HOSPITAL WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3869, 8 May 1928, Page 25

HOSPITAL WEEK.

SPECIAL CHURCH SERVICES. National Hospital Week was observed on Sunday by special services in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in the morning and in Knox Church at night. ST. JOSEPH’S CATHEDRAL.Special ceremonies were held at St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Solenin high mass began at 11 a.m., Dr Whyte presiding. The celebrant was Father Gavin (chaplain to the Public Hospital), deacon of the mass (Father M’Mahon, sub-deacon) (the Rev. A. Bennet), deacons at the throne (the Revs. C. von Rotter and J. I'oley), master of ceremonies (Father C. J. Collins, adm.). The occasional sermon was delivered by Dr Mbrkane, rector of Holy Cross College, Mosgiel. The music of the mass (Mercadante) was rendered by St. Joseph’s choir. Mr H. Poppciwell conducted, hnd Mr A. Vallis presided at the organ. Representatives of the Charitable Aid Board, also of the medical and nursing staffs of the Dunedin public and private hospitals were in attendance. Dr Morkane, after emphasising the fact that love of God and love of our neighbour were really one and the same thing, went on to say that, to the church the hospitals were the instruments of God’s love and mercy. The Catholics of New Zealand gratefully recognised the high standard of the hospitals of the Dominion, and gladly paid tribute to the immense charity found therein. They were ever ready to co-operate with the State or the community, and walk in the footprints of those countless heroes of Christian love and mercy who spent themselves for the sick and bruised of body and mind. The Catholics of New Zealand, and especially the pool', gladly recorded their great debt of gratitude to the hospitals and to the medical profession and nurses. For the unfailing courtesy and consideration shown, in and out of the hospitals, to the priests, nuns, and, above all, to the poor, they were deeply grateful. What they owed to their doctors ami nurses no one perhaps knew better than the priest, who was ever met with true Christian courtesy and kindness. They prayed God, therefore, to bless and prosper their noble work of charity, and to strengthen and console all by whose beds there stood the angel of pain and suffering. SERVICE AT KNOX CHURCH. At the evening service at Knox Church every available seat was occupied. Members of the Hospital Board and of the medical staff and Matron Tennant were among those present. The nurses attended in uniform, and there was also a parade of Girl Guides, drawn from the various companies in the city. The service was conducted by the Rev. Tulloch Yuille. The Scriptures were read by Mr Gordon Bell, professor of surgery, who is president of the Hospital medical staff. Dr James Thomson, medical superintendent, speaking on “ The Hospital and the Community,” said it was appropriate that Hospital Week should be held on the anniversary of the birthday of Florence Nightingale, whose whole life was imbued with the ideal of service. In the modern hospital the welfare of the patient was the first consideration, and it dominated everything else. In recent years there had been a change in the attitude of the majority of people towards the hospital, and now it was looked upon as an institution where people went to get well instead of. ore which they entered with an abandonment of hope. And it was this very change in the viewpoint of the people to the hospital that was making that large section of the community—not the rich and not the poor, but the large section in between—realise that the hospital, with all its scientific equipment, was the place for them if only some provision could be made for their recention. They did not see why they should be debarred from going to hospital, and though nominally it was open to them, actually it is not. The Victoria Infirmary of Glasgow had decided to cater for this section of the community by establishing paying wards, where patients, in addition to paying their board, also paid a modified fee to the physician or surgeon for their services.

Mr T uille, in his sermon on “ Unanswered Prayers,” spoke of the need of religion expressing itself in works of love, and of the high ambition of being a servant to the community. He appealed to the Girl Guides present to consider the work of a nurse as a possible calling for each of them.

Mr W. Paget Gale presided at the organ, and all the hymns expressed ideas of service, especially service to the sick.