H.-22

18

Bevenue and Expenditure. Bevenue. £ s. d. [ Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 1,155 7 41 Bations ... ... ... 645 12 4 Local bodies ... ... ... 687 10 0 Wines, spirits, ale, &c... ... 58 15 10 Subscriptions and donations ... 372 1 1 Surgery and dispensary ... 200 5 2 Bequest ... ... ... 35 0 0 Fuel and light ... ... 98 2 8 Patients'payments ... ... 68 15 0 Bedding and clothing ... ... 57 7 7 Other sources ... ... 36 13 0 Furniture and earthenware ... 25 12 9 Balance from last year... ... 10 19 9 Salaries and wages ... ... 755 15 0 Funerals ... ... ... 7 15 6 Bepairs ... ... ... 172 12 7 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 49 8 10 Interest ... ... ... 0 2 0 Insurance ... ... ... 24 4 0 Commission ... ... ... 16 0 6 Other expenses ... ... 126 19 11 Total ... ... £2,366 6 2 Total ... ... £2,238 14 8 The advent of Dr. Teichelman has given a great impulse to this institution. The nursing has also been thoroughly modernised, and on the whole the state of affairs is very satisfactory. I would suggest, however, that, being so far from town, it is not desirable that the dispenser and the matron should be absent from the hospital at the same time. Owing to suspicious erysipelatous symptoms found on some wounds as soon as the first dressing was removed it was necessary to thoroughly clean and paint the wards. This has been done, and the result is a great improvement. The old battered bath and lavatory appliances attached to the medical ward are to be replaced as soon as possible. The difficulty about the Old Men's Home, which is built quite close to the hospital, continues insoluble, and will remain so until the Benevolent Society take steps to make it possible for the Hospital Trustees to undertake the management under proper financial arrangements. I was present at a meeting of the Benevolent Society Trustees, and from the spirit they manifested I am hopeful that a modus vivendi will be found.

INVEBCABGILL HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1897 ... ... ... 23 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 352 Total under treatment ... ... ... 375 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 333 Died ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 Bemaining on 31st March, 1898 ... ... ... ... 14 Sex. —249 males, 126 females. Localities from which Patients came. —Southland County, Wallace County, Lake County. Country. —England, 75; Scotland, 63; Ireland, 55; New Zealand, 137; Tasmania, 5; Germany, 5 ; Victoria, 14; China, 4 ; India, 2; Denmark, 1; Wales, 1; West Indies, 1; Austria, 1; Holland, 3; Finland, 2; Italy, 1; Jersey, 2; Canada, 1; New South Wales, 1; Egypt, 1. Beligion. —Church of England, 132 ; Boman Catholic, 64; Presbyterian, 132; Wesleyan, 8 ; Salvationist, 9; Lutheran, 1 ; Baptist, 4; Confucian, 4; Plymouth Brethren, 5; Methodist, 6; Christian Disciples, 4 ; Congregationalist, 2 ; Evangelist, 1; Swedenborgian, 1; Unitarian, 1; no religion, 1. Total collective days' stay in hospital 10,598; individual average days' stay, 28-26. Daily average cost per head, ss. llf d.; less patients' payments, ss. 9d. Outdoor Patients. cases, 933; attendances, 2,037.