H.—3a.

6

There is also a smaller table, and a well-contrived cupboard for containing the patients' medicines. Some flowers and a few prints were to be seen, and I ascertained that there is an abundant supply of newspapers and books, the latter being kept in the library by the Dispenser. The ward-kitchens are supplied with all requisites, as also are the ward store-rooms, but no inventory of properties is kept by the nurses. The baths are constructed of marble slabs, and there is a furnace and boiler for each of these rooms, used weekly. If a hot bath is required at other times, hot water is carried from the wardkitchen. Earth-closets are in use, and are fairly well looked after ; a contractor empties the receptacles twice weekly. The condition of all the wards was, at the time of my visit, very creditable, and I formed a good opinion of the nurses. The patients appeared to bo carefully and kindly treated. I saw dinner served in two of the rooms : it consisted of roast mutton, greens, potatoes, and broth, and seemed nicely cooked. The diet-scales were submitted to me, and I made particular inquiries as to the mode of ordering and issuing extras and stimulants. The nurses take their meals in their own rooms; but the other servants, male and female, dine in the large kitchen, which is very hot and unsuitable for this purpose. The only sitting-room available for their use is a small one used for vaccination purposes. The laundry comprises a washhouse and an ironing-room, with hot-plate, mangle, wringer, and washingmachine. There are also three coppers and a number of washing-troughs. The number of articles washed amounts sometimes to eighty-six dozen weekly. There is a convenient mortuary not far from the laundry, at the back of the hospital. The water-supply is derived from three artesian wells, attached to which are three hydraulic rams, which raise a portion of the water into iron tanks placed on timber stagings. The liquid drainage from the laundry, sinks, urinals, and baths runs direct into a " creek," which, running round along the front of the hospital, discharges itself into the adjoining river. No doubt the overflow from the artesian wells tends to purify this creek, but the arrangement is an objectionable one. If a proper outlet for drainage were obtainable water-closets might, with advantage, be submitted for the earth-closets now in use. The hospital buildings are in good general repair ; the sum of £245 having been spent last year in painting the exterior. Some internal painting or distempering is needed. There are no appliances for use in case of fire, but there is an electric-bell communication with the police-station. No separate building exists for fever-patients, and insane persons are never admitted. The beds in occupation to-day are seventy-one. Only eight out-patients attended this morning. There are often thirty to forty of this class on one day. A good deal of care seems to be taken in excluding those who are not proper objects of charity, and in enforcing payment where possible. Every patient is furnished, on his discharge, with an account of what is due from him, at the rate of 3s. a day. A treatment-register and a prescription-book are kept in the dispensary, a general register in the staff-room, and a register of patients and payments in the Steward's office. The drugs are obtained on yearly contract from a local druggist, and, it is said, on very favourable terms. The contract price of milk is 7|d. per gallon, and of butter Is. a pound for the whole year. The stores are very carefully kept and issued by the House Steward and the Housekeeper, but no store ledger or other book is in use. The diet-lists are made up daily. Any property belonging to a patient is taken care of by the Steward when required, but he has no property-book, nor is_any receipt given when the property is again delivered to the patient. A large number of visitors attend the hospital, and gifts of useful things are not infrequent. Until recently there was an appointed clergyman, who performed Divine service at the hospital on Sunday mornings. At present there is no arrangement for this purpose. Altogether my visit gave me a very favourable impression of the management of this institution, and of the zeal and ability of its officers. 19th January, 1883.

COBOMANDEL. I hate made an inspection of this hospital and its surroundings. It is pleasantly situated, a little way from the town, in three acres of ground, part of which is not in any way fenced in or utilized. A good stream of pure water appears to form its boundary on two sides. The building is of wood, with shingle roof; and is in good repair externally, having recently been painted. There is a central portion, with verandah, and two projecting wings. These latter contain, in front, the Board-room and the dispensary ; and, behind, the kitchen and the Warder's room. The central part comprises the male ward, a small fever-ward, and a bath-room. Behind the hospital is a three-roomed cottage, a good deal out of repair, containing bedsteads, bedding, and a quantity of lumber. The small fever-ward contains at present one male patient, suffering from typhoid fever. The furniture of the room consists of an iron bedstead, a deal table, and a large and clumsy commode. There is one sash-window, with a holland blind; no fireplace; and the boarded walls have been, at some former time, very roughly papered. The male ward has four beds, and contains one patient suffering from fracture of the thigh-bone. One bedstead is an old iron one, of military pattern ; the others are roughly constructed of wood. Flax mattresses and pillows are in use. The bed-clothing is very clean. There are also here a plain wood table and five chairs. The walls are dirty, and roughly papered. The ceiling badly requires cleaning and whitewashing; and the floor has a dirty, stained appearance. A roll of texts hangs on the wall. There is no fireplace. The room is lighted by three sash-windows. The bath-room has an iron bath, supplied from an outside rain-water tank. This water is used for all domestic purposes also. The kitchen is a suitable room, and has a small cottage-range. The boiler requires renewing, it having been cracked. The crockery, knives, forks, and spoons are suitable, and very clean. The dispensary is fairly stocked with drugs, but I saw no surgical instruments. There I found a general register of the patients, and a case-book. The latter contains no entry since January last. The Board-room is large and well lighted. There are here a large cloth-covered table, and seven chairs. The hospital is in sole charge of a warder, who is a single man, and a.cguired his knowledge of nursing while a patient in the Auckland Hospital. He appears to be vei'y kind and industrious, but is, himself, in delicate health. The interior of the building requires much cleaning and renovating, and some furniture of a better kind is very desirable. The fever-ward is too small, and could not accommodate two patients. I was glad to learn from the Medical Officer that the Board-room is sometimes used for this purpose. This room and the dis-