Tlie Hospital Requirements of Sydney. 35 



discharging above the roof level, and ventilation may be still fur- 

 ther assisted by a considerable number of small air grids or chan- 

 nels, built in the walls at short intervals, close to the ceiling. 

 These grids should have a sloping lip on the inside, projecting 

 about five inches from the wall, with an inclination of about 45° 

 to prevent the falling at once in a cold volume to the lower part» 

 of the ward. A corresponding grid should be placed in the 

 opposite wall in each case. In this arrangement the air appears 

 to take a direction generally across the ward, near the ceiling, 

 and, being admitted in very small quantities and at numerous 

 places, diffuses itself without perceptible draughts, displacing the 

 heated portions of the contained air which naturally rises to 

 the top. 



It will, however, be necessary to provide one or two open fire 

 places in each ward, according to its size. These may occupy a 

 position in the centre of the floor, as in the Herbert Hospital : or 

 in the side wall, as in the Chorlton. In the former, under-current 

 flues are required ; in the latter, the ordinary chimney is used. 



The shape and proportion of exceptional rooms or wards will 

 in all climates require special ventilation, but small wards require 

 more superfical area and cubic space per bed ; in these it should 

 be about 2500 feet. This necessity arises partly from the severe 

 nature of the cases which are usually placed iu them, and partly 

 from the greater difficulty of ventilating them. 



In the development of this plan I have endeavoured on the one 

 hand to avoid violent draughts while a generally diffused current 

 is sought to be established through every part of the ward, and 

 a strong glaring light avoided. 



Reliance has also been entirely placed upon natural ventilation 

 under a conviction that the mildness of our climate renders the 

 admission of heated air to the wards unnecessary during any 

 season of the year. 



This is perhaps the best point for alluding to the nursing depart- 

 ment ; and I cannot do better than quote from the report of 

 Messrs, Bristow and Holmes to the medical officer of the Privy 

 Council. Their excellent and brief observations are as follows : — 



" The comfort and welfare of patients in hospitals (or elsewhere) 

 depend in no small degree upon the amount and kind of nursing 

 which they receive. The good which a nurse is capable of effect- 

 ing, and the evils which result from the employment of careless 

 and incompetent nurses, cannot be expressed numei*ically, but 

 that they are very considerable is unquestionable. The truth of 

 this every one competent to form an opinion has always fully con- 

 ceded ; but to Miss Nightingale is undoubtedly clue the credit 

 of having taking measures to improve in a variety of ways both 

 the system of nursing, and the quality of those who have to per- 

 form the duty of nursing. We do not propose to discuss at 



