HOSPITALS.

Press, Volume XL, Issue 5859, 24 June 1884, Page 3

HOSPITALS.

£Bt Tbllegsaph.J

[fbom oub coKHHSPONDmrr. I

WELLINGTON, June 23,

The report of Dr. Grabham, Inspector of Hospitals, was laid on the table of the House this evening. It would appear that there are 38 hospitals in the colony, iacluding the sanatorium at Botorua. Dr. Grabham expressed his satisfaction with the great change for the better which has occurred in the condition of the hospitals since his first visit. The result in many instances, he says, "has surprised mc,, and the favorable manner in which Ahflj

Local Committees and Medical Officers have received and carried out my suggee-l tions has been very gratifying, and had certainly greatly exceeded my expecta-j tions. We have now many establish-] stents which, in their arrangements, order,' and comfort will bear favorable compari-son-with any of the numerous European hospitals with which I am acquainted, and a spirit of emulation has sprung up in the colony which cannot fail to have a wholesome effect." He refers with-#p*

proval to the excellent system of nursing as in full operation at the Wellington and Auckland Hospitals, where educated ladiee may be seen serving their apprenticeship with other "probationers." Trained nuraes from these two schools will gradually become distributed in various parts o? the colonyi The example so well set might with advantage be followed by others of the larger hospitals whose present nursing arrangements are not in accordance by any means with modern ideas. In regard to the admission of patients, Dr. Grabham points out a new departure at Dunedin. Here a system has been, introduced of charging Is for. each prescription dispensed for out-patients. Although many cannot pay, and others evade payment, yet the result is an addition of about £10 10s a month to the hospital's funds. Dr. Grabham draws attention to the great expenditure which occurs for wine, spirits, and other alcoholic liquors in the hospitals of this colony. The amount consumed, in his opinion, wa3 very excessive, and might, without detriment to the patients, be greatly curtailed, as has long since been done in the lunatic asylums with good result, the death rate in these institutions being extraordinarily low, and the percentage of recoveries high.