13

&.—22

The Medical School Maternity Hospital. From the Ist April, 1909, to the 31st March, 1910, 141 patients were admitted, and there were 143 births, no maternal deaths, 4 deaths of infants, and 4 stillbirths. The Hospital has been three times visited during the year, the last time being in February Some improvements have been made in the and a drying-chamber has been provided. " r There is no means of isolating patients properly. _ The place is always found in good order. A great part of the work is done by the single girls who are taken in to wait. The pupil-nurses attend outside oases with the students, but without qualified supervision Ihey send for a doctor in abnormal cases, but as a rule get their patients into the Hospital Dr. Lloss was appointed Medical Officer and Dr. Ritchie assistant. Miss Rose Macdonald is still Matron, and there are 4 pupils. Five pupils were trained during the year. The Townley Maternity Hospital, Gisborne. This Hospital, which has been established by the efforts of the Cook County Women's Guild aided by a grant of land from the Government and a subsidy of £1,000, was completed early in (lie year, and formally opened in April by Lady Ward. It had, however, commenced work earlier Miss Anderson, trained in the Thames Hospital, and in midwifery at St. Helens Auckland was appointed Matron. The Hospital is to be conducted on much the same lines as the St. Helens Hospitals, and is to be a training school for midwives; but there are a few private rooms for the more well-to-do patients. It is expected to be self-supporting. Some outdoor work is to be done, pupils attending poor patients in their homes. Other Matbbnity Hombs. Alexandra Home, Wellington. This Home was visited in June and December. There were on the last occasion 14 girls in and 10 babies. & About 25 confinements take place annually, and usually one pupil-midwife is trained in conjunction with receiving lectures at St. Helens. Miss Finch, who had been Matron for nine years, resigned during the year, and Miss Clarke formerly m charge of the maternity ward at St. Mary's, Otahuhu, was appointed Matron. The Linwood Refuge, Christchurch. Visited on 29th March. There were 8 girls in, 1 in the maternity ward, only half of the accommodation being taken up. The girls object to being obliged to remain for six months. There were only 6 babies and of these five were bottle-fed, owing to the milk-supply having failed. The girls do laundry-work for the institution, and perhaps this is too much for them. Victoria Home for Friendless Girls, Invercarqill. Visited on 20th March. This Home has been much improved by the addition of a labourroom, a ward off it for lying-in mothers, bath-rooms for patients and staff, and a small laundry There were 11 babies, from three months to two years, in, mostly looking bright and healthy. The mothers had left for situations, the rule as to remaining for six months having rather fallen into abeyance. The Home is well kept. Samaritan Home, Ghrutchurch. This Home, which has, besides taking in the criminal class of women and men, been the refuge for single girls not eligible for the Homes for first cases, such as the Salvation Army and the Linwood Refuge, will now come under the Charitable Aid Board, and it is to be hoped that some better arrangement will b.e made than has hitherto prevailed, and that possibly it may no longer be kept up as a separate institution, the building being neither suitable nor capable of much improvement. St. Mary's, Otahuhu. This Home is still in charge of Miss Handcock, with Mrs. Nixon for the maternity work. The latter, however, is now resigning. The scope of the institution is to be enlarged by the addition of a children's wing, in which the babies will be placed after the first six months, when the mothers go out to work. They will be kept here for two years, under the charge of a trained nurse. It is proposed by the President, Canon McMurray, to make this place a training school for midwives under the Midwives Act. As there are usually 25 to 30 girls received durino- the year, there should be sufficient material for a limited number of pupils. Door of Hope, Auckland. This Home continues its usual work under Miss Hutchinson. Five girls were attended in confinement during the year by the St. Helens Hospital nurses.