AT THE HOSPITAL.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15115, 28 December 1921, Page 5

AT THE HOSPITAL.

A HAPPY TIME. At the Thames Hospital, no opportunity was lost to make the Christmas season an enjoyable one. At 7 o’clock on Saturday evening, the chairman, (Mr W. J. McCormick) and the secretary (Mr Tonge) visited the institution, and, shortly afterwards, Father Christmas, in full regalia, appeared on the scene, and gave to each patient a gift, entrusted to him for delivery by an anonymous donor. The two nurses who had been seriously ill with typhoid fever were the recipients of many presents, .and others of the staff were not forgotten. And so Christmas Day dawned upon a hospital made beautiful with decorations. The women’s ward was particularly pleasing, ; but the whole place was pretty, and It was evident that the staff had worked with vim and enthusiasm to effect the change. Christmas dinjier was served a little earlier than usual. It was of the time-honoured description—poultry, with green peas and new potatoes, plum pudding, and meat pies. It is not known what fate befel anypatient who happened to be on “light diet.” At 1 o’clock the nursing staff sat •down to dinner. The tables had been beautifully decorated with pink sweet pease, and in the centre was a massive Christmas cake, the gift of Mrs Ritchie. This is the only day, m all the year that the staff can all sit down to dinner together, and it was a most enjoyable occasion. All afternoon the patients were visited by their friends, an'd in. the evening, before evensong,„the choir of St. George’s Church visited the hospital, and sang carols in the wards. The music was much . appreciated, both by, the patients and the staff. Later, when a Star reporter visited the hospital, he found that everyone was tired, but happy, after a good day. Even in the children’s corner, peace The little tots, with one were asleep, and the exception knew that the sandman was not far away. Christmas Day had passed, but the pleasure of having given some cheer to .the patients will remain a pleasing menjary, with many for long to come. On Monday members of the staff had a picnic down the Coast, arranged by Dr. Derrick, and in the evening the matron gave a social evening in the social room of the nurses’ home.