THE RECORD REIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10422, 21 April 1897, Page 3

THE RECORD REIGN.

PROPOSED CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. MEDICAL OPINION. Ik regard to the Record Reign commemorations one of the most important suggestions undoubtedly is that embracing the establishment of a Children's Hospital. In order to ascertain medical opinion Herald representatives waited upon several well-known practitioners, whose views are embodied below. DR. BALDWIN'S OPINION.

A Herald reporter waited upon Dr. Baldwin, the Medical Superintendent of the Auckland Hospital, to ascertain his views regarding the form which some permanent commemoration of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee should take. Dr. Baldwin expressed some disinclination to put himself forward in this matter; bat it was pointed out to him that lie was one of the first to call public attention to a certain phase of the question, and that in any rase it was to such Oβ he that the public naturally looked for information upon hospital requirements generally. He eventually consented to state his views. "It appears to be taken for granted, remarked the Herald representative, " that the commemoration is to take the form of helping the ufllicted, the poor, or the aged in some way. That was the hint the Prince of Wales gave as to the wishes of Her Majesty, I believe?" "That is so," Dr. Baldwin replied. "In London a great effort is being made to place the hospitals in a sound financial position, In England, as you are doubtless aware, the hospitals are not supported out of State funds?" "In Auckland," the reporter continued, " opiniou bo far seems to be divided between adequate provision for child sufferers, a nnvalescent home, hospital externum, and ncrcased accommodation for the blind, Which of these has your sympathy?" Dr. Baldwin replied that they all had his sympathy. There certainly was room for a convalescent home; additional hospital accommodation would soon have to be seriously considered; and of course ample prorision for the blind had the sympathy of everyone. "I think, however," said he, "that * children's hospital is on the whole the most practicable scheme. I think so for several reasons. In the first place, for the sake of the children themselves. It is certainly a misfortune that young children should have to be pUced among the grown-up patients, a* is often absolutely necessary at present. The surrouudings make them old before their time; and, in fuct, they soon cease to be children. Not only is the present accommodation at the Hospital inadequate for the little sufferers, but it is also unsuitably situated. The children's ward is 011 the wrong side of the building, and never has the advantage of a ray of sunlicht, and I hare nowhere else to put them. The only place they can be moved to in the daytime is the balcony, whereas it would be far better if they could at times get right outside iu an enclosure of their own." "Then you think a children's hospital is an ureent necessity?" " Well I may tell you that, notwithstanding our limited accommodation, the number ol child patients has been steadily increasing. I will give you some figures to show how the matter stands. In 1890 we had 60 children under JO years; in 1892 the number rose to 69; in 1893 it was 81; iu 1894 it wae 85, and in 1896 the number was 143. I cannot find the figures for 1895 just at this moment. If all these could be placed in a separate building, it would give as a little more room at the hosmtal, and further accommodation is much neened." "Are you very crowded now at the Hospital?" " During the last day or two there has been a slight fulling off iu the number of patients. But up till Friday last, and for a very considerable time before that, we have never iiad a vacant bed. Oue patient had hardly got out of his or her bed before another was placed iu it. As a matter of fact we have had to hurry patients oft almost too soon. If any sorioue railway accident or the like occurred, I hardly know what I would do with the sufferers. So you sec both for the sake of the hospital and of thecchildrenn n themselves a separate building is uecessary." " What in your opinion would be the dimensions and cost of such a building ai you have indicated ?" " The matter has been under consideration for some time, and some twelve months ago when the question was lirsc mooted, plans were drawu up fir a building estimated to cost £'201)0. It would contain accommodation for 20 children in two wards with ten cots in each, anil the necessary accommodation and requirements for carrying on the institution. I think we should have plans prepared for i> building consisting of four wards with twelve cots in each; also a theatre and an inspection room. The inspection room would be used for isolating doubtful cases until we ascertained the exact nature of the disease, because infectious cases would not be treated in the children's hospital. The plaus should be so dr»wn up, that, if necessary, half of the work - two words with twelve cots eachcould be built for a start, and the building completed subsequently. The cost of maintenance would not be great. For it conld he placed under the same supervision as the Hospital, and only a comparatively few extra nurses wonld be required. In this respect the Children's Hospital proposal has an advantage over a Convalescent Home. The latter, in order to fulfil its functions, would havo to be placed at a distance from tho Hospitnl, because ono of the great features of a Convalescent Home is a complete change. Such being tile case, separate management would be m> absolute necessity, and the cost would be increased in proportion." , ... " What sort of cases would you treat in the Children's Hospital ?" " Well, I would not lake youug babies, at any rate for a start, for they would necessitate a larger nursing stiff tliall would otherwise be repuired. Children from one to twelve years would bo the moat suitable. After twelve they are old enough for the general hospital. No infectious cases would of course be taken in. The diseases treated would be maiuly pueumonU. diserses of the hip joint, and bone dieeasea.

SHALL THE HOSPITAL BE DISTINCT? A Herald representative also saw Dr. T. Hope Lewis, one of the houorary surgeons of the Hospital staff, who at once declared in favour of a children's win' to the hospital " as the very best tiling from a medical point of view." The idea of a separate hospital for children was very eood, but could It be kept Ul) ? "To those who afe familiar with the children's ward in our Hospital, said lie, the appeal will, I am confident, come with force. The ward faces the south, is sunless, cold and dreary in the extreme. In {act, it is the only ward in the hospital that nets no sun at all. And of all others it should be the brightest and most cheerful. For we all know that plenty of sunaliiue plays an important part in the Uvea of children. Wellington is to have a new operating theatre, Melbourne and Hobart new special hospitals - let Auckland celebrate the year by erecting a special children's wing as an addition to the Hospital. We iiave one of the grandest sites in the world for a hospital, but at, present the accommodation for infant patients is the greatest drawback. Had this cheerless apartment been used for adults instead of children there would soon have been complaints, but these-poor little suffering mites cannot complain. In my daily round of lite I see no cause that lacks assistance more than the medioal and surgical care of our sick childreu at the Hospital. Every time I go Into their ward 1 feel that they are not properly housed. Their nurses are all that call bo desired, but their environment is absolutely dismal. Now my idea is this, if funds would allow, a bright cottage, somewhat in bungalow style, with plenty of verandah, so that every suitable oiise can be easily moved into the fresh air and snnshine, built somewhere on the slope on the harbour side of the main buildin». It would be better detached in order that the little ones might be kept away from the scenes of sorrow and death that necessarily form part of every hospital; they could not then disturb patients in the other "Do you think there would be any difficulty in obtaiuing funds." "The appeal lor funds last year for the purpose of furnishing additions to the Nurses' Home was so liberally responded to that I have no doubt whatever tut if the task of raising a fund to build a children s wing is taken up by an influential committee the response will be satisfactory in every way. Funds might be available for furnishiug and erecting a distinct institution; but if It is to be separate from the Hospital, how is it to be maintained ? If a wing, or rather a detached building were erected, I don I think a very large amount of money would be required. Of course I cannot speak with certainty, but I should think £2000 would suffice." " It has been suggested that if a children s hospital were established, it would be used bv parent) who were glad to get rid of their children ?'' " I believe myself that the children's ward is subject to lees imposition than any other part of the Hospital. Th» casea admitted are diseases of the bone or cases of essentially chronic character, which are more suitable for hospital treatment than home treatment. It has been urged that a certain class would be only too happy to get rid of a troublesome tick child by leading it U thi Hoipital. I

do not believe that at all. And you cannot draw too strong a picture as to the dismalness of the present children's ward." "Then you do not think a distinct institution advisable ?" " Will tunde allow? Would it not be better to have a preperly equipped building placed at the disposal of the medical and nursing staff than to establish an institution which would have to be kept up distinct from anything else ?"