The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1922. SIDCUP.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18443, 29 March 1922, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1922. SIDCUP.

In another part of this issue we publish the text of letters received by Mrs. Cecil Wray from the British Red Cross Society and the Queen’s Facial Hospital at Sidcup. These letters reached us by yesterday’s mail, and we have pleasure in publishing them because we feel that they will enable those citizens of Wanganui and other parts of the Dominion who have given generously towards the good work Mr. and Mrs. Wray have carried on for so long is appreciated in England. The Queen’s Hospital was specially established for sailors and soldiers suffering from severe facial and jaw injuries. The building of the hospital began in February, 1917, and it was opened for 100 patients in the following August, an additional 213

beds being provided before the ena of that month. The numerous cases daily sent to Sidcup quickly absorbed the accommodation, and Sir Alfred Keogh, Director - General A.M.S., having decided to make the institution a central military hospital, and the special hospital for the United Kingdom for facial and jaw injuries, the committee, with the generous assistance of the British Red Cross Society, Sir Heath Harrison, Bart., and others, further increased the in-patient accommodation from 313 to 562 beds. This was further increased by affiliating five auxiliary hospitals with an aggregate accommodation of 400 beds. The St. John Ellerman Hospital in Regent’s Park was then placed at the disposal of the Queen’s Hospital by Sir John Ellerman, Bart., who added to it, at his own expense, a complete dental surgery and workshop. This hospital provided for 26 officers’ beds, and brought the available accommodation up to approximately 1000 beds. The medical officers in charge of the Oversea’s contingents, realising the value of the hospital, which was especially equipped with every modern appliance for the treatment of surgical cases, at once applied that their officers and men might be treated at Sidcup. This was arranged,, and separate units for Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders, with their medical officers and staff, were accommodated. From the time the hospital opened up to June 30th, 1921, no less than 11,7 52 major operations had been carried out. The number of new cases admitted (including 208 New Zealanders) for the same period was 4926, in addition to which there were 1760 re.-admissions. It is not possible to express in print, except in mere outline, the value of the work done and the permanent benefit rendered to several thousands of the Empire’s most grieviously wounded officers and men; but if our readers could see the photographs attached to the executive’s official report they might be able to form some idea of the wonderful results achieved by surgical skill. These photographs, chosen, we are told, from a vast number, as typical ones rather than as exceptional ones, prove the inestimable relief that has been afforded so many poor fellows who suffered such severe and distressing facial injuries. It will doubtless be a great source of satisfaction to those who have so generously supported the hospital to know this, and the Committee, in expressing their sincere thanks to those kind donors, hope that they will continue thetr support for some time to come, and so make possible the completion or the work which the founders of the institution set out to accomplish. It is interesting to learn that the total amount expended on the building and equipment of this specially-ap-pointed hospital has been approximately £149,000, and the total amount of contributions, including generous donations from Her Majesty the Queen (from a fund placed at Her Majesty’s disposal), the British Red Cross Society, Sir Heath Harrison, Bart, (whose initial gift of £lO,OOO enabled the Committee to start so satisfactorily), Mr. N. N. Wadia, Sir Shapurji Broacha, and many others, have amounted approximately to £213,000. A considerable amount, certainly; but with the facts and figures before us, supplemented by the convincing evidence of these pictured proofs of seemingly miraculous achievement, we cannot conceive of any money that has ever been more beneficently expended.