H.—22

40

40. NORTHERN WAIROA HOSPITAL. Governing body : Board of Trustees. Usual date of meeting : Second Monday evening in each month. Secretary : A. Frood. Stipendiary medical staff: Francis William Fullerton, M.D., M.R.C.S. Lond. ; William Henry Horton, M.B. Sydney. Nursing staff : Matron, Miss Elizabeth Rowles, and 1 registered nurse and 2 probationers. Domestic staff : 1 cook, 1 housemaid, 1 wardsman, 1 laundress. Number of beds available for males, 8 ; for females, 8 : total, 16. Average number of patients per diem, 6. Average number of patients to each of nursing staff, 1-5. In-patients : Number of patients on 31st March, 1908, 8 ; admitted during year, 102 ; discharged during year, 90; died during year, 9; in hospital on 31st March, 1909, 11. Sex—Male, 89 ; female, 21 : total, 110. Collective days' stay, 2,100; individual average days' stay, 19 ; average daily cost per head, 12s. 4Jd. ; average daily payment per he*ad, 3s. sfd. ; average daily cost per head after deducting in-patients' payments, Bs. IOJd. ; weekly fee charged for maintenance, £1 15s. Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance-expenditure, 9-4. Localities, broadly, from which patients came : Otamatea and Hobson Counties. Nationalities of patients : English, 21 ; Swiss, 1 ; Maori, 8 ; New-Zealanders, 46 ; Swedes, 3 ; Austrians, 3 ; Scotch, 7 ; Irish, 7 ; Spanish, 1 ; American, 1 ; Greek, 1 ; German, 2 ; Dutch, 1. Number of out-patients treated during year, 320 ; number of attendances of such out-patients, 2,475. Visited on 6th April, 1909. There were eight patients in the Hospital—all male—among them being a typhoid case, a comminuted fracture of the tibia, two other fractures, a burn, and a case awaiting operation. An advanced case of phthisis—a Maori lad—was also in the general ward. As he disturbed the patients, I suggested that a corner of the verandah enclosed with canvas might be used for him. A cottage had been built for the nurses, but was not yet in occupation. The Hospital was only fairly well kept inside, and the grounds looked neglected. The Hospital itself, considering that it is a new structure, was very shabby, but is shortly to be repainted. The Matron was away at the time. Dr. Fullerton, who was in charge after Dr. Eleanor Baker left, has since left, being dissatisfied with the arrangements for subscribers receiving benefits at the Hospital, subscribers being entitled to visits in their homes. No medical officer has yet been appointed in his place. The expenditure on this Hospital is relatively very high, though the contributions from subscribers are well maintained. 41. PATEA HOSPITAL. Governing body : Patea District Hospital Board. Usual date of meeting : Second Tuesday each month. Secretary :E. C. Homer. Assistant, 1. Honorary medical staff : A. G." Harvey, M.8., M.R.C.S. Eng. Stipendiary medical staff : W. T. Simmons, M.8., Ch.B. N.Z. (non-resident). Nursing staff : Matron, Miss Ruth Allan, and 2 probationers. Domestic staff : 1 cook, 1 laundress, 1 porter and gardener. Number of beds available for males, 7 ; for females, 4 ; isolation and infectious, 6 : total, 17. Average number of patients per diem, 5. Average number of patients to each of nursing staff, 1 - 6. In-patients : Number of patients on 31st March, 1908, 10 ; admitted during year, 90 ; discharged during year, 92 ; died during year, 4; in hospital on 31st March, 1909, 4. Sex—Male, 71 ; female, 29 : total, 100. Collective days' stay, 2,023 ; individual average days' stay, 20 ; average daily cost per head, 10s. Bd. ; average daily payment per head, 3s. Bd. ; average daily cost per head after deducting in-patients' payments, 7s. ; weekly fee charged for maintenance, £2 2s. (private ward). Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance-expenditure, 10-5. Localities, broadly, from which patients came : Patea County, Hawera County, Palmerston North, Martinborough. Nationalities of patients : New-Zealanders, 62 ; Danes, 2 ; Scotch, 4 ; Australian, 3 ; Norwegian, 1 ; German, 1 ; Irish, 8 ; Swedish, 1 ; English, 17 ; Anglo-Indian, 1. Visited on Bth July, 1908, on 14th January, 1909, and by Miss Maclean on 2nd June, 1909. A great deal of good work has been done here under many disadvantages. The new Hospital is to be opened shortly. It will accommodate twenty patients, but it was intended at first to furnish only for fourteen. In August, however, there were nineteen patients in the old building —a good many acute cases of pneumonia and typhoid, and some operation cases. Some of these had to be put in the unused fever ward, so probably the whole space will need to be utilised. The old Hospital is then to be done up and used as a Nurses' Home. Miss Clarkson resigned her position on account of her marriage, and Miss Allan was appointed Matron.