10

H.—9

CHAELESTON HOSPITAL. Theee is no change in either the structure or working of this hospital since last year. The patients, four in number, one a chronic case of four years standing, are treated with the utmost kindness and attention. The in-patients for the year numbered twenty-two. Of these, thirteen have paid their maintenance, and nine have not paid. I observed a great improvement in the bedding since last visit. Locally they raised £102, and received £237 from the Westport Board. The doctor's salary is £150. The warder gets 30s. a week, and he has an assistant who gets 10s. and found. 28th January, 1888.

CHBISTCHTJECH HOSPITAL. Since my last report on this hospital all the three large wards have been made similar, and there is nothing like them in the colony, being warmed with hot air on plans prepared and most successfully carried out by Mr. Seager. The old beds, which gave such an untidy look to the wards, have been replaced by new beds with wire mattresses. The defects which I pointed out last year have been remedied, and the whole institution is in a highly satisfactory condition. I was sorry to find that the drying-closet, which cost something like £200, is a complete failure. The in-patients for the year amounted to 542, and the out-patients to 465, with 1,251 attendances.

COEOMANDEL HOSPITAL. Thbee was no change either in the structural arrangements or the management of this hospit a since my last year's visit, except that I found the whole rather untidy, owing to the warder and his wife, and two children being allowed temporarily to occupy the kitchen and one of the rooms while his own house was being built. In all other respects I was satisfied. I was especially struck with the unusually skilful and ingenious way in which Dr. Atterburg succeeded in healing a difficult case of urethral injury. There were four patients at the time of my visit, and they all spoke in the highest terms both of the doctor and the warder. 15th February, 1888.

CEOMWELL HOSPITAL. This hospital continues to be most satisfactorily administered in every respect. It is a credit to the district. 18th March, 1888.

DUNEDIN HOSPITAL. I have nothing to add to my last year's detailed report of this hospital except to notice the new additional accommodation that has been provided, at a cost of £1,516. The new block contains a splendid operating-room, suitable for the rapidly-increasing number of medical students ; 'provision has also been made for a chloroform-room, a surgeons' consulting-room, and a students' room. The proposal to build a nurses' home had to be postponed for lack of funds, but no doubt this desirable change will be carried out at the earliest opportunity. A most important feature of the management of this hospital is the invaluable practice that prevails of always keeping one of the wards empty for the purpose of thorough disinfection and cleansing. A very great improvement has been effected in removing the lying-in ward, and devoting the space to a children's ( ward, which contains twelve beds. As I pointed out last year, the existence of a flourishing medical school in connection with this hospital gives a completeness and thoroughness to its medical and surgical arrangements that we look for in vain anywhere else in New Zealand. It would, however, be very desirable if proper reports of all operations were regularly supplied by the house surgeon. The number of patients treated during the year were 510 males and 400 females. The outdoor patients amounted to 948 males and 1,165 females, and the number of reapplications was 5,935.

DUNSTAN HOSPITAL. The neglected appearance this hospital presented at my last visit has quite disappeared. All the surroundings are now trim and neat, while much of the interior has been nicely painted. I found everything scrupulously clean, and the whole appearance of the institution was homelike and comfortable. It was disappointing, however, to find that, owing to the unsuitable timber employed, as, for instance, in the passage leading from the female ward, the seams and planks were so warped and twisted that the whole must be replaced. The whole air of the institution, as well as the accounts given by the patients, are conclusive regarding the attention of the doctor and the warder. There were four patients at the time of my visit, and thirty-seven was the number for the year. 18th March, 1888.

GISBOENE HOSPITAL. I found that the trustees had awakened to a sense of their duty in the matter of the drainage and other things which required attention at my last visit; and the condition of the institution, as regards the comfort of the patients and the attention of the doctor and nurses, left nothing to be desired. The whole of the wards and back offices need repainting very badly. 29th July, 1887.