :m<'iiH»iit tiu» locnl supply. Tlii* it is pminsud tu tin l»v sinking; n wo|l mi tlit* Hat Imluw tin* liuspitnl. mnl tisi.tr tlii* wntor liv .'in olootrin pump, tin* powor used In Ik* witliiii flio r<***“i’. f fur vdiirli tin* lionnl luis emit rnotml mid is p:iyin«x.

Tin- laundry stall' is vry pleased with til” illallL'i' I'IIIIII till’ oil! 11riI■ • r to Ilia new. Tlia work is not. so lahorions. nor i'l I lii’iv Ihr s':1111(• anxiety as nf von*, wliri! til** wralher hail In hr stmliril and often it was rieressiirv In work inln tin* nipht to dis|ms« of a. larye washin::. N'iiu Ilnurs arr morr i-rniilar. and Ihr work more orderly. As (hr stall' a.ipiire a hrttrr knowledoi* oP tin* workin.o ol (In* si air its operation will none more easy. and 1 In* pleasure of Ihr work will hr min'* palpable. Tin* nrw tirranprinruts art* 001110 to hr morr and mnrr rdlrirnt, and Ihoro slinnld in the loin' run In* erentri* economy. because of Irss wear and tear in tin* handling of, material. and the storking; of same, while then* is I he spopifd advantage in having

tin- articles of use kept in that pnrtien- I liirly cleanly condition which it is specially necessary should obtain in a. hospital. Looking round Die old parts of the hospital one is struck with the need for going on with the rehuildng scheme without delay. The old wooden structure is dilapidated-looking and must surely be very unsanitary. -The dialling,. scheme certainly is. Indeed this borders oil the disgraceful side, and in hot weather must be a menace to healthy conditions. A copious rainfall must alone save the folk about the institution from a virulent epidemic. It was gleaned yesterday that the rebuilding sc heme was to he taken up immediately. This is good news lor there •ire works at present in sight crying out for attention, and if the fair thing is to he done to the patients and stall, and the instituion is to maintain its good reputation. Tim Hoard is about to arrange tor its own milk supply. At present milk is costing about C3O per month, and cows are now being procured and arrangements made for stalling etc. The new laundry lias taken up a good deal oi the vegetable garden space, and an additional area of cleared land is being taken in. Tito piggery is proving a profitable venture, and is to Ik' er.ntinued. These' works will add to the outside stall', but they are considered necessary to carry on the institution economically. Accommodation for the stall' is going to lie a great drawback, emphnsing the need for the new administrative quarters. Accommodation lm ,st ice found for the aundry, stall 1 and this will probably I* arranged lor in the former laundry building, where the males will lie quartered. The management of the local institution, it will he seen, is growing considerably. imposing more and more responsibility on those in (■•large. 'I he Hoard is fortunate in having so capable a matron

Miss I, it tic' in cdinrn<\ On ll' l ' domestic sill*' alone of tln> institution, tl.nt, 1,,1-lv is fully neeii|iiod and tliotoitdily >-nt I; n*-inst i<- in Imt I'lul.'avimrs to di,.]i:ir:re Imt minimis duties to the host : ,,h ;mlof all concerned.