RADIO IN HOSPITALS

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1929, Page 7

RADIO IN HOSPITALS

SCHEME FOR NEW PLYMOUTH. “Now that the ends of the earth are being drawn together by radio communication, and. now that the nations are seriously considering a method of settling disputes in a more rational manner than by attempts at mutual extermination and irrational r wholesale destruction,” said Sir Oliver Lodge when speaking on the subject of radio and co-operation, “it behoves us to try and cultivate an international sentiment —that is to say, to extend friendly co-operation and mutual assistance beyond the limits of family, tribe and nation, as heretofore, and begin to treat the whole earth as a unit in which humanity is striving to develop its better qualities, and to rise to a higher state.” ' Unconsciously, perhaps, a similar idea! IccT a New Plymouth woman to set on foot a movement for installing radio in the New Plymouth hospital. She talked the matter over with her husband and he became enthusiastic. The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr. J. M. Clarke, thought it a splendid idea and stated it needed only some enterprising individual to devise a scheme.

Thus the movement grew and arrangements were almost finalised to bring the matter before public notice when the earthquake intervened. The resulting appeal for assistance necessitated all arrangements being tentatively cancelled However, it is now thought that the project might be proceeded with. It is expected the North Taranaki Radio Society will co-operate and broadcast announcements and appeals for monetary assistance. Already a concert has been. arranged by Miss Leatham in aid of the funds and the organiser, Mrs. H. E. Ayckbourn, intends to seek the assistance of the various bodies in the town. As it is thought that radio set owners appreciate their advantages most an appeal for assistance is to be directed to each license holder in the Taranaki Hospital Board’s district. The initial aim is to secure £l5O, the minimum amount required to enable the receiving apparatus to be installed and one ward equipped with headphones. The advice of Mr. J. Pigott, a technical expert, was sought and he devised a scheme whereby the system would ultimately consist of approximately 150 pairs of headphones in the wards and on the verandahs, two loud speakers in the children’s ward and loud speakers in the nurses’ home and doctor’s residence. Interviewed by a Daily News representative, Mr. Pigott stated that if £450 could be raised no part of the hospital would remain unserved and provision would be made for the proposed new ward.

In addition, apparatus would be provided whereby it would be possible to broadcast gramophone records which would be received in the same way as ordinary radio programmes. The receiver to be used, he said, was the latest type, seven-stage, all-electric, employing a powerful push-pull amplification to feed into the system. It had proved eminently satisfactory for the heavy duty imposed on the receiver in an installation of such a description. The system was so designed that the strength of the .. ignals could be adjusted in each ward independent of whether loud speakers were used or not and, although the receiver was operated from the power mains (the electric light system) it would be utterly impossible, whatever the nature of a breakdown, for any current to leak through to the ward circuits.

The whole system,.Mr. Pigott continued, would be under absolute control and it would be possible to isolate any portion at will. If it was required the ward circuits could be disconnected and the loud speakers in other parts of the building left in operation. Arrangements would be made so that convalescent patients could operate the gramophone records. All that would bo required would be an electric turntable and a patient to change the records. “I have made a careful study of the weaknesses that have developed in installations in other centres,” Mr. Pigott said, “and precautions will be taken to eliminate such weaknesses as far as possible.” The reticulation, he stated, was lead sheathed cable to shield the wiring from picking up extraneous noises, and the installation had to be so designed that capacity effects between cables did not affect the tone when received by patients. ‘When the job is completed,” Mr. Pigott concluded, “the New Plymouth hospital should have the most up-to-date installation in New Zealand.” The installing of radio in hospitals is a movement that is steadily expanding throughout the world and Wellington, dreytown, Christchurch and Ashburton hospitals have adopted a system similar to that proposed for New Plymouth. Medical officers in charge of hospitals are almost unanimous on the benefits which patients derive from radio. In Sydney, though many of the hospitals are already equipped, the huge family of Smith has banded together and, by means of entertainments, are rapidly bringing to fruition a scheme to equip the hospitals remaining. Striking testimonies as to the value' of radio to the hospital patients are to be gleaned from those who have been inmates of an institution which is equipped with radio, “We used to count the hours till 3 o’clock, when the wireless was turned on,” said one ex-patient. Another stated: “I thoroughly appreciated the wireless when I was in hospital. It is an excellent innovation and helped to pass many a weary hour.” One little girl said: “I was on my back in hospit .l for nearly four years. I had no headphones, but sometimes I shared a-pair when my bed was moved beside my neighbour’s. I-often wished somebody would have been kind enough to have given me a pair of headphones.” It is stated that if the public supports the project as anticipated the installation will be completed by Christmas.