THE SANATORIA ON THE HILLS

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 97, 30 May 1914, Page 6

THE SANATORIA ON THE HILLS

Specially written for THE SUN. features of the treatment—the nourishing diet (with milk figuring largely), the regular exereise j the precautions that must be observed, and so forth. Br Blackmore, the resident medical officer,' directs and advises, and a nursing staff of five see that instructions are carried out. The patients, pitifully anxious to regain the lost road to health, faithfully obey orders, and so the crisp clear days and the keen chill nights dawn and

'Way up on Cashmere Hills, where the winds have their playground, is the Sanatorium established by the Associated Hospitals Board for the benefit of sufferers from tuberculosis. . Sheer above it rises the hill-side, and below, a steep road drops abruptly to the level of the main track. The block of buildings that comprise the Sanatorium have their foundations on land cut out of the

die endlessly, and the battle never slackens. Visit the institution and walk through it, and you will see the patients variously employed—in groups, in twos, in threes, in singles. A man sits at the piano in the big dining-room and tinkles out rag-time; a couple of others lean over the instrument, and one hums the air. A little group of women quite girlish and young, are sewing in a sheltered corner of the verandah; another has a book in her hand. Two men in the diningroom beguile the time with a game of billiards. This is after the work of bed-making, swabbing out the rooms, washing the dishes, etc., is done with, for the

hills, and while the straight drop gives a beautiful view the situation does not allow the patients much scope for walking exercise. An invalid suffering from lung

trouble is in no condition for scrambling up and down •hills, and exercise in the open air is such a necessary thing. However there is enough ground of a sufficiently level nature at one side for a garden, and there the patients put in many an horn*—the work is really, part of the treatment, and occupies their minds healthfully as well as their bodies—there is nothing like the tonic of out-of-doors! It is a great thing to have the mind as well as the body healthfully occupied—how great perhaps few beyond those who battle daily with sickness realise. The mental condition of the patient must naturally affect the physical, and a cheerful and occupied mind helps the cure along wonderfully, just as one

patients perform all these duties themselves. And the immaculate, dustless, speckless cleanliness of everything! Everything is so designed th,at : dust cannot harbour, for in dust lies danger. The shelves, the lockers, the wardrobes, and, in fact, every fixture and arrangement is so made that it can be, taken apart and scrubbed as thoroughly as the floors and walls, and the result is that in the Sanatorium dust is practically nonexistent. The Spectre of the Scourge. But let us return to the patients.. Looking at them casually they appear in most cases cheerful and content —they are plueky these soldiers of life, and they fight

that is moody and depressed retards progress. Doctors and nurses alike recognise this, and make every effort to secure a hopeful mental outlook for their patients. Biggest Factors in the Fight. Some sixty persons are housed in the Sanatorium, and there, daily and nightly, the grim battle for life and health against the progress, of the disease is fought. Fresh air, and again fresh air, and yet again fresh air, is the battle-cry—it is one of the biggest factors in the fight for a cure. Then, of course, there are other

with a smile on their faces. But in many a heart hides secret tragedy. Away from their kith and kin, the dear home circle of love and friends and companionship, each lives alone, though surrounded by many, and the pathos of their brave bearing is a pitiful thing. Always the spectre of the scourge walks with them, though they affect to be unaware of his presence. Only sometimes, in the still night watches, one can picture them catching their breath to listen for his footsteps — do they advance or retreat? But all is not gloom—oh, no! The little world at

SCENE OF THE BATTLE FOR LIFE AND HEALTH

the Sanatorium has its gold days as well as the grey. "Into each life some rain must fall," says Longfellow, and even we, who stand inside the safe citadel of health, know how true that is. So they have their music, their little amusements, their social gatherings, their celebrations, and the hope" that springs eternal in the human breast is generally victor in the battle with gloom. And from time to time there is a glad day

when a patient walks out of the Sanatorium gates, clasping anew, with an immense thankfulness, the inestimable boon of health, miraculously given back to him within its walls! In this connection" Br Blackmore's words are mightily comforting—"There is always the possibility of a cure. No consumptive patients are incurable until they are dead." The Hand of Dr. Elackmore. But # it is not expedient to have advanced cases amongst those who are only in the early stages, and for the benefit of the former a new hospital has been built, designed in evory. way for them. It is really wonderful

how everything, down to the most minute details, has been thought of and planned for. The board must have considered and deliberated and weighed every matter with the greatest care until they got each detail so satisfactorily settled. In many of. the arrangements one traces the hand of Br Blackmore, and one guesses that much of their completeness and efficiency is due to him. But he will not say so. "We all had a hand in the planning and designing " is as far as he will commit himself. The new hospital—the King George the Fifth Memorial Home, to give it the full designation—is for advanced cases only, and will be officially opened ou

June 3. The equipment is second to none in Australasia at any rate, and an inspection of it is a valuable and interesting experience. Further down the hill from the top building it stands, and here'again excavation work has been resorted to in order to obtain a foothold. The building is fronted by an asphalt walk, and beyond that is a piece of level ground which it is hoped to turn into a bowling green for the use of patients later on, the game being so very suitable to their .physical condition. The front entrance, by a paradox, is not the front entrance, for the fence is run

along the side of the Home iu such a manner as to com' pletely cut off all outside communication —the patient* will have it all to themselves, and visitors will find the* ''front entrance'' at the back. Open, to Sun and Wind. The /building is enclosed by verandahs running right around, with glass wind screens so placed that no matter from which quarter the wind blows, some portion will always be cosy and sheltered. The exceptional width of the verandahs at onee strikes the .visitor, and one learns that they are constructed thus to accommodate beds and yet leave plenty of room for the nurses to move about on either side. The "Fama" flooring, which is put down in one complete sheet, is easily kept clean, and has no cracks in which dust may lurk. Three wards, containing six beds each, are on the ground floor. The beds have been specially' imported from England for the Home, and are the,last word in comfort and in their facilities for being easily -moved about. Each bed rests on two rubber-shod wheels, which are just about in a line with the patient's shoulders, and a third wheel, made of composition this time, reaches the floor, from the foot .of the bed. ";A fourth wheel, from the head, of the bed, does not reach the i'.oor; but acts as a kind of balance, and ths. whole tiling' can. be easily moved to any place or portion; no how large the patient:'. occupying it, may'; be, or how small the nurse in charge. And of course the great beauty of the bed lies in' the fact that the pi?Hout suffers no discomfort whatever-in transit.' Eaeh ward is provided with a specially design<;di cupboard, with a flat top covered with, a detaehaMe sheet of plate glass to assist perfectcleanliness. Part, of the cupboard can be used by the nurse as a writing desk, and there is a cabinet with shelves for papers,bottles, etc. The ward lockers —one for each paiiont—are also topped with plate glass. The dimension: - ; of« each ward are about 22 by 30 feet. \ The sanitary block-is to the rear, and in this connection may be mentioned specially designed places for teeth-cleaning purposes. It would not-do to clean teeth in the ordinary washiiig basins, for fear \of spreading infection, so special places are provided, from which the water is carried by pipes straight to the destructor. The Living Quarters. ' Next to the end ward is the big airy; dining-room, and here, as in the wards, one- notices that wall space has been reduced to a minimum. There are plenty of double doors opening on to the balcony with little narrow strips of wall between—just about enough to* hang a door to, and not much over. A big fire.plac.e"-.-occupies one end, and is of rather unique ('design—-looH* at. first glance as if it had been hewn out of solid rock. On closer examination one comes to the regretful conclusion that the "solid rock" ;is merely a manufactured article, but the fire will be none the less useful and cheqrful for that. ' Dispensary, doctor ? s room, nurses' duty .room, matron's sitting .room) scullery, pantry, store .rooms,. work room, maids' sitting room, etc:, are all on theground floor. To the top floor one may proceed j if one likes, by electric lift} the said lift, by the. way, being large" enough to accommodate a bed, so; that patients may be conveyed up or downstairs by its'agency. The top part of the building contains at each .end two wards, one of four and one.. of six beds. Between there is a two-bed ward, and two single rooms, the latter for patients who -are , very ill. Here, as downstairs, the balcony is divided by glass screens, and each ward has its own share of balcony,. divided off by means of the screens from the remainder." The single rooms have their own little screened off corners, too so that no matter how ill the occupants may be, they can still be moved out on to the balcony without coming in contact with any of the other patients. A fire escape leading from the back of the balecny serves a double purpose —that for which its name implies, and a means for the top floor patients to get. on to., the hill side without having to walk downstairs. A sanitary block,,as downstairs, occupies the rear 6f the building. . "There are also quarters for the assistant doctor provided in the Home;

Advanced Cases. * . t ~ - . .- ! ' Tablpss yEoKeiard v playing, etc., are scattered about the verandahs and balconies, another proof that the cure is to be helped by recreation as much as possible. .Chairs and lounges will also figure, wufc comfort;] and >;.-.■ convenience will be studied in every way. Brßlaektoeye;*? who showed the Writer over the Home, is exceedingly [pleased with the way in which the architects and contractors have carried out the, design, and he looks forward with the keen interest ofscienee and the warm sympathy of humanitarianism to the good work which it will make, possible. .. . ' j Away from the main building is the • destructor, where ail infection is destroyed, and the receptacles used by the patients boiled in a disinfectant solution. No germ, tubercular or .otherwise could possibly come through the process and live! ■■'■■_. Perhaps the need for the Home is not fully realised by some, and for the benefit of those a litttle explanation of the purpose for, which it stands -may be given. It is practically impossible to treat advanced cases amongst those who are only in the early stages of the disease: that much is self-evident. Where, then, are the unfortunates to go? Back to their homes, where they can never have the proper care and treatment that represents at least a chance of healthf Back to their homes, where proper precautions for preventing contagion cannot be observed, there to infeet others with the same dread scourge ? Dr Blaekmore tells many a pitiful story of patients who have been discharged from the present Sanatorium because their cases were too far advanced for treatment there, and one alone is sufficient to convince the hearer of the urgent need that exists for the Home. . - The contract price of" the building is £10,500, but the work which it will possible is toeyond computation. S.I.R.