The Star. WEDNESDAY, MAT 12, 1886.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5616, 12 May 1886, Page 3

The Star. WEDNESDAY, MAT 12, 1886.

_ STBATTGE una-si—ity seems to have settled upon the medical men of Christ•Aurch with regard to the Hospital bnildings. Perhaps this is a natural ■reaction ; the calm following upon a period that has been particularly stormy, even for our medical friends. Perhaps the unanimity is due to another reason. It seems as though the members of the Hospital staff, —though they would well like to have new buildings erected, see plainly enough that there is mighty little chance of the desire being gratified for some time to come. The half-loaf, in the shape •f extensive repairs, they look upon as far preferable to nothing at all in the direction of improvement; bnt their assent to the fact is most unwillingly given. Hence it is, that three differing reports on the subject have been sent in to the Hospital Board. The first of these implied that from the medical standpoint nothing could be done wiih the old building, for the reason that the woodwork was saturated with disease germs, and no sort ot disinfecting process could be sufficiently searching. The second report showed some amount of unbending : it acknowledged merit in the architect's suggestions, but declined responsibility. The third was a sort of grumbling assent : the old buildings were to be fumigated, and the staff wonld make the best use they could of the better facilities to be provided. So far as can be gathered from the explanatory remarks of Messrs Jones and White, the work of renovation will be pretty thorough, and the increased accommodation will fully meet the requirements of the immediate future. While, therefore, we shonld like to see the older portion of the Christchurch Hospital replaced by an entirely new structure, we are of opinion that the projected alterations, necessary both for the better treatment of patients, and as a safeguard against fire, shonld be proceeded -with as speedily as possible. We do not understand — we confess it freely— the opposing memoranda of the staff with regard to disinfecting processes. It has been an accepted fact, which has been widely acted upon, that the modern modes of disinfecting with substances of known potency, were perfectly satisfactory. If this were not the case, the precautionary -measures so stringently insisted upon by the doctors in the treatment of infectious diseases wonld be an utter sham, and the medical profession would stand confessed of shameful imposition on the credulity of the public. The one point which the inharmonious reports of the Hospital staff leave in doubt, is as to whether a disinfection of the old structure can be made effectual. With regard to this, all we have to say is that if the procesß cannot be so conducted, the elaborate experiments of scientists at Home go ! for nothing. In connection with the nse of carbolic acid vapour especially, the statements of experts are most emphatic. The Macclesfield Medical Officer of Health, for example, declares that the vapour will penetrate into any recesses where it is possible for infection to have made its way ; and numerous others are most positive in the declaration that it completely destroys "the hidden microscopic germs that develope themselves whenever they find an appropriate nidus, and are now known to constitute the origin of many diseases."