624 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION I. 



drainage of floor, with cemented or tiled walls ; also inspection 

 room where bodies are coffined and await the undertaker. The 

 whole of the mortuary should be absolutely fly-proof, and allow a 

 free circulation of air. 



I shoiUd not forget to add that a special fire service is an 

 absolute essential in designing a large hospital, also swimming 

 baths, tennis courts, dancing room, kc. 



As " The money no object " basis of the ideal hospital just 

 described is not attainable at present in Australia, with bank 

 reconstruction and curtailed estimates, I shall proceed to describe 

 what 1 trust may be termed a good serviceable hospital, taking, in 

 terms of the request made by the Committee of Section I., the 

 southern portion of the east wing of the new Adelaide pavilion 

 hospital as an exemplification of a portion of this class of insti- 

 tution. 



The Adelaide Hospital (see Plates XVIII.A and XYIII.b), 

 being a clinical institution, must of necessity be in close 

 proximity to the school of medicine in the city ; consequently 

 the area of site is limited, in fact too much so, and while a good 

 zone of aeration is obtainable in the north-east and west and 

 to a certain extent on the south within the area available for 

 the future hospital, the space is too limited for such results as a 

 conscientious constructor would desire to attain. 



A little extra money expended to insure dependable foundations 

 in a hospital, as in other buildings, is always true economy. Should 

 the " ground " be bad or unequal, a false bottom or cushion of fine 

 sugar sand from 12iu. to 18in. deep, according to circumstances, 

 has proved itself a perfect cure, and by the introduction of two 

 rows of railway irons into the centre of the concrete a further bond 

 of security is established. Either clinker bricks or hard flat stones 

 of extra large size can be used for foundations walls between 

 concrete and floor line, and to prevent a possibility of damp or 

 magnesia rising two courses of damp proofing are desirable, either 

 ordinary gas tar and sand or Seyssel asphalte being used w^here 

 obtainable of good quality. 



I prefer bricks for construction of superstructure. Brickwork i& 

 cheaper than stone and makes sounder work. Hollow walls are 

 very desirable in this hot continent, but they have their dis- 

 advantages in a two or three storied building as lacking in stability, 

 though this can be overcome by increasing the thickness and con- 

 sequently the cost. The operating theatre block has hollow^ walls, 

 being a single-storied building. As mentioned before, a Minton 

 tiled floor is suggested as being the best from a hygienic point of 

 view ; this, however, means money, and the next best fioor is hard- 

 wood. Personally I prefer jarrah to any other wood, but again 

 cost interferes, as to ensure a sound close-jointed floor the timber 

 ought to be specially selected, milled and seasoned for at least three 

 years before use, and even then probably 25 per cent, of the 



