by
One tuan
for any length of time,
cast irm.
eun
if he were made of cast.
The Civil Hospital contains 98 beds,
and has annually over 1,500 in-patients of all nationalities.
In Europe, one would think it reasonable to place the sole medical charge and administration of such an Establishment under one medical Officer, and in a tropical climate, it is still less reasonable to do otherwise.
Every year, difficulties arise in the Medical Department because the Medical Staff is shorthanded.
The medical wants of the Colony are only partially provided for; there is no provision against sickness in the Medical Staff, and every year, on one ground or another, outside help has to be sought from the Navy, Army, or private practitioners.
This hand-to-mouth, irregular way of carrying out the medical duties of the Colony is not conducive to efficiency, economy, or smoothness of working, and it is most desirable, on every account, that the medical service of the Colony should be placed on a proper footing.
As regards the Civil Hospital, no impartial medical observer would hesitate to say that it requires at least two medical officers, and that these two should be relieved from all administrative work, confining their attention to medical duties alone.
J. Wharry, M.D., Superintendent.
Forwards Memo: from the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital. This would be better relief to him. Dr. Marques has done this duty for the last three years.
L. Ph. B. Ayres,
Colonial Surgeon.
30th November, 1884