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record, with which certain maternity hospitals cannot for a moment compare, and coupled, too, with
the fact of the large number of cases now admitted here and the excellent opportunity they present
for teaching purposes, that the Central Board has so far refused to recognise your hospital as a midwife
training school. All the more astonishing is their refusal when it is borne in mind that nurses
at the present time are finding the greatest difficulty in obtaining their midwifery certificate owing
to the shortage of recognised training schools. At any rate such is my experience.
Gynaecological Cases.
The term Gynaecological is used here in a somewhat loose sense, for it is questionable if all the
conditions set out in table No. 80 come under that category. A better term, however, is not available.
The cases included in the table are for the most part patients admitted from the clinics with defects
which it was considered desirable should be remedied by operation or general treatment in view of
possible future pregnancies.
Out-patients.
I have mentioned that the Clinic Medical Officers refer patients under their care to the hospital
on those days on which the visiting Obstetrical Surgeon, Mr Bourne, attends, in order to obtain his
advice. On referring to the hospital records I find that during the year 179 patients attended for this
purpose.
Similarly patients suffering from general surgical ailments are sent up from the clinics for the
opinion of the visiting surgeon, Mr. Campbell, who during the 6 months he has been attached to this
hospital, has advised on 70 patients' cases.
Inasmuch as the remaining visiting surgeons, Mr. J. O'Malley, the throat, ear and nose surgeon,
and Mr. Oliver, ophthalmic surgeon, attend twice a month at the clinics for the inspection of special
cases there, it is unnecessary for any such patients to attend here.
Duration of Stay in Hospital.
The period a patient remains under treatment has always been looked upon in this hospital
as an important matter. Now that the cost of maintenance and upkeep of hospitals has increased so
inordinately, and in this hospital the cost per occupied bed, inclusive of loan charges, is approximately
12s. 7d. per diem, it will be readily seen that a large amount of expenditure can be incurred if due
attention is not given in this direction. Official supervision is the only prevention against overstay
in hospital, and that entails a regular daily inspection of all patients in the wards by the Medical
Officer in charge. In making these inspections he will bear in mind that important though it be that
a patient should stay no longer than necessary, equally important is it that he or she should not be
discharged too soon, and the following figures are very satisfactory, having regard to the fact that there
is no convalescent home attached to the hospital.
Scarlet Fever, 40.8 days; Diphtheria, 29.5 days; Other Infectious Diseases, 17.1 days.
Maternity Cases, 17.3days; Diseases of Women, 20.1 days; Children under 5 years, 26.3 days;
School Children, 21.3 days; Adults, 27. 9 days.
Average for all, 22.7 days.
Visiting Surgical Staff.
The following are the names of the Visiting Surgeons who are now attached to the hospital:–
A. W. Bourne M.B., F.R.C.S., Obstetric Surgeon; R. H. Campbell, M.B., F.R.C.S., Surgeon
for General Surgical Diseases; M. W. B. Oliver, M.B., F.R.C.S., Ophthalmic Surgeon; J. F. O'Malley,
F.R.C.S., Surgeon for ear, nose and throat disease.
Each of the above surgeons attend one morning each week, with the exception of Mr. Oliver,
who attends for operations as occasion may require.
Three mornings, or parts of mornings, and sometimes four, are therefore taken up in this way,
which necessarily interferes with the routine work of the hospital for the time being. Each surgeon
attends at 9.30 a.m., at which times he sees such out-patients as have been sent up from the clinics.
After this special cases are visited in the wards and finally any operations arranged for are then performed.
It might be thought that the addition of a visiting staff would diminish the work of the Resident
Medical Start, but this is far from being the case. First of all the resident staff have to arrange for
the attendance of the great majority of out-patients and operation cases, selecting them from the
waiting lists sent in weekly by the clinic medical officers. Again, during the surgeon's visit to the
wards, etc., or when operating, the Resident Medical Officers have necessarily to render every assistance,
and subsequently, in respect to operation cases, the special care and dressing of these fall to