35

H.—22

Visited 28th March, 1908.—There were seventeen patients in hospital. Of this number no less than six were typhoid cases, which were being accommodated in the scarlet-fever ward, a building which has been completed since my last visit. The present male medical ward.is not suitable for acute cases, though possibly so for those chronic cases which it now accommodates. I pointed this out to the Chairman, and again recommended that the ward now used for convalescent patients would make a suitable medical ward for at least four patients. I have no doubt that those generous persons who subscribed funds for this convalescent ward will see that the interests of the patients would be better met by using the ward for patients suffering from acute illness than for the convalescent patients. There was a vast improvement noticeable in the management of the institution since the date of my last visit. The wards and grounds show every evidence of careful supervision.

24. WAIMATE HOSPITAL. Governing body: Waimate Hospital Trustees. Stipendiary medical staff : Dr. Barclay. Nursing staff: Matron, Miss Cruden; 4 probationers. Domestic stafi : 1 cook, 1 housemaid, 1 porter, 1 gardener; laundress attends two days a week. Number of beds available for males, 17; for females, 16 : total, 33. Number of patients under treatment during year: In-patients—male 123, female 67--total 190: out-patients, 45 (number of attendances, 166). In-patients: Average days' stay, 255; average daily cost per head, 6s. Sd. (cost after deducting patients' payments, 6s. lfd.). Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance expenditure, 354. Localities from which patients came : Waimate Borough and County. Nationality of patients: New-Zealanders, 105; Australian, 4; Tasmanian, 5; English, 30; Irish, 30; Scotch, 12; Austrian, 2; German, 1. Receipts and Expenditure for the year ended 31st March, 1908. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance from last year ... , ... 66 15 2 Eations ... ... ... 378 17 5 From Government ... ... 123 13 4 Wines, spirits, ale, and porter ... 11 4 9 Local bodies ... ... ... 1,534 18 8 Surgery and dispensary ... 143 19 0 Subscriptions and donations ... 4215 0 Fuel and light ... ... 107 8 2 Patients'payments ... ... 126 9 2 Bedding and clothing ... ... 105 4 6 Services of hospital nurse ... 3 12 0 Furniture and earthenware ... 15 10 10 Sale of old tank ... .-.. 010 0 Salaries and wages ... ... 623 2 7 Refunds ... ... ... 2 10 5 Water-supply... ... ... 20 0 0 ,■.. a Funerals ... ... ... 1 19 6 Eepairs ... ... ... 18 0 2 Additions to buildings ... ... 114 11 0 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 23 9 7 Interest ... ... ... 0 18 0 Insurance ... .. ... 8 19 4 Commission ... ... ... 0 10 0 Other expenses (principal items— Gardening, ploughing, &c, £167 10s. 2d.; rents, £6 ss. Bd.; telephone, £5 135.; live-stock, £4 7s. Id. ; water-installation, £34 ss. ; gas-installation, £34 10s. 7d. ; exchange, £2 Is.; incidentals, £108 15s. lOd. ... 365 8 4 Total ... £1,901 8 9 Total .. £1,939 3 2 Visited 26th March, 1908.—Eighteen beds. There were fourteen patients at the time of my visit, including an incurable case of cancer, which had been six months in hospital. Considerable improvements are being effected here, notably the addition of two small wards and annexes, together with three rooms for nurses and a general renovation of the sanitary offices. It was probably due to the alterations which were in progress that the wards were not very clean and tidy, especially the infectious ward, which appeared to be partially used as a lumber-room. The patients spoke highly of the treatment afforded them by Dr. Barclay, who undoubtedly takes great interest in the institution. An agitation was started this year to enable the other medical men practising in Waimate to be appointed as honoraries. In hospitals of this size such a system has almost always been the occasion of dissensions. I therefore strongly urged the Trustees to let well alone, and leave Dr. Barclay in supreme charge.