H.—Sa

H.—3a.

ASHBTIRTON. I hate this day made an inspection of the hospital, which is an imposing-looking building, situated in about eight acres of land, about half a mile from the railway-station. The construction is of red brick, with white-stone dressings and slate roof. The internal walls are plastered, but have not yet been distempered or painted, and have a very bare appearance. Some of them require to be washed down. On either side of the principal entrance is a room for the Master and Matron. These are lofty, cheerful, and well lighted. Behind these rooms are the surgery, kitchen, scullery, coalhouse, and closets for the staff, and also a tortuous passage leading to the male wards. The front of the building, to the left of the entrance; is occupied by an enclosed corridor, with many windows. The floor is of concrete, and, as the sun only shines on this part of the building early in the morning, the place is cold and comparatively useless for the patients, for whose use two benches are placed here. From the centre of this corridor a passage runs back, having on either side small rooms called " private wards." Of these there are seven for males. They are provided each with a bed, washstand, dressing-table and glass, and an immense locker like a seaman's chest; there is also a very large and cumbrous earthcommode. These rooms are intended for patients paying £2 2s. per week, but do not prove a success. Only one is now occupied, and that by an ordinary patient suffering from typhoid fever. At the end of the passage are double-doors opening into the principal male ward. This ward contains ten beds, two of which have been borrowed from the private wards. The space is insufficient for such a number, the loftiness of the room not compensating for the inadequate floor-space. In the rear of this Ward are folding-doors opening into a rambling passage, on one side of which are a lavatory and a bath-room, and on the other three closets and two urinals. Above the officers' rooms, surgery, and kitchen, are situated the rooms for female patients, comprising a ward with four beds, two private wards, linen store, bath-room, servants' bedroom, and slop-closet. The hospital is badly planned and ill-constructed. The kitchen is constantly used as a passage from one part of the house to another, and, until recently, it was necessary to go out of doors for this purpose. Much room is wasted, and the large number of private wards is obviously a mistake. The whole of the south-west side of the building is very wet from rain driving through the walls, while it has already been found necessary to remove and to renew the roof. The large male ward is spoiled in appearance by a central fireplace with large brick-chimney. It is also very draughty. New folding doors have recently been put up, but they are so twisted that they cannot be properly closed. All the wards are lighted by sash-windows, and have fretwork ventilators in the ceilings, with valvular openings, about 8 feet above the floor-line, in the walls. Open fireplaces are everywhere used : one of these, in a small room, being of immense size. Mantelpieces and fenders are of stone. The bedsteads are of iron, with straw paillasses, hair mattresses and pillows. All the bedding was in excellent condition. There are some small bedside lockers (to replace the large chests removed elsewhere), and Windsor and other chairs. A rather large table with deal form serves for meals, there being no proper dining-room for convalescents. There are no pictures or ornaments. Two newspapers are supplied, and efforts are being made to provide a library. Earth-commodes, of enormous dimensions, are provided, and there are small and neat washstands. In the private wards are strips of felt carpet, dressing-tables, and toilet-glasses. Candles are in use, though gaa-pipes are laid everywhere, these not yet being yet connected with the town gasworks. The male bath-room is provided with a separate furnace and tank, and is, consequently, never used but as a receptacle for lumber. The female bath-room is supplied with hot water from the kitchen boiler. The kitchen is suitable for its purpose, and a good scullery adjoins it. There is a good cooking-range. The surgery serves as an operating-room, and is well provided with instruments. Drugs are not kept, prescriptions being made up in the town under a contract. The laundry is a detached building at the rear of the kitchen, containing an ironing-stove (which is out of repair), a circulating-boiler for providing hot water, a copper, some washing-troughs, and a small mangling-machine. The hot-water boiler is too slow and costly in its action for use, and has not been heated for some time past. At a short distance from the hospital is a row of detached buildings, consisting of fever-hospital, mortuary, padded room, and stable. The fever hospital contains two small wards, each intended for two beds. The cubic space allowed is certainly not sufficient. No bath-room, lavatory, or closet is provided, and there is no accommodation whatever for a nurse. The south-west wall is fearfully wet. The mortuary is suitable for its purpose, but wants some kind of lobby or screen at the entrance. The single room is provided with leather-covered pads, which line the walls and floor. These are stained with wet and other matters, and cannot be removed for cleaning. The room is not weather-proof, though new skylights have been provided ; nor is it, in my opinion, a safe place of custody for an active lunatic. The stable is used by the Master, who keeps, at his own expense, a horse and trap to fetch the Medical Officer when necessary. The grounds have a neglected appearance. There is a small flower-bed in front of the entrance, and about 1£ acres are well cropped with vegetables and strawberries. The remainder is in grass. Rain-water is collected in a large underground tank for laundry use. A good supply of drinking-water is pumped by a wind-engine from a tube-well into four iron tanks, mounted on a timber staging. No provision is made against fire, nor is any alarm-bell available. The sewage runs into a tank near the kitchen-garden, where it is utilized. It was formerly collected in a cesspool very near the building. The night-soil has been also used in the garden, but will, in future, be removed by a contractor. All stores are supplied under contracts, and those which I saw were of good quality. The quantities are checked by the Master when the accounts are sent in. An inventory of all hospital property is in existence, but nothing has ever been added or written off. No medical books appear to be kept, but I examined the prescription and diet cards. The Master keeps a register of all patients admitted, and enforces payment, under the direction of the County Council, where possible. At the time of my visiting there were nine in-patients, eight of whom were males. All were proper cases for hospital treatment. There have recently been several deaths. Visits by the clergy are frequent, but the public.fid not appear much interested in the hospital. The Committee seem to attend very rarely at the building, but transact all their business at the Council's offices. The Medical Officer appears to be very regular in his attendance, and was highly spoken of by the patients, who also stated that they were well and kindly treated by the Master and Matron. It appears to me that there is more

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