Bombay as a Hospital Base

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume X, Issue 3, 1 July 1917, Page 163

Bombay as a Hospital Base

To Miss Dunwoodie, the Lady Superintendent of the third circle Queen Alexandra's Imperial Indian Nursing Service, I am indebted for some most interesting information with regard to the huge amount of work going on in caring for our sick and wounded troops in India and from Mesopotamia : " Although I can only very brief ly describe one or two of the splendid hospitals which it was my privilege to be shown over, I wou'd like to convey some idea of the large organisation that is meant by the "third circle/' and controlled by Miss Dunwoodie and the matrons under her. Until last year Bombay itself only contained one military hospital of 700 beds, which was known as " Kolaba." This had been Miss Dunwoodie's own hospital and the regular military hospital for Bombay. Now Bombay is a hospital base of 8,000 beds, besides other hospitals and numerous convalescent homes up country, and in the hills, which are included in the same " circle." The patients comprise our own British soldiers and Indian troops, West Indians from Jamaica, and German and Turkish prisoners . Some are from garrison and frontier regiments in India , where there is always more or less fighting going on with border tribes it seems, and tropical illnesses to which the troops succumb. The others come by hospital ships, of which there were five in port while we were there, from Mesopotamia and East Africa, where the struggle is still going on. Four New Zealand sisters, Inglis, Chamberlain, Trask, and Scott, visited us from the " Devanka," shortly leaving again for East Africa. We also had a visit from Sister Margaret Nixon, who, with Sister Brown, belong to the Q.A.1.A.N.5., and are attached to a hospital in Bombay. Two others known in New Zealand, whom we saw at the Victoria Hospital, were Miss Walshe, a sister of Dr. Walshe, of Thames Hospital, and Mrs . Bill, whose maiden name I cannot recall. The St. George's Hospital for sick sisters, close, by Kolaba, is very nice. It is being added to, and will accommodate fifty. A beautiful circular ward, something like that at Trentham and King George's Hospital, Rotorua, is to be turned into a

lounge, when the new pavilion wards are finished . It has a lovely balcony j ust opening on to the rocky beach. I asked if the sisters indulged in sea-bathing, but was told that the water was too dirty, and no doubt it looked so, and probably the city, with its huge native quarter, drains into the harbour. I saw the sisters who had hoped to travel to England in our ship, but we were unable to take them on account of the number of officers it was desired we should convey. Miss Stronghew, the Matron at Kolaba, showed me over the hospital. There is a glorious view across the wide harbour, especially from the upper storey. It is built on a point, and is close by the water's edge . The wards seem cool and airy, and on the main building very nice. There is a very nice officers' ward, where every comfort seems to be provided. A feature of these Indian hospitals is the scarlet blanket quilts ; no white ones are to be seen. Linen has not the same nice white appearance that ours at Home has, but much of it is unbleached, and probably the natives are not the very best of washers. Kolaba has a splendidly fitted operating theatre and annexes, and the best X-ray room I have seen, where a very great deal of work seems to be done. All sorts of annexes have been built in the grounds. Every special case that one can think of seems to be dealt with, even to cholera. It must be a most difficult place indeed, to administer. There are plenty of native servants, the nursing done, of course, by. Q.A.I.LA.N.S. sisters and R.A.M.C. orderlies. I saw a patient from New Zealand at Kolaba (Duane by name). He had been with an Australian unit in Mesopotamia. There is a large part of Bombay known as " Hospital Quarter," at either end of which a notice board requests quietness. The Lady Hardinge Hospital for Indians is here. Unfortunately I could not visit that as Miss Dunwoodie had arranged. Indian princes of quite fabulous wealth have given or lent their palaces and furniture, and equipped them with unsparing generosity. One of these has lent his house for the sisters' quarters. I am afraid I can only inadequately describe the magnificent Maharajah Gaekwar

Officers 7 Hospital, Malabar Hill, both house and grounds being lent by the Nizam of Hyderabad. To me it seemed the last word in hospital comfort, and luxuriousness to the smallest detail. It has marble halls, literally and truly. One particularly beautiful arch and stairway all inlaid, was perfect. The Governor's wife, Lady Willingdon, was entrusted with the choice of the very artistic furnishings, and has had it carried out with effects in violet all through — cushions, loose-covers, bed-spreads, etc. A hundred officers can be luxuriously accommodated. The wards take from ten to twenty patients each ; they have the best of beds and bedding, each bed has a large combination locker with mirror above, and a drawer, a folding bed table, when not in use, is swung behind the locker. In the drawer is a cigarette tray fixture in brass, so that there is no excuse for untidy smoking. Beautifully comfortable chairs are about everywhere. Floors are all inlaid, and there are lovely bedside rugs. Off every ward is a lounge. Numerous balconies and all sorts of cosy alcoves are beautifully decorated and fitted as lounges. There are glorious large bathrooms, all marble and tiles. One of these has been fitted as a theatre, it has an ante-room and small sterilising room. The only disabilities of the place (and these are from a working point of view) are that : (1) The large sterilising room has to be downstairs near the kitchen on account of the heating arrangements, and (2) there are no lifts and everything has to be carried. To return to the ward, every patient has ample wardrobe accommodation, and the bed-tables can be adjusted to any requirement. The dining room is most beautiful ; silver, china, and table appointments all of the best. Every patient has his own, glass, " peg," jug, and can mix his own ; seemingly there is a regular whisky allowance. The trays are made a special feature, every one and every course being personally checked by the matron herself. The very dearest little accessories are there in abundance ; such pretty green-rimmed coffee cups that appeal very strongly. Tray cloths andserviefctes, d'oyleys, etc, all of the choicest, are kept in a tall cupboard, all arranged at hand near the serving table. Diet sheets are at hand there. Not one spot is tolerated

on table linen, for trays in particular — there is no stint of clean ones. This gorgeous hospital has not been opened very long. Although the mansion has on the whole adapted itself admirably to requirements, it has a few disabilities, notably the absence of lifts and means of sufficient st er ilising he at in the theatre . Sinks and wash-up conveniences for the kitchen were being fitted up there. As Indian servants seem to be quite pleased to work with but few conveniences, the absence of these caused no hardship in the meanwhile ; but one wonders how the workers in New Zealand would tolerate even such a temporary arrangement. The staff consists of a matron, assistantmatron, eight trained sisters, and five V.A.D. probationers, also orderlies and no lack of Indian servants. There are a few single rooms, but these are reserved for such persons as commanders-in-chief, etc. The Victoria Hospital, which is staffed entirely by fifty Australian sisters, is quite close to the docks. It is a very fine building with some huge wards, one of which contains 200 beds ; this is diveded into two sections, of 100 each for each sister. Miss Davis, late of the Alfred Hospital. Melbourne, is matron there. It was nice to meet some sisters too, who had worked in New Zealand. When the rush of hospital work set in first at Bombay, the sisters were quartered by the hundred at the Taj Mahal Hotel. Now there have been palaces and houses lent and furnished for the purpose. The Nurses' Club is a lovely place. It was the Admiral's house ; he has lent it, and pays the rent of it himself, besides lending his furniture. As well as accommodating many nurses who live there, rest rooms are provided for members, and they can lie down on a bed, have a bath and wash-up, also most beautiful meals for a rupee or a few annas. At the clocks there are emergency hospitals, where patients waiting for ships can be made comfortable. Sometimes they are brought down from country hospitals, and have to wait for coaling or embarkation. The three hundred whom we embarked were all there awaiting us when we moved into the dock, after coaling, and dinner was served to them there from our ships, while we were clearing out the coal-dust.

Miss Dunwoodie's office is where the overseas sisters can obtain all information. She sees any sisters arriving on hospital ships, and when shown round the Maheno, marvelled at our beautiful equipment and the nice white linen. She also inspects and overlooks all the hospitals in her huge "circle," the 8,000 bed base at Bombay

being only a part. She seems to have done the pioneers work, and must be a veteran worker indeed. She has an assistant with her now, but has herself had no holiday foxsome years. It was a great privilege to have met her and to have been shown something of the working of her large organisation.