Visit to a Naval Hospital

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VIII, Issue 3, 1 July 1915, Page 144

Visit to a Naval Hospital

(By Miss H. Maclean.)

When at Malta I took an opportunity of visiting the naval hospital there and was received very courteously by the matron, Miss Greig, and shown round the wards. This hospital is in a very beautiful situation, looking over the harbour. It is approach d frum the water on one side by a long flight of stone steps, at the foot of which one is landed from a dicie or rowing boat. There is also a lift to carry patients from a boat to the top of the cliff on which the hospital is built. One enters at a gate at which a sentry stands, and before one there is a long pergola walk, off each side of which are the administrative offices and the various quarters of medical officers and sisters. This pergola is beautiful with flowering creepers and grape vines and leads into a garden bright with flowers, on the further side of which commence the wards. These are all built round a quadrangle with more flower beds

and pergolas. The old house which Napoleon took as his winter palace stands here. The hospital is built on the pavilion system, and what appealed very strongly to Australasian eyes was that each pavilion has its verandahs ai?d balconies The larger wards have 25 beds and there are several smaller wa ds containing 12 or 14 beds which were previously only used for four midshipmen. The hospital in peace time contained 300 beds but at present these have been increased to 700 by placing beds all along the balconies and verandahs and also down the long central corridor. The wards are very lofty— about 1 6 feet — and excellently ventilated, with very large windows, and heated by coal fire places. The walls are painted with enamel paint — two shades of green — very restful to the eye. The floors are of terrazzo, which must be rather trying to the feet

but which are beautifully clean and easily kept so. The whole place gave one the idea of brightness and cleanliness. Everything is arranged most conveniently and the wards are excellently equipped. The beautiful pressing trolleys fitted out with glass bowls and kidney dishes made me envious. There seemed to be nothing superfluous in the wards a-nd yet everything necessary for the work. Some of the beds are very old and are used in the emergency of the time but are quite comfortable ; others are coming from England of later pattern for the surgical Avards. There is a good theatre and anaesthetic room and sterilising room, also an X-ray room. The sister in charge of the theatre has three men who are trained to the work, They are excellent and some have been for many years in the service. They are dressed in white, as are all the sick-bay stewards, and wear white overalls with stripes showing their rank. The officers' single rooms, now mostly used for two beds, are termed cabins, and the sisters' rooms off the wards are also called cabins. The admiral's quarters, which comprise a bedroom and large sitting room opening off a balcony, have been turned into an officers' ward. For a time military patients as w> 11 as naval were received, but now

that more military hospitals are opened this is not necessary. There is a special kitchen fqr the officers' mess, and the matron has charge of this and orders all meals, as well as for the sisters, who live in quarters in the hospital precincts. In ordinary times there are eight sisters, and at the present time 26. Besides the sick-bay stewards there are Maltese ladies helping and one is attached to each ward, and these are proving very useful. They arrange flowers, help in the ward work, carry round drinks and generally do probationers' work. Other ladies come to pad splints, mend, give out books, etc . The uniform for the naval sisters is very pretty and becoming. It is white drill with iv d bands and piping , a shoulder cape edge i with red and a very striking badge worked in silk and gold. The Reserve sisters have a similar uniform with a badge of silver instead of gold. The badge is a crown above twined lettering and a red cross on white ground in a ring below. A handkerchief cap with a blue croAvn is worn indoors. In summer the sisters go out in this uniform with the addition of a white topee lined with green and a blue veil. In winter the outdoor uniform is navy blue with red.