First Patient Admitted Palmerston Hospital On November 23,1893

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7198, 22 April 1930, Page 8

First Patient Admitted Palmerston Hospital On November 23,1893

BOARD CHAIRMAN REVIEWS FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS ■Mot ... ' - jgply- :;t-' ' ' V;-.-History Recalled

I “In the pioneering days of this disI' • trict, when tho primeval bush was be* I Ing cleared preparatory to cultivation | : and settlement, tho need for a hospital ly was felt, consequent upon accident I eases, which had to bo sent to WangaI* nuni, the nearest hospital. One's imaI; .gination can picture the suffering I’ many underwent before receiving hosI pital attention. The Government at I that time was opposed to any division I; of hospital districts,” stated Mr. J. K. I Hornblow (chairman), in a brief retroI spective glance covoring the progress llfpf the Palmerston North hospital, I given at Thursday’s meeting of the I board. [ “In 1891, the late chairman (Sir J. I': 6. Wilson), who then represented tho I Manawatu constituency in Parliament, I was successful in getting all the local I bodies' in tho district to agree (includ- | ing the Wanganui Hospital Board) to l a. new division of the district. Tho ■ boundaries of the new district were deI fined by the Rangitikei river in tho I north and the Pitzhcrbert Road Board area in the south. The Enabling Bill, sponsored by the late chairman, was passed in 1891. The erection of a suitable. building was then decided upon, K and by special efforts and generous I- gifts a sum of £3700 was Taised. The p late Mr. Snelson was the first chairman ; ! and the late Mr. Walter Rutherfurd attended to the finance. The hospital, a modest wooden structure, was opened by the Hon. W. P. Reeves in November, 1893. The medical staff consisted of Drs. Mclntyre and Porter, and the matron was Miss Dougherty, assisted by two nurses. The building consisted of four wards of comparatively small dimensions. No. 1 was a privato ward later used as an operating room; No. 2 was built from money le’ft by the late Mr. Wilsher (now called tho Wilsher ward), with five beds, used as a women’s ward; No. 3 was a small coom f.with two beds; and No. 4 was tho men’s ward, with 17 beds. Tho whole of this original block is shortly to be demolished and to be replaced by tho administration block and chronic, ward. Tho first patient, who was admitted on November 23, 1893, was William Jackson, aged 33 years. The first operation was performed on William Thompson, who was the third patient and was subsequently employed* by the board.

“The . contributing bodies at that time, with the amount of levies contributed by ■! each, were as follow: Manawatu Road Board, £l3B 4/-; Palmerston North Borough Council, £136 10/-;-Halcombc Town Board, £3 12/-; Foxton Borough Council, £29 8/6; Feilding Borough Council, £lO2 3/-; Fitzherbert Road Board, £74 4/10; Kiwitea County Council, £157 10/-; Manawatu County Council, £195 12/-; Pohan'gina County Council, £72 19/*; Manchester Road Board, £207 13/10. “As tho town and district population increased the* demand for further accommodation, was clamant, and in 1914 or 1915 a comprehensive building scheme and layout was mooted, to be completed in ten years. “In' 1918 the Horowhenua County Council was merged into 1 our district. The great accession to the population of tho district made additional accommodation and equipment imperative. To-day the hospital district extends froffi- Waikanae in tho south to practically the borders of Huntcrville in the north,, taking the following counties: Horowhenua, Manawatu, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Pohangina, Oroua, and tho boroiighs of Otaki, Levin, Shannon, Foxton, Palmerston North and Feilding and the Rongotea Town Board area, with a total capital value of £31,0C0,000 and a population of 56,000. “In this district is being provided hospital .accommodation for some 200 in the main building at the hospital, fever ward accommodation, a 12-bed maternity homo and an old people’s home which can accommodate about 50 inmates,'and a cottage hospital at Otaki.

“During the past year the board has afforded-treatment to 2890 inmates at the- hospital and 226 patients in the maternitylhome, and there was an average of 48,inmates in the old people’s home.. The board is employing at all these institutions a total staff of 186. -'“The growth, and development of the institution has synchronised with the marvellous growth and prosperity of the'district, with both of which the late' chairman was so intimately associated. The services of thoso who have gone before should bo to us a source of inspiration to greater service in tho cause of the sick and suffering,” added Mr. Hornblow.