H.—l9b

XIV

building containing men's room, coachhouse and stable, with harness-room, the stable being 10 ft. 6 in. by 6 ft., the coachhouse 15ft. by 8 ft., men's room 15 ft. by 12 ft., and a small harness-room, 6 ft. by 4 ft. In addition there are three water-closets, a washhouse, a kitchen, an incinerator, and other offices. Water is laid on throughout. The buildings are all at different levels on the side of the hill, and have approaches partly by steps and partly by paths, which were improved by the construction of wooden pathways. At the bottom of the gully there were erected on the farther side of a small stream two marquees with wooden floors for patients, and a bell tent for the orderlies. These were approached by a wooden bridge across a stream. There was also pitched on the steep hillside another marquee for patients, the side of which, after occupation, was cut into four steps or terraces to provide level footing for the mattresses, the ground being covered with straw and a waterproof material. A rough track was formed round this marquee to divert the water running down the hillside in rainy weather. 45. Dr. Valintine described it as a sunless, cheerless place with a bad approach, and so it is, and presents difficulties as regards extension and administration. Dr. Harrison said it was adapted for the purpose of a measles hospital if better places could not be obtained, but it served its purpose quite well, and that he had all the proper equipment there. Dr. Thacker considered it a very bad makeshift of a place, and no place at all for the purpose for which it was used. Dr. Elliott did not think the place suitable, but it may have been the only place available at the time. He says, " I had charge of it under Dr. Ewart in 1903 when we had scarlet-fever convalescents there, and found it very unsuitable, as we could not control the patients, who got loose on several occasions; and the nurses could not get about properly at night." There was evidence that patients went out of bounds while it was in use on the present occasion. Dr. Herbert, from a cursory view, stated that there did not seem to be sufficient sunshine, and the whole position for acute pulmonary cases seemed not satisfactory by any means. On the other side, Dr. Purdy, in a report to the G.O.C. of the Bth June relating to measles, stated that the hospital at Berhampore " proved In every way most satisfactory. The patients did remarkably well there, as shown by the fact that there has not been (Bth June) a single case of pneumonia in that institution, or a single bad result, a wonderful record for seven weeks' work." According to Colonel Purdy it was only measles patients who were not ill who were supposed to be sent there, and that if any change for the worse occurred the patients should be sent on at once to the General Hospital. (Compare paragraph 73.) 46. The preponderance of the evidence shows that Berhampore, on the whole, was ill-conditioned for the purpose for which it was used, a circumstance which in itself should, we think, have prompted the Director of Medical Services to seek for better accommodation to take its place. 47. From almost the opening of the hospital there were trained nurses— first two and afterwards three —in charge, assisted by untrained orderlies, but on the Ist June a non-commissioned officer, Sergeant Yallop, was appointed to take military charge; but we note that no military guard was at any time provided, although this was an infectious hospital. 48. Berhampore buildings were used as a hospital from the 15th April to the 13th July, the accommodation being increased during the latter part of that period by the erection of marquees. 49. In consequence of a misconception of a telephone message received by one of the nurses from the Stores Department, which was to burn anything that had been in contact with the patients and not to return it to the store, the records, including those of admission and discharge, temperature books and charts, were burnt with the other articles. The result has been that there are no data showing the admissions and discharges, and individual cases cannot be inquired into' with the desired particularity. 50. The place was not connected by telephone until the 12th June, a somewhat distant neighbour's instrument being made use of in the meantime. The Director of Medical Services states that he had requisitioned for one, but no record of this is forthcoming, and Headquarters deny any knowledge of it.

Evidence as to suitability disotfssed.

Finding.

Nurses : Orderlies.

Closed.

Destruction of records,

No telephone provided till J2th June.