Christchurch Hospital Additional Wing.

Progress, Volume XIII, Issue 9, 1 May 1918, Page 206

Christchurch Hospital Additional Wing.

THE CHALMERS WARD. Some time back the Hospital Board had a gift of £B,OOO from Miss Jean Chalmers, which was to be devoted to the building of a new ward as a memorial to Messrs. John and Peter Chalmers, of Ashburton, natives of Perth, Scotland. The building is now finished, and is illustrated on this page, Miss

besides a number of smaller rooms. Each of the main wards is 73 feet long by 24 feet wide,.’and allows ample space for 18 beds. Tn addition there are two smaller wards on each floor, one to hold one bed and the other two beds. All the wards are lofty and well lighted rooms, with big windows and white plastered Avails. The Avails are everyAvhere plastered except in the sanitary block, Avherc they are tiled, to a height of six feet from the ground. The floors are of polished Avood, and all the Avard fittings are of oiled

Chalmers having laid the foundation stone in Feb., 1916. The plans were entrusted to Messrs. Collins and Harman, architects, Christchurch, and the building was carried out by Messrs. W. Greig and Sons under contract. The Chalmers building is of the most modern type. Characterised by an extreme simplicity in design, it is obviously built to obtain the maximum amount of light and air, and to ensure the comfort and convenience of both patients and nurses. It is three storeyed, and contains three main wards

riniu. Electricity is employed in lighting throughout the building. A comfortable sitting-room is provided on each floor, as well as duty rooms, sisters’ rooms, and pantries. Store-rooms of a useful size and design are also provided on the first and second floors. Commodious verandahs and balconies are a feature of the Chalmers building. These run completely round the west and north and most of the east sides of the wards. They are 10 feet wide and have moveable glass windows. In addition there is a flat roof, whence a beautiful view over Haglcy

Park and the Gardens can be obtained. An electric lift will enable patients to be taken up and downstairs without the necessity for removing them from their beds, the comfortable size of the lift permitting of the beds being wheeled into and out of it. A covered way connects the new wards with the main Hospital buildings. A sub-way running underneath this carries the steam pipes, etc., to the new wards.