New Developments at Trentham Hospital

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XIV, Issue 1, 1 January 1921, Page 26

New Developments at Trentham Hospital

To those who have always associated Trentham with khaki and blue, an unusual change of colour meets the eye — pretty pink dresses worn by tiny tots, as the ward known as W.R.C. is now occupied by children of ages 2 to 16 years — boys and girls; and frequent peals of laughter and shrill tattle greet the ear, mingled with the übiquitous gramophon'e, which gives equal pleasure to the small patients as to wounded heroes. These children are patient sufferers, —with wasted, crippled limbs, curved backs — whose furious outlook on life has been from a bed or lounge, their wasted limbs the aftermath of infantile paralysis. A visit to the ward is well worth while, and instantly gives the visitor an idea of a happy home-life; but closer observation shows a variety of splints and contrivances warranted to correct deformities if persevered in for sufficient length of time. In order to counteract stiff! limbs and wasted muscle, daily massage, electricity, and exercises are administered by those specially trained for the work. The children's ward is always a centre of interest, and nowhere more than in a military hospital, as evidenced by the

great interest shown by the blue boys, who may frequently be seen reading to and playing games with children; indeed, none are allowed to pass without taking notice, as the call of "Mr. Smith." or "Mr. Jones/* or, 'failing the knowledge of names, "Mr. Man, come here! — I want you ! ' ' Thanks to the blue boys, evergreens were procured and the wand gaily decorated for Christmas under the supervision of the children, who took the .keenest delight in all happenings from a well-cov-ered Christ mas-tree and, later, stoickings hung up ; and tired eyes refused to close, in the fear that Father Christmas might descend from the chimney and not be seen; but at last sleep and quiet descended on the ward until dawn, when eager hands stretched forth, for stockings filled with presents, and from thence on chatter and laughter filled the air, and Christmas was a happy reality to the occupants of the W.R.C. "A Lover of Children. " [At Rotorua Hospital, also, children for orthopaedic treatment arc now received. One ward is already filled with about 30' little ones, iand numbers of applicants arc waiting for a second ward, which is nearly ready.]