5

H.—22

Visited Bth September and 20th March.—This Hospital has had rather a trying year, owing to troubles that have arisen over the provision for and nursing of infectious and contagious diseases. There are no other changes in the condition or organization of the Hospital calling for remark, except the increasing cost of administration.

BLENHEIM HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1902 ... ... ... 11 Admitted during the year... ... ... ... ... 161 Total under treatment ... ... ... 172 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 153 Died ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 Eemaining on 31st March, 1903 ... ... 8 Sex. —ll6 males, 56 females. Locality from which Patients came. —Marlborough. Country. —England, 37 ; Scotland, 14; New Zealand, 88; Ireland, 15; Australia, 2 ; Portugal, 1; Eussia, 1; Germany, 3. Religion. —Church of England, 55 ; Eoman Catholic, 45 ; Presbyterian, 30; Methodist, 29; Salvationist, 2. Total collective days' stay in Hospital, 5,159; individual average days' stay, 3000. Daily average cost per head, 7s. 3£d.; less patients' payments, ss. 9fd. Receipts and Expenditure. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 1,460 13 6 Eations .-.. ... ... 449 3 1 Local bodies... ... ... 1,027 13 8 Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... 20 5 3 Subscriptions and donations ... 30 12 0 Surgery and dispensary ... 149 14 5 Rents ... ... ... 22 2 0 Fuel and light ... ... 189 2 8 Patients' payments ... ... 379 1 8 Bedding, clothing, furniture, and Other sources ... ... 7 17 9 earthenware ... ... 150 11 0 Salaries and wages ... ... 766 8 3 Water-supply ... ... 83 19 0 Funerals ... ... ... 3 10 0 Eepairs ... ... ... 49 5 6 Additions to buildings... ... 25 4 8 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery... ... ... 47 13 4 Interest and insurance ... 23 7 0 Commission ... ... ... 7 14 0 Other expenses ... ... 89 0 9 Total ... . . £2,928 0 7 Total ... ... £2,054 18 11 Visited 12th November.—There are no structural improvements either possible or desirable in this Hospital, owing to its defective original plan. The hospital-work, medical and surgical, is extremely well carried out by Dr. Anderson. Here, and at other hospitals, I pointed out that it was undesirable to engage any but trained nurses, for the facilities to do justice to probationers in the matter of training do not exist.

CHAELESTON HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1902 ... ... ... 7 Admitted during the year... ... ... ... ... 30 Total under treatment ... ... ... 37 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 Died ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 Eemaining on 31st March, 1903 ... ... 5 Sex. —37 males. Localities from which Patients came. —Charleston, Addison's, Brighton, and Westport. Country. —England, Ireland, Scotland, and New Zealand. Religion. —Eoman Catholic, 14; Church of England, 9 ; Presbyterian, 5. Total collective days' stay in Hospital, 1,144; individual average days' stay, 3092. average cost per head, 9s. OJd.; ess patients' payments, 7s. 2Jd.