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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

The Christchurch Hospital

The Christchurch Hospital is situated in picturesque grounds, twelve acres in extent, at the corner of the Riccarton Road, by which it is separated from Hagley Park, and adjoins the Acclimatisation Society's gardens. Prior to the year 1886, the entire cost of the maintenance of the hospital was borne by the consolidated revenue of the colony. Since that time the institution has been controlled by a board of thirteen members constituted by an Act of the Legislature. The hospital district extends from the Clarence river in the north to the Rakaia river in the south. The board has power to levy upon the various local governing bodies within that area. These bodies are required to collect the rates and hand over their contributions towards the maintenance of the hospitals under the board's control, and these include branch establishments at Akaroa and Lyttelton. The General Government subsidises the amounts so raised by grants of an equal value. The members of the board for the year 1902 were: Representing Christchurch—Messrs H. H. Loughnan and G. Payling; Selwyn County Council— Messrs W. Dunlop, J. Wolfe, G. H. Mettaffie, and J. Rennie; road and town districts in Ashley County—Messrs G. Wallace and J. Dobson; Amuri, Cheviot, and Kaikoura County Councils—Mr A. W. Rutherford; Akaroa County and Borough Council—Mr J. Hamilton; St. Albans, Lyttelton, Rangiora, and Kaiapoi Borough Councils—Mr W. Radcliffe; Borough Councils of Linwood, Woolston, Sumner, and New Brighton—Mr W. Rollitt; Sydennam Borough Council—Mr W. Jacques. The original building was erected in wood in 1859 or earlier; it is of two stories and has accommodation for about thirty patients. The upper floor, formerly No. 1 Ward, is now occupied by the porters. The ground floor is exclusively used as an out-door patients' department, and contains a surgery, dispensary and waiting rooms. In 1886 a new wing was erected on the portion of the land adjacent to the Acclimatisation Society's grounds at a cost of £1500, and is used for infections diseases, with four wards, each containing six beds. Wards 4, 5, and 6 were built on the pavilion system, prior to the abolition of the Provincial Government, of concrete and iron with state roofs, each connected by a handsome corridor 450 feet in length. This corridor was afterwards extended to the Hyman Marks Ward. Ward No. 4 is named after the late Archdeacon Maunsell, and is set apart for female medical cases; it is provided with twenty-one beds, when an additional bed in a separate room; but the page 156
Christchurch Hospital.

Christchurch Hospital.

opening of the Marks Ward admits of surgical cases being separated from medical cases. No. 5 or Relleston Ward is used for male medical cases only, and No. 6 Ward is for male casual cases. The three last-named wards are heated by means of steam-pipes art in position under the floor, with gratings under each bed. There is a fine operating theatre, between Wards 5 and 6, and communicating with the main corridor. It is constructed on modern lines, and well lighted; there are two ante-rooms, one of which is used as a cabinet and consulting-room, and the other for working the Rontgen Ray apparatus. The Hyman Marks Ward is at the extreme end of the corridor. This fine twostorey building is of red-brick, on a solid foundation and piers. Each floor contains two separate wards. The main portion of the cost was received from the trustees of the late Mr. Hyman Marks, who bequeathed £5000 for the purpose, with a further donation of £500 voted from the estate. In addition to this there was a bequest from the late Mr. James Stark of £500 devoted to the same purpose, thus making a sum of £6000, which was supplemented by the Government subsidy of £1350 and a special grant of £1500; and thus a total of over £8700 was expended in completing this annexe. The heating and ventilation of the building on the latest scientific principles cost £900, which was defrayed out of the funds of the board. The Hyman Marks Ward has accommodation for fifty patients, bringing up the total available capacity of the hospital to 150 or 160 inmates. Besides his bequest for the new wing, the late Mr. Hyman Marks left a legacy of £5000, the interest from which is to be applied for the relief of destitute patients. The fund is administered by the Ladies' Visiting Association, who make careful enquiry into the circumstances of the applicants on their discharge from the hospital. A Nurses' Home was erected in 1894 by public subscription amounting to £2000, which was supplemented by a Government subsidy of £2400. This is a brick building of two stories, and has provision for thirty-five residents, most of whom have separate apartments. A large diningroom occupies a sunny corner of the ground floor, and is situated conveniently near to the kitchen. The drawing-room is on the upper floor, immediately above the dining-room, and is a pleasant apartment; the rest of the building consists of bedrooms, together with the matron's private apartments. Until recently the boilerhouse contained two large boilers to supply steam for heating and cooking purposes, but lately another boiler, with a capacity more than equal to the other two, has been put in to run the dynamo which ligats the whole of the buildings with electric light. Close to the boilerhouse stands the hospital laundry, with its complete appliances. The staff of the hospital consists of Dr T. L. Crooke (house surgeon), Dr. A. J. Crawford (assistant house surgeon), Mr. W. M. Miller (secretary and treasurer), Mr. W. W. McKinney (dispenser), the matron, five sisters in charge as head nurses, six start nursus, ten nurses, and twelve probationers: besides these there are eight cooks and assistants, eight warders and housemaids, one cleaner, an engineer, three porters, a gate-keeper, and messengers. A very large number of out patients attend the hospital from time to time, the return for the year ending March, 1901, showing 1670 individual cases and 9000 attendances. That total annual expenditure for maintenance of the institution is about £9000.