Miscellaneous. No. 93.
163
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
LITLE C.O. 885
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
ST. HELENA.
INFORMATION respecting the proposed Office of LADY NURSE SUPERINTENDENT of the COLONIAL HOSPITAL in ST. HELENA.
1. Subject to any orders that the Governor may issue, and to the directions of the Colonial Surgeon, the Lady Nurse Superintendent will have entire charge of the Hospital Staff, consisting of a nurse, who is also cook, an orderly, and a scullion.
2. She will be expected to take an active part in the work of nursing and the care of patients; to keep all the books of the Hospital, and the diet and other scales; to order stores, examine and pay accounts, and generally conduct the business of the Hospital; and to do such work in connexion therewith as the Governor may direct.
3. The Colonial Surgeon is non-resident, and rarely visits the hospital more than once
a day; so that great responsibility will rest with the Lady Nurse Superintendent.
4. She will be required to dispense all medicines for hospital patients both "in" and "out," for prisoners in the Gaol, and for all Government officials and servants, upon the Colonial Surgeon's prescriptions; to attend all operations in the Hospital, when required; and to administer chloroform, whenever necessary.
5. The salary will be 1201. a year paid by the Government of St. Helena, and the appointment will be subject to the pleasure of the Crown and to the "Colonial Regula- tions" in force for the time being.
6. The Lady Nurse Superintendent will be provided with a small two-storied cottage within the hospital grounds and close to the main building; and she will also be supplied with such substantial articles of plain furniture as are essential. Plate and linen will not be provided.
7. She will have to keep her own servant. Wages in St. Helena are low, ranging from 31. (lowest) to 121. (highest) a year for female indoor servants; and their food consists principally of fish and rice, which are both cheap.
8. The Lady Nurse Superintendent will be supplied with a single ration daily of fresh meat, milk, butter, and bread; but will have to provide herself with everything else that she require in the way of food or clothing.
9. . She must thoroughly understand the cooking of such food as would be required by patients. This is essential, not only to insure that the rations are employed to the best possible advantage, but also because it may at any time be necessary for her to teach a fresh nurse-cook or orderly, as no servants can be obtained in St. Helena with any satisfactory knowledge of such cooking.
10. The in-patients during 1891 averaged daily-males 34, females 2·6, total 6; and this represents a fair general average.
11. The Hospital, which is situated in Jamestown, is a three-storied building. The ground floor consists of office, dispensary, kitchen, store-room, and bath-room; the first floor of two male wards; and the second floor of two similar wards, both of which are women's wards, but one of them is used sometimes for special cases and private patients.
12. Of the patients, about two-thirds are natives of the Island, and the remainder are merchant seamen landed from passing ships for medical treatment. The natives are of mixed origin, being descended from Portuguese, Dutch, English, and East Indian ancestors. Their colour is, as a rule, light brown, but some are nearly black and others almost white. They all speak English, and in their habits, religion, éducation, &c., differ very little from Englishmen. There are also some Africans or negroes, but they constitute only about one-sixth of the population. The area of the island is 47 square miles, and the population about 4,000 persons.
13. There are a Bishop and three clergymen of the Church of England; a Minister, who serves four chapels; and a branch of the Salvation Army. There is also Baptist & Roman Catholic Chapel, built and maintained by the War Department, and served by a Military Chaplain.
14. The garrison consists usually of 200 British officers and men, and the Island is frequently visited by ships of war. The troops have their own military hospital with its
own staff.
15. The only medical men in the Island are the Colonial Surgeon and one Military Surgeon.
E 78627. 100.- 10/93. Q. 8. Wt. 13927. E. & S.