Sessional_Paper_1891 — Page 333

The following Table gives the admissions and deaths in this Hospital for the past ten years:

329

1881,

1882,

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887.

1888,

1889,

1890,

Admissions.

.1,236...

Deaths.

.49

.1,458....

..68

1,502...

.70

.1,354..

..50

.1,510....

.76

.1,623....

..79

.1,656..

.89

.1,772..

..80

1,793..

.1,957.....

.77 .98

The Superintendent's Report contains some very interesting remarks concerning his experiences in the treatment of Malarial Fever and Dysentery, and he has earnestly entered into the study of the diseases that are common to this climate.

The necessity of increased accommodation for private paying patients has led to several proposals. First. One from the Unofficial Members of Council that a portion of the New Quarters for the Medical and Nursing Staff should be applied to this purpose.

This building has been much reduced from its original plans as far as accommodation is concerned and only barely meets the requirements of the present staff. It has been costly but I regret to say only as regards outside show. The huge finely-cut granite verandahs and retaining walls which must have cost nearly two-thirds of the expenditure on this building add nothing to either its comfort or security, and there would have been an equal amount of both with an expenditure of less than half the money for material and labour if retaining walls of the foundations had been rough-cut granite and the verandahs bad been brick.

Supposing there was some room to spare, as I wished, in case of necessity for increase in the staff in the future, it would be most undesirable to employ it for that purpose. It is most desirable that the staff when off duty, though close at hand if their services are wanted, should be entirely removed from the Hospital atmosphere which would not be the case if wards were made in this building. And in the hot months when the work is hardest we have had at least a third of the Staff, European and Chinese, down with sickness. It was to obviate this that these quarters were sanctioned and also quarters for the Chinese Staff which are now finished.

Again, this building is 290 yards from the main Hospital Buildings, which would require for wards in them a separate Nursing Staff, European or Chinese, cooks and coolies for cleaning, this would mean a great increase in expenses as necessary addition to the Nursing Staff, &c.

The second proposal which Dr. ATKINSON makes in his report has also much to be said against, that is, to make private wards in the new Lock Hospital. This is another building whose external adornements have very much increased its expense without in any way adding to its comfort or secu- rity. It was built entirely with a view to accommodate native patients. Behind it towers the main building of the Government Civil Hospital, its roof rising to a level with the basement of that building. On the other three sides, it is surrounded with Chinese houses whose roofs rise to a level with its base- ment. It is therefore not so airy or so cool as any other of the Hospital buildings, and the odours from the Chinese houses are sometimes appalling especially when shark-fins and other fish, &c. are being dried on their roofs. This would in no way incommode the native patients for whom it was intended but would disgust any European especially in ill health. I regret to say that the new staff of Nursing Sisters have their temporary quarters in this building and have suffered very much from the inconveniences described. Therefore I cannot recommend it being diverted from the uses for which it was intended and for which it is much wanted though now no longer Lock Hospital but for voluntary patients.

The proposal Dr. ATKINSON and myself have since made will be, in all ways, the most economical. Buildings of one storey high have been sanctioned for much needed store rooms, compradores' rooms, &c., and we have recommended that two stories should be added to these buildings for private wards; this would not interfere with the circulation of air in the other building, would be airy and pleasant itself, would require hardly any increase of staff and would cost very little more than alterations in the other buildings and I sincerely hope this recommendation may be granted. I may here state the Medical Departinent is in no way responsible for the costly establishments I have described. We are only consulted on accommodation required, and our opinions have often been over-ridden to the ultimate increase of cost to Government.

SMALL-POX HOSPITAL,

Only two cases were admitted this year, and both recovered. See Table VII.

For some weeks this winter, there was a dearth of vaccine lymph in the Colony both the supplies from Home and Japan were delayed. Our proposed Vaccine Establishment for the production of calf lymph has not been constructed, the site was only selected a few weeks ago; but I hope it will be in working order next winter.