OPEN COLUMN.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12868, 21 September 1904, Page 4

OPEN COLUMN.

Tbt Editor do<3 not hold himself rfe* ■pOQtibie for opinions expressed hy correjpondcnta. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. Sir,—A short time ago there appeared in the ‘'Hawke’s Bay Herald” a report of a paper road by Mr Hogs. M.H.R.. before the vVdlington 'Benevolent Trustees on the subeot of our » hariiablc institutions, in which he showed much sympathy with, and knowledge of, the real needs of the poor old people. I particularly noticed what he said with regard to the objectionable publicity of large wards and dormitories in these institutions, where every necessary action for their comfort, done by themselves or the nurses, must be performed before the gaze of the other occupants of tlie ward or dormitory, who are strangers, and some of them may be rough and coarse in manner, capable of making rude remarks and asking impertinent questions which would cause groat suffering to a more refined nature, m customer! to the priViu v* of a home.

Not only does this apply to old people in charitable institutions, but also to tho objectionable publicity of our hospital wards, where sick and suffering persons accustomed to all the quiet comforts of a home may find in an open hospital ward the next bed .occupied by someone whose manners and habits may be most obectionablo, and have so irritating an effect upon the patient as to retard recovery. We know that nerves play a large part in sickness, and irritation of the nerves will not conduce to the well-being ol a patient. Why not have all hosp tal wards and dormitories of public institutions arranged in cubicle fashion, as they have vhem in large boarding schools for bovs and girls, where each pupil lias the privacy of a separate bedroom while really sharing an apartment occupied by many others? If this more refined arrangement is necessary for children away from their own homes, suioly it is also necessary for the sick and suffering, who also miss the comforts of home. I know there are private rooms to be had in a hospital, if paid for, but poor people may be refined who cannot pay, and the majority in the hospitals will bo of those. If the bods were separated only by means of a curtains on rods, that could be closed at pleasure and shut oat the disagreeables, it would be better than the present arrangement that renders publicity compulsory. Someone obects that tlie nurses could not sec into the cubicles, except by walking in front of them. With regard to night nursing, they arc far more likely to keep awake if compelled to move up and down the ward than by sitting still at one end of it, with nothing particular to do. As Sir Hogg truly observes, human beings are not accustomed to being herded together like animals, and when eick and helpless the fact of undesirable companions and the want of privacy must tell very much against the probability of recovery, as nearly all persons, rich and poor alike, are accustomed in their own homes to a shutnp apartment. We advance and progress in many wavs, but it ia wonderful in how many ways we cling to old-fashioned methods. This open hospital ward system is one of them. It existed 100 years ago. and it exists in the same fashion now. Can’t we improve on the old system?— I am, etc.. A B C. September 19th.