THE WAIKATO DISTRICT HOS PITAL.

Waikato Times, Volume xxx, Issue 2432, 11 February 1888, Page 2

THE WAIKATO DISTRICT HOS PITAL.

*. Wiikn the combined wisdom of the Legislature, then led by the concentrated genius of the Stout- Vogel Ministry, established a system of Poor rates with Boards of Guardians, now inscribed in tho statute books under the title of "The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act," of INS">. the colony virtually blushed with shame at the. thought that such a law should b;s not only perpetrated, but oven deemed necessary for the good of the community after the very ostentations parade that had been made persistently for more than a decade of unexampled prosperity, progress by "leaps and bounds," and universal happiness and contentment generally. But tins Act of 1885 dispelled most of tho delightful iusoiicianco with which wo had beou regaling ourselves so long, and brought home tho painful truth that wo have "the poor always with us " in as large a proportion as most other countries of more ancient standing. Tha Act of 188"> and the Amendment Act of ISSfJ dispelled all false sentiments, they even refused to allow that such a thing as human charity has any abiding place, in the heart ot society. In a thy matter of fact, griinvisaged sort of fashion, which admitted of no denial, they imposed upon the people the burden of finding the means in a direct way, the m-jst direct way of taxation, for the housing and care of their own sick, mainifcd, and destitute poor. It is now a duty, carefully elaborated bv the State, which cannot be avoided, and must bo accepted in tho most cheerful manner possible, and the more the ratepayers mak.: themselves familiar with obligations that are a forcible test of the benevolence of their natures, and render them as pleasant and agreeable to both sides, those who provide and those who receive, tho greater will be the honour to them. Under the 1885 Act, which made the Waikato an appendago of tho Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, the weight inflicted upon the country contributing bodies would have boon overwhelming and disastrous to the well-being of the various localities. Fortunately for us a determined fight was main tained against such a position which resulted in the inserting of clause 30 in tho Amendment Act of 1880, by which the Waikato, in company with :i few other country districts, was constituted a separate hospital district under the Act, and in May of last year the Waikato Hospital and Charitable Aid Board entered upon its onerous duties. The Waikato Hospital, which corresponds to tho cottage hospitalfound in country districts in the Australian colonies, has, during its short career, proved its great worth to the many scattered com munities for whose benefit it was established. It has not, however, been without its share of adverse criticisms, at times bordering on ill-will; as a public institution controlled by a public body with public money, it must naturally expect to encounter that. The ratepayers are about to be called upon for rates for its maintenance during tho current year, and it may be as well to give them a brief description of the institution they are required to support, so that they may become more enlightened and familiarised with its condition, work, pro gress and requirements. We will not recast the past financial aspect of the Board, with which wo have already dealt, but merely give a simple picture of the everyday life of the Hospital and its inmates. Without any preparatory notice we strolled up the Ohaupo road on Thursday afternoon and dropped in " proiniscuous-like " to have a chat with the patients, j>. Kenny, the house surgeon, rode up about t.he same time to look at hi.-i charges, and very courteously introduced us to tho wards. We first entered the Female Ward, where tho first one we came to was Julia O'Donoghue, a young woman about 27 years of ago, who is bed-ridden, terribly afflicted with acute paralysis agitans in her arms and legs. Sha came from Te Aroha, where her parents reside, about a month ago. Hors is a painful case, particularly as sho is of a pleasant, lighthearted disposition, truly Irish, and otherwise perfectly healthy. Two years ago she was benighted in crossing a swamp, near which her brothers were working, and to the exposure and cold is attributed the origin of her dreadful complaint. She had been discharged from tho Auckland Hospital as incurable, and had been under otlier doctors without relief. Since she has been in the Waikato Hospital she has improved so far as to be able to feed herself. She spoaks in tho warmest terms of tho attention and kindness of Dr. and tho nurses, and deplares that she could not possibly be happier anywhere than where she i.s. Poor ! so merry, yet so afflicted, has a host of sympathisers in her trouble. Mrs Il'utfc, ft middlo-aged woman, was admitted oq \Yednosday, from Ngarua-w-uliia, MUlf'jring from a complaint of lung.standing She was very cheerful, and said s))0 was inost comfortable, receiving tho

■bust and kindest treatment from doctor and nurses, and was pleased and contour, with tlio fooii. Mrs Mutt lias a family of seven nt home, ami tier snli' trouble is thinking of her children. John Munro, a little boy of four years, occupied a bod in this ward. The little fellow lay quiet and content in his bed, gravely watching all that was taking place around him. He is a child of Mr Donald Munro, a settler at Paterangi. About two weeks ago, whilst playing abmit barefooted, he struck his foot against a, scythe which inflicted an incised wound on the ball of the foot, nearly severing a large portion. Improper treatment had created extensive infiamation which caused an element of danger to the foot. Dr. Kenny has been obliged to keep the wound open in order to cleanse it from septic results before closing it. The little man watched the doctor operating on him with the syringe without moving a muscle. Miss Powell, daughter of Capt. Powell, of Ngamawahia. has been an indoor patient for six weeks. She is now so far recovered that she will be discharged in another week. She moves about in the best_ of spirits. In reply to our enqu ries she said ; " What do I think of the hospital ? It is a delightful place ; I have been very happy, and so well cared for by doctor, nurses and everybody that I will really be sorry to leave it. Yes, I can highly recommend it." In the male ward, we next met the young man, John Heenan, who lost his leg. through injuries received on the railway works at Te Kuiti about five months ago, whose case is tolerably familiar with our readers. For some time after the amputation of the limb he was in a critical state, and a source of much anxiety to the medical officer, in consequencc of his fretting over the loss, and the low state of his nervous system. But t,hs vigour of youth has triumphed, and Jack is now rambling cheerfully over the place on his crutches, looking well and hearty Dr. Kenny expects to discharge him next week. It is a pity to see a strong, well conducted youth like Heenan, accustomed to outdoor manual labour, crippled for life at the outset of his career, and now only fit for light indoor occupation. James Jamieson, an elderly man, has been confined to his bed for five weeks with chronic synovitis of the hip joint. Two years ago, whilst working at the Huntly mine, and driving a truck up the incline, he slipped, and was squeezed by the truck against the wall, injuring bis thigh. He has been in the Auckland Hospital and attended by other doctors. His case is a difficult one, but he is progressing slowly and satisfactorily. He seem* very coir,fortable, well nursed and is exceedingly well pleased with the institution and the treatment he receives. Thomas Jones, about M years of age, was the victim of a dynamite explosion at Waiteti ten days ago which caused severe injuries to both his hands. The two first fingers of his left hand were so lacerated and broken that Dr. Kenny is unable to say if he will succeed in saving them from amputation, Watching the doctor applying the antiseptics and carefully removing the decomposed parts from the dreadful wounds, was enough to convince one that Jones will have much to be grateful for if he leaves the hospital with his hand restored whole. "My word ! yes, this is a grand institution and a. great boon to the district," he observed. Wii'. U'\' -ill, a Hamilton man. about. 30 y-.: u'S of ;ige, is laid up with a simple fracture of the leg, which was broken in two places, about ten d lys ago, whilst driving a dray with Mr E. B. Walker along the nativo road at Maimgatunturi. Me was very cheerful, with several newspapers about him and engaged in animated conversation with his follow patients. " Well ! O'Neill," we asked, "how are you getting on?" " Doing splendidly, Sir, I couldn't be better off in the Queen's palace." This enconium was emphatic enough. Win. Phillips, of Raglan, has been an inmate for twelve days under treatment for incipient phthisis. He spoke in excellent terms of the hospital and staff. We had never met Mr Phillips befor?, but he claimed to have received an introduction not long ago, and so it turned out. We had been formally presented and had held a conversation together, but we were fifty miles apart • at the time, he at Raglan and ourselves at Hamilton, and the telephone our medium of coiiiiimnitioii. Ueorgio Hansford, son of Mr Hansford, farmer at Tauwhare, a line boy of nine years of age, completes our list, though he, by no means, considers himself the least important of the company. (Jeorgie and a c;ilf were having a lark, he on tile beast's back", riding an impromptu Derby. Ueorgie, however came to grief and iu contact with the ground. The result ivas he fomrl himself in J)r. Kenny's hands with a bad abscess on the elbow joint. He is, however, quite at home, and goes about as happy us a sand boy. It will be gathered from the above that the necessity for a hospital exists in the Waikato; that the institution, still in its infancy, and with many impeifections, is performing splendid work, and is affording unqualified satisfaction. This we noticed, that the accommodation is quite insufficient, the wards being overcrowded. There are two male wards, but owing to the number of female patients one has been utilised for the latter class: whilst in the male ward there are five beds, where three are sufficient, especially during this hot weather. We thus see iiow heavily the resources of the hospital are taxed, and how much need there is for additional useful expenditure if funds were at the disposal of the Board. The surgery is well supplied with drugs and other necessaries, but such conveuiencies as water -beds, invalid chairs and couches, indispensable to an hospital, ire couspicious by their absence. The beds, ! in«n, and other appointments, so far us "'•hoy have been provided, are excellent. I'oe dining-room is convenient, the ;ip|>a;-: >nents of the resident attendants are suitably chosen, and the kitchen is roomy, clean and healthy. In the lavatory is a plunge bath with hot and cold water connections, with the other necessary conveniences, well drained and ventilated. In the entrance hall there is quite a collection of books, the nucleus of the future library. At the end of the building is a wash-house, with copper boiler, and a work shop where the male attendant, an exceedingly handy man, ahw.ys finds some useful work to do at. the bench or otherwise. He is provided with a room for himself at the back of the kitchen. Stables and other offices, dso a morgue, are some distance to the rear of the main building. At the bottom of a gully, live hundred feet away, is a foropump, by which the tanks at the buildingare kept supplied with pure water from the well 2lj feet deep. The grounds, 50 acres in extent, arc in an embryo state, but, of course, funds will not admit of auyexpense being incurred for their improvement; we would however, strongly urge the Board to plaut pines and desiduous trees to protect the building in winter from the hleak southerly winds to which it is exposed and which detract from the comfort of the inmates. The, position of the hospital is admirable, if only from the beautiful aspect it commands on all sides. On one sido is a full view of Hamilton with the broad plain beyond extending to the Piako, on the other side is a sweep of country from Pirongia to Mannganfantari, and in front, the beautiful spread of water of the Hamilton Lake completes the picture, which alone must be a factor towards advancing the recovory of convalescents. Miss Sanderson and Miss Tyers constitute the nursing staff; the former was formerly in the Auckland hospital undor Miss Crisp, the lady Superintendent. Of the competency, untiring attention, and devotion to their charges we never hear enough, and tho Board has been exceedingly fortunate in securing two such ladies, so thoroughly suited for the delicate duties and responsibilities of their vocation. Dr. Kenny, the house surgeon, as we find from the official list, is a Bach., Med., Mast., Surg., of Glasgow University, and he has gained a distinctive reputation sinoe ho has been in the district for his ; surgical skill and general success. He was at one time house surgeon in the Wellington hospital, which ho left to engage in , privato practice. His heart, however, is . in hospital work where he always J has the most intricate and delicate cases , placed in his care which are not to be had in private practice. His profession is as dear to f him as his religion, and lie is an enthusiast in excelling in his cases and sparing his patients. In surgery his mode of treatment ] is the Listerian system, so called after tho t celebrated Dr. Lister, of the Koyal College J of Surgeons, and one of tho living giants of the faculty; this is tho rigid use of antiseptics iu the hum of oarbolised glycerine with which the wounds are syringed, and thu lints saturated, to keep tho injured parts l : moist and sweet and to suppress decomposi- 1 tion ; carbolised water only is used iu wash- ' ing and dressing wounds.