7

H.—3l

The Midwives Act. During the year there have been two examinations of midwives. Sixty-seven candidates sat for examination, and sixty-one passed, and are now registered. Eighteen midwives were registered from overseas. The Midwives Act for Scotland lately passed gives a reciprocal registration to those mid wives registered under New Zealand or similar Acts. The value of the twelve-months course of training in midwifery and maternity nursing exacted by the New Zealand Act is shown by the success of the midwifery nurses in work dealing with the preservation of infant life. It has been found that for i'lunket work, for instance, the midwifery nurses are frequently more adaptable than those general nurses who have not also a midwifery certificate. During the period of the war a great many nurses with midwifery certilicates only have gained the Plunket certificates, and been appointed to this work. State Maternity Hospitals. At the St. Helens Hospitals. Auckland. Wellington. Christehurch. and Dunedin 79.8 cases were confined during the year. 772 children were born alive, and thirty-two still-births. There were two maternal deaths, and six deaths of infants. There were also attended 563 outdoor 'cases. Two deaths of mothers and five deaths of infants. Sixty-two pupils have been trained during the year, and forty-five are, now in training. There have been no changes in the St. Helens Hospitals. Dr. Agnes Bennett (Wellington), Dr.. Tracy Inglis (Auckland), Dr. Irving (Christehurch), Dr. Emily Siedeberg (Dunedin), Miss Cameron (Christehurch), and Miss V. Mid.can (Wellington) have been away on active service, their places being temporarily filled. Tou'tiley St. Helens Hospital, Gisborne.—During flu- year thirty-six cases were confined. Thirty-six children were born alive, and one still-birth. There were no deaths of mothers or infants. This hospital, established by the Cook County Women's Guild five years ago, was, at the request of the Guild, taken over by the Government in November, 1915. Owing to a case of septicaemia it was closed for two months and thoroughly renovated. The small number of cases lor the year is largely owing to ibis break and the uncertainty as to reopening. Alterations and additions are badly needed, and il is hoped to carry out the most necessary ones during the year. Miss Logan was reappointed Matron, and a trained midwife has been added to the staff. Dr. Williams, of Gisborne, was appointed Medical Officer. The fees for patients were reduced in accordance with the Regulations for the State Maternity Hospitals, wdiich will now govern the institution. Five pupils have been trained during the year, and five are now in training. Private Hospitals. Little advance has been made during the past year in the establishment of private hospitals. Many qualified nurses being away on active service on account, of the war, and many surgeons also being away, there has not been much prospect of success in the opening of new hospitals. It has been necessary to give some concessions in order to meet with the difficulty in staffing some of the private hospitals already established. The most important addition has been the large well-equipped private hospital in Wellington erected by Dr. Herbert. In Christehurch a large addition to the Lewisham Hospital has been completed. In Dannevirke a much-needed private hospital has been opened by Dr. Dawson. New regulations have been drafted for the management of private hospitals, but are not \el in force. Owing to the large amount of work entailed by the exigencies of the war on the nurse-inspec-lion staff of the Public Health Department, the inspection of private hospitals has not been carried out: as thoroughly as usual. Mass ao E. The Bill for the Registration of Masseurs came up for its second reading during the last session, but was not proceeded with. It is intended to bring it up again during the present session The practice of massage has received a great stimulus in the great need for this treatment for the returned wounded soldiers, and it is most important, to have some means of recognition of satisfactory training and experience such as has been established by the Dunedin School of Massage. The outbreak of infantile paralysis has also stimulated the need of experienced operators in (he restorating of the functions of the muscles affected by this disease. In order to give the many children affected the benefit of the treatment on the approved md fcried methods of Dr. Robert Jones, Miss Bevilaqua, a nurse-masseuse, trained and experienced in those methods, was brought over from Australia to instruct throughout the Dominion specially chosen masseurs and masseuses and qualified nurses. By this means it is hoped to minimize the amount of deformity otherwise likely to be a result of the epidemic. Te Waikato Sanatorium. The Medical Superintendent of the Te Waikato Sanatorium (Dr. Bernstein) reports as follows :— The patients treated during the year numbered 203 (139 males and 64 females)— a record in the history of the institution. The'average daily number of occupied beds was 53-4—also a