H.—22.

Nursing staff : Matron, Miss M. Andrews, and 2 registered nurses and 8 probationers. Domestic staff : 1 cook, 3 wardsmaids, 2 laundresses, 2 porters, 1 gardener; ex-patient assisting cook (small salary). Number of beds available for males, 55 ; for females, 8 : total, 63. Average number of patients per diem, 53. Average number of patients to each of nursing staff, 4-8. In-patients: Number of patients on 31st March, 1908, 52; admitted during year, 322 ; discharged dining year, 262 ; died during year, 53; in hospital on 31st March, 1909, 59. Sex — Male, 287; female, 87 : total, 374. Collective days' stay, 19,522 ; individual average days' stay, 52 ; average daily cost per head, 3s. ; average daily payment per head, lljd. ; average daily cost per head alter deducting in-patients' payments, 2s. 7Jd. ; weekly fee charged for maintenance, £1 Is. Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance-expenditure, 4 - 3. Localities, broadly, from which patients came : Greymouth Borough, 125; Grey County, 222; Brunner Borough, 10; Westland, 11 ; various, 5 seamen : total, 374. Nationalities of patients : English, 79 ; Scotch, 42 ; Irish, 63 ; Welsh, 1 ; French, 2 ; Portuguese, 1; Swedes, 10 ; Germans, 4 ; Italians, 4 ; New-Zealanders, 98 ; Australians, 56 ; Swiss, 3 ; Finland, 2 ; Americans, 3 ; Chinese, 6. Number of out-patients treated during year, 68. Visited on 28th September, 1908, and on 6th March, 1909. On the first occasion, of the sixty patients, thirty-three were chronic—old men and women, several of these, being in the Hospital wards proper. On the, second visit, the new ward, the nurses' quarters, and administrative block were practically ready for use. As soon as these were occupied it would be possible to make much better arrangements for the classification of all inmates—acute cases, chronics, and the aged; the two latter classes beinokept entirely in the better parts of the old building, the oldest part being removed. I was sorry to find this fine addition to our hospitals somewhat badly finished, especially with regard to flooring and woodwork. Miss Thurston, who had done very good work as Matron for two years, had been promoted to the matronship of Christchurch Hospital. Miss Andrews, trained in Auckland Hospital, is now Matron. Dr. Morice has leave of absence for nine months to visit England, and Dr. Telford, of Ross, has taken his place.

8. SOUTHLAND HOSPITAL. Governing body : Southland Hospital Trust. Usual date of meeting : Third Monday in month. Secretary : H. D. Smith. Honorary medical staff :C S. Cantrill, M.8., M.S. Edin.; A. F. R. Crawford, M.8., B.S. N.Z.; W. Ewart, M.8., F.R.C.S. Edin.; James Fullarton, M.8., M.S. Edin.; W. P. Grigor, L.R.C S Edin ■ R. H. Hogg, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.; James Hunter, M.D., M.S.; J. B. Sale, M.8., 8.5.; CS. Snow| M.8., 8.5.; James Young, M.8., M.S. Ophthalmic surgeon, J. G. Maedonald, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Stipendiary medical staff : Alex. Hendry, M.8., Ch.B. (resident). Nursing staff : Matron, Miss J. Ewart, and 4 registered nurses and 11 probationers. Domestic staff : 3 cooks, 2 housemaids, 3 laundresses, 1 porter, and 1 gardener. Number of beds available for males, 37 ; for females, 17 ; children's cots, 3 ; isolation and infectious, 6 : total, 63. Average number of patients per diem, 50.* Average number of patients to each of nursing staff, 3-1. In-patients : Number of patients on 31st March, 1908, 45 ; admitted during year, 594 ; discharged during year, 542 ; died during year, 48; in hospital oil 31st March, 1909, 49. Sex—Male, 102; female, 237: total, 639. Collective days' stay, 22,920; individual average days' stay, 35; average daily cost per head, 4s. 3fd. ; average daily payment per head, 6d. ; average daily cost per head after deducting in-patients' payments, 3s. 9fd. ; weekly fee charged for maintenance, £1 Is. Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance-expenditure, 2. Localities, broadly, from which patients came : Counties of Southland, Fiord, Wallace, and Lake and Stewart Island. Nationalities of patients : New Zealand, 394 ; England, 65 ; Scotland, 72 ; Ireland, 52 ; Tasmania, 11 ; Sweden, 2; Norway, 2; New South Wales, 3; Victoria, 26; Germany, 3; Jersey, 1 ; China, 2 ; America, 4 ; Denmark, 2. Number of out-patients treated during year, 984 ; number of attendances of such out-patients 1,146. A comparatively low drug bill. The amount of patients' fees recovered is small. Visited Ist and 3rd March, 1909. There were fifty-three patients in. A good deal of cleaning- and painting has been done, and the Hospital is in very good order, though much remains to be done in sanitary arrangements. The foundation-stone of the much-needed new operating-room was laid on the 27th February. The room is well planned, and is to be well equipped. The isolation ward was used for scarlet-fever cases —children who required trained nursing, the fever hospital not being under the charge of a trained nurse. No less than sixty-four scarlet-fever cases were treated under the Hospital Board between the months of August and December of last year. Miss Ewart makes an. excellent Matron.

* Also an average of 12 fever patients per diem treated in another building.

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