Hospital by out-door patients were uncommon, but for the last three or four years such applications have been gradually increasing, at last it became so general for people to come to the Hospital for gratuitous advice and medicine, in order to avoid paying doctor’s bills, the private practitioners complained that many of their patients were getting such attendance, while well able to employ a private practitioner. In order to avoid this abuse I enforced an old regulation, to the effect that all persons applying at the Hospital for advice, &c., should bring a note from a Minister of religion, or a Justice of the Peace, to say that such person could not afford to pay for such advice and medicine; this had at once the desired effect (by appealing to the self-respect of the people) of reducing considerably the consumption of drugs, &c.

The domestic economy of the establishment has been efficiently managed by Mr. Monteith, whose attention to the cleanliness and propriety of the behaviour of the patients has tended to their moral and physical improvement.

Mrs. Green, the female attendant, has been in the service of the Hospital since its establishment, twenty years ago; she is now getting old, and, although as willing as ever to do her duty, age begins to tell upon her, and I am afraid a change must soon be made. I shall always feel unwilling to advise her removal, as she has been a good and faithful servant to the Hospital. The rest of the Hospital staff during the past year have been much improved, in consequence of accounts and salaries being punctually paid. A more competent cook, and more respectable wardsmen have been obtained; and although it is difficult (on account of the oftentimes irksome and disagreeable duties they have to perform) to keep an industrious and respectable man in the wards, yet I am happy to say that one has kept his situation for nearly three years, and is very trustworthy. But I have lately been obliged to discharge several, after short periods of service, for inattention, rough conduct, and drunkenness!

During the late dry weather the Hospital was destitute of water, the drains became very offensive, especially in the women’s ward, which is situated close to the great cesspool, constant attention was required to keep the Hospital clean and healthy. This cesspool is an abomination which should be cleared away, and as I have before advised, the sewerage and drainage of the Hospital should be kept separate, and a thorough system of dry earth closets maintained. If the proposed waterworks are not in operation before the next dry season, some steps should be taken to ensure a proper supply of that essential element.

Kerosene oil, at present used to light the Hospital, has many disadvantages, such as continual breakage of chimneys and lamps, much time lost every day in trimming and cleaning, and the uncertain quality of the oil supplied by the contractor. I feel certain that gas would be found to be as economical and much more convenient, and I therefore earnestly desire its introduction.

Several additions and alterations to the buildings are necessary for their convenience and efficiency. At present there is only one ward for women, in it there is now lying a poor creature in the last stage of Phthisis, whose peace is often broken by two insane women in the room, who, although generally quiet and docile, occasionally break out. Last week a girl, very ill, who should have been admitted, could not be reconciled to enter the ward with such inmates.

A fever ward is much required, and also a new dining room, the present one being too small for the purpose, in wet weather being crowded, close, and unhealthy; the roof of the building is sadly at fault, the wards all leak more or less, and require to be immediately shingled; but before this is done a competent surveyor should be employed to inspect and report upon the condition of the building, as I fear the stripping of the roof of the shingles will expose an amount of dry rot and decay not to be expected in a building of comparatively recent date.

I am happy to be able to report that the past year has been singularly free from epidemics and casualties of all kinds. The increasing work of the Hospital, arising chiefly in the rapid growth of the out-patient department, has enabled me by strict economy to keep the annual expenditure within the sum voted by the Provincial Council last year, and trusting that the next year may prove as favourable as the one now past, I have reduced my estimate of the expenditure for the approaching year to the lowest sum possible, with the efficient working of the establishment upon its present footing.

ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, M.D.,
Provincial Surgeon, Wellington.