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showed abdomen full of blood from rupture of the omentum.

(The Coroner held an inquest on both of the above cases).

II.—Medical Cases.

MALES.

3. J. M., age 65 years. Double Pneumonia (no autopsy).

4. J. B., age 60 years. Double Pneumonia. Previous to this acute attack which carried him off he had been an Hospital patient for years with paralysis of the left side and valvular disease of the heart.

5. C. M., age 48. Admitted in a very weak state with paralysis of one side and chronic cystitis.

6. C. W., age 40. Typhoid fever. Admitted in a dying condition. Autopsy revealed ulceration of intestines; old standing pleuritic adhesions; deposit of tubercle in apex of left lung; small hobnail liver with contracted and lobulated kidneys.

7. H. S., age 41. Colonial fever. Autopsy—Ulceration of intestines; nutmeg liver; adherent pericardium; heart nearly twice its natural size.

8. J. J., age 39. Phthisis. Had been an Hospital patient for six months.

FEMALES.

9. M. J., age 36. Rheumatic gout and heart disease of many years standing.

With one exception autopsies have been made in every instance, and the results of each examination recorded in the books.

The first two cases appearing on the above list were admitted in a moribund condition, and died within 48 hours after admission. Deducting these there have been only seven deaths in the Hospital during the last six months, giving a percentage mortality of 3.19, which is considerably less than one-half of what it was at any preceding half-year since the foundation of the hospital.

An analysis of the seven remaining cases gives only one death from acute inflammation invading organs previously healthy, and that occurred from double pneumonia which attacked our night wardsman, an old man 63 years of age, but even in this case there may have been extensive organic disease as no autopsy could be obtained after death.

Most of the internal organs of the six remaining cases were excellent pathological specimens of old standing disease so that dissection demonstrated that life was not to have been prolonged under the most advantageous circumstances.

The capital operations in surgery which have been performed during the last six months are three in number.

1. Removal of dead bone from the pelvis, caused through strumous necrosis of ramus of pubes and ischium.

2. Excision of left shoulder joint for removal of strumous necrosis of head of humerus and scapula.

3. Removal of cancer from the orbit.

All these operations have been eminently successful, and a detailed account of them has been forwarded to the Australian Medical Journal.

The following is an enumeration of a few of the minor surgical operations:—

Removal of necrosed bone from foot, 1; epulis lower jaw, 1; condylomata from anus, 1; prepuce for phymosis, 2; foreign body from nerves, 1; pus from large abscess, 3.

Reduction of dislocation of left shoulder, 1; right knee, 1; Hey’s dislocation, 1.

Operations for the cure of pterygium, 1; fistula in ano, 3; varicose veins, 1; anthrax, 1; hydrocele, 3.

Plastic operation on lower lip, 1.

Among the improvements made in the last six months may be mentioned the increased accommodation which has been afforded for female patients. This was found to be greatly wanting as there is no other Hospital in Westland where females are admitted. Also the addition of a large bath-room to the male ward; the old one was placed at such a distance from the ward that in many cases it was found to be practically useless.

The present condition of the Hospital may be accepted as a good criterion of the health and pecuniary condition of the mining population on the Coast. During the last twelve months thirty-one (31) more patients were treated in the Hospital than during the previous twelve months, and during the last six months there were eighteen (18) more treated than during any equal length of time for the last two years. In the months of May and June, when the weather was cold and wet, the admissions were 33 and 40 respectively, and the number of patients in the Institution at one time varied between 43 and 47. During this time the Hospital was taxed to its utmost, and cases for admission were selected according to their severity.

In concluding this retrospect, the result of which must be considered more than favourable, no credit is claimed for any superior surgical or medical skill that may have been displayed in the treatment of disease, for with few exceptions the ordinary conventional