THE FACILITIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 90, 14 March 1935, Page 6

THE FACILITIES.

EXPANSION IN SERVICE. NEED FOR EXTENSIONS. Established in 1893 as a small country institution, with accommodation for some 25 beds in four small wards, the Palmerston North Hospital has in the intervening period grown into one of the most important institutions of its kind in the Dominion, and ranks almost as a base hospital. Its present accommodation rating, after periodical additions and extensions to meet increasing requirements, is 150 beds, but last week-end there were 215 patients under its roof. Though the Hospital buildings have steadily spread out over a large area, all the original wooden block is still standing, and, facing the ultimate prospect of having to pull down this nucleus of its extensive system, the hoard has had to frame its policy according to financial circumstances with greater care than ever. Under the first scheme of utilisation the building had its wards on the ground floor. Upstairs were the nurses’ quarters until they were transferred to another building subsequently erected, and 'n still later times moved to a different site. Later still this building proved inadequate and now serves as quarters for the maternity home staff. Meanwhile, the upstairs room in the first wooden block is being used as quarters for the house surgeons, who are occupying as a sitting room what was the first operating theatre. THE Tv ESTERN WING. It was in 1907 that the first brick building, adjoining the west side of the original wooden block, was built to provide more accommodation. The lower storey of this western wing became the Royal Alexandra Ward, being opened by Lord Plunket, and the upstairs portion, later erected, the children’s ward, men then being in one end of the institution and women in the other. The first operating theatre in the brick buildings came into existence in ISO 9. It is now serving as a massage department, having been reconditioned for this purpose. Next followed the establishment ot the consumptive annexe, with accommodation for 16 patients on the northern side of the institution. Additions had to be made to the nurses’ home, built in 1912. and a fever hospital provided as an isolation unit. EXTENSION OF DISTRICT. With the accession of the local bodies in the Horowhenua area to the Hospital Board’s district in 1918, it became imperative that the accommodation should be enlarged. Some £46,000 was borrowed for the purpose of building two surgical wards and two small wards containing 54 beds, a new kitchen block, with accommodation for the domestic staff upstairs, a new and complete steam laundry, a large boilerhouse, and an electrical plant to light the. whole of the new building. During the war time Mr Leslie McHardy generously donated £IOOO to the Hospital to be'spent in the interests of the soldiers and one of the small wards is now called alter him. Next came the Martin Memorial Block. This extension was named after the late Dr A. A. Martin, the brilliant New Zealand surgeon, who lost his life during the war in I France while performing major operations near the front line in an effort to save more lives than otherwise would have been possible had the wounded been removed to the casualty clearing stations. Dr Martin’s work will always be remembered in connection with the Palmerston North Hospital. The Martin Memorial Block houses the laboratories and X-ray plant. Six years ago the fine two-storey Wilson Memorial Block of 46 beds (23 to each ward) was added to the western end of the building and to-day this is fully occupied by men’s surgical cases. Providing about thirty beds, the eastern wing was added to the nurses’ home some five years ago, this being the second extension to that building since it was first erected. To-day every one of the 90 beds for the nurses is being used. The latest addition to the Hospital was the double operating theatre block, finished in 1930, and situated near the main entrance. STAFF AND ACCOMMODATION. Continual expansion lias made necessary periodical renovations and innumerable minor extensions of the facilities, as well as an occasional rearrangement of the accommodation, which to day is proving wholly inadequate. Besides other parts of the institution in use, there are 48 patients in the Prince of Wales and Princess Mary Wards, 46 in the Wilson Block, 17 in the children’s ward, 17 in the Royal Alexandra. Ward, 29 in the old wooden wards and 69 in the consumptive annexe. Besides the'medical super-

! intendent, there are four house surgeons on duty. Including the domestic staff, the total establishment m residence at the institution is Sio perS °The maintenance estimates for the main Hospital and maternity home, another denartment of activity, totalled £30,000 last year. The board has, m addition, under its control the Uiu People’s Home at Awapum opened twenty years ago, and the Otakisanatorium, a more recent acquisition in its growing southern district. It is estimated that capital amounting to between £200,000 and £250,000 has been utilised in the institutions. There are thirteen contributing authorities, and the six county districts served aggregate an area or l»ty square miles. Borough areas, including Palmerston North City, in the board s district, total about 12,000 acres. THIS YEAR’S PROGRAMME. Capital expenditure amounting to £11,500 is involved in a programme already provisionally approved tor tins year, and the question of adding an additional storey to the proposed administration block, in order to more accommodation for patients, has not yet been definitely settled. Th® ground floor of the new administration block, which is estimated to cost £6500, will contain offices for the whole medical and clerical staff, a board room, waiting rooms and admission arrangements for patients. Tenders are shortly to be called for the bvilding of two chronic wards to accommodate 27 patients at Awapuni, and estimated to cost £SOOO. The Palmerston North Hospital ha® not yet reached tho stage of development that would entitle it to be ranked as a base hospital such as those in the four chief centres, but for an institution of 200 beds there are many phases of activity in which greater specialisation could be undertaken if the facilities were available. These developments which will be required, include special accommodation for certain disease cases, and a greater subdivision of child patients by the provision of a special ward for infants. Contributory bodies to the board, their populations and rateable capital value are as follow: Ra-te-

Popuable capilations tal value, 1/4/34 31/12/35 Pohangina County ... Kiwitea County .... 1,340 .. 2,350 ... 3,880 1,224,550 2,605,860 3’037,445 Manauatu County ... .... 4,930 3,490,066 Kairanga County ... .... 5,430 4,651,B10 Ilorowhenua County ... 7,300 4,937,721 Palmerston North City 21,9tiO 7,429.131 Hollaing Uorough ... ... 4.520 1,409,893 Foxton Borough ... 1,740 251,656 .... 2,800 759,576 .... 1,160 159,980 Otaki Borough .... 1,660 280 305,888 40,123 59,340 30,303,704