Wonderful Hospital Work at Hastings

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 February 1931, Page 3

Wonderful Hospital Work at Hastings

EFFICIENCY IN EMERGENCY WELLINGTON, Last Night. The chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board (Mr. C. O. Morse) requests publication of the following report by Dr. C. Romaine Wright, superintendent of the Hastings emergency hospital:— “Owing to erroneous reports circulated regarding the manner in which ©Derations have been performed thoie, [ have been requested to report shortly on Hie Hastings emergency hospital ’s doings on the day of the cai thqmiki, Tuesday, February 3. As a stait, 1 should like to emphasise, the fact that the prompt, efficient measures taken would haw been absolutely impossible but for vhc fact that the matron (Sister Williams) and staff of Royston hospital were all ready ami organised a- a complete working unit at the time of the quake and wore not disorganised in any wav. Immediately thereattei their whole staff and equipment were utilised as a nucleus around which the Hastings emergency hospital came into being. " The fact that Royston hospital 'was a well-known private hospital ami adjacent to the site of the damage resulted in all casualties being at once taken there. Within half an hour, tne large lawn ad-joining the hospital was tilled with patients to the number of approximately 100. Each patient requiring it was, on arrival, immediately given morphia. Sister Williams ami the medical men who were at Royston at the time at once realised that some n!:u-e would have to be found to ileal with a!! the casualties. One of these doctors and Mr. H. V. Hoadlcy made a hurried visit to the tea kiosk at Hastings racecourse, which was judged to be undamaged, and orders were immediately given that all further cases were to be transferred there. Owing to a number of voluntary lorry drivers who also congregated at Royston gates, this was possible without delay. Within two hours of the earthquake every cot case Iving on Royston lawn had been transferred to the racecourse, com pi etc with bod and bedding. At halt past one in the afternoon operations were commenced in an emergency theatre in the ladies’ cloakroom at the tea kiosk. Sixty-six operations were performed between 1.30 and approximately 10 p.m. Each case had full surgical anaesthesia, and in not one of these cases was anvthing except sterile dressing used. After all the casualties had boon dealt with, an urgent major abdominal operation was performed, and again sterile dressings and instruments were available. This was rendered po? mr sib’e only by the amazingly cfficier

organisation of Royston in general ami their theatre stall', under the charge or Sister Cooper. To fully appreciate this achievement, one needs to be a medical man. While the behaviour of everyone was beyond praise, I desire to stress most strongly the fact that Koyston hospital stall' and organisation were the salvation of Hastings,

"Turning from the medical and surgical side of the situatioiL I should like to express the thanks of the com rnittee to those voluntary workers who appeared as if by magic and took charge of various departments incidental to the hospital. Particularly 1 desire to stress the value to us of the voluntary cooks who, without facilities, gave us an ample supply of boiling water immediately, provided us with cups of tea and soup during the nay, and capped their efforts with a wonderful hot dinner at night.”