4
attendants' room. It is a most elegant, cheerful and comfortable building. During its con-
- s t r u c t i o n i t w a s s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d b e n o d o o r w a y l e d g e s , s o t h a t d u s t c o u l d b e
easily swept out and a wheeled couch could travel more easily from the confinement room to
the wards. In this respect, also, it therefore differs from the other blocks. The designation
boards, which are not yet fixed, will give—
J.
K.
L.
"Superficial area . . .
432
768
816
"Cubic space . . .
8,640 15,360 16,320
"Accommodation . . .
2
6
6
Behind No. 4 block a suitable building has been erected as a laundry. It has not yet
been fitted up, but suggestions as to the construction and size of a 'dry heat' room, drying
sails and washing and ironing tables have been officially made, which will be acted on. Its
size is 36½X 2 6 ½ f e e t .
"The construction of the latrines, the nature of the ventilation, the management of the
floors and the system of water-supply are common to all blocks and may be now referred to.
"It has been mentioned that the latrines are on the upper floor level and are reached by
an enclosed passage from the south-east angle of each block. Each latrine has four compart
-
ments with closing doors. These compartments are on their sides metal-lined and painted.
White crockery-ware pans are used, and sweepers are, by order, required to empty each four
times daily. Each pan is carried direct to the conservancy receptacles for emptying. The
sweepers reach the latrine by an outside stair, and can, by a small low door, enter the front of
the latrine to clean it and fill the small earth-boxes from the large box behind. Each seat
has a cover, and it would be a sanitary advantage if these covers were made thicker to admit
of a scooped place for small granulated charcoal, which could be retained by a perforated tin
or zinc cover. For the present in place of this, in the dysentery latrine, carbolic powder is
mixed with the dry earth and baskets of charcoal are hung over each seat. A shelf in the front
part of the latrine constitutes a stand for ordinary crockery-ware urine pots. Iron utensils
were tried here, but they readily gave forth an odour. A Jennings' glazed ware urinal for each
latrine, with water-taps, would be the most useful and sanitary form of urinal, and will probably
be adopted. It may be here remarked that two outside urinals were asked for and have been
erected beside, and in connection with, the covered ways between the three buildings, and men
'allowed up' use them.
"The large filth, urine and rubbish receptacles are placed at a suitable half concealed spot
some distance down the slope of the compound, and their contents are daily removed to the
country filth pits. The hospital, however, should not be dependent on regimental arrange
-
ments for its conservancy carts, but should have an independent one, and the receptacles would
not be allowed to fill to running over as is sometimes the case.
"The following is the arrangement as to water-supply:—Each building is provided at
both its extremities with a sixty-gallon tank. This is placed on a slightly higher level than a
piping with tap, which runs along the bath-rooms and lavatory. Outside staircases reach these
tanks, by which bhisties may keep them filled. If filled only once daily, 120 gallons are thus
supplied to every twenty-four patients; so that, although the hospital be crowded, each patient
may always have six gallons of water for ablution purposes. But of course they may be filled
as often as required. Each lavatory has two bath-rooms, which are fitted up with tub grating,
fixed seat and towel rail, and also a general bench with four water taps. Two large towel rails
also receive all the patients' towels, which should be numbered and kept here and dried by the
ward servants according to necessity. The usual practice of each patient having his wet towel
on his bedside table is most objectionable. These towel fittings have been made by the
Engineer according to suggestion, and when towels are numbered by the Commissariat, an
efficient sanitary system will be effected.
"The out-buildings, which have been erected, are all that can be desired.
"The guard-room at the gate is commodious and surrounded by windows and has a small
latrine behind it. Adjoining is an ambulance shed, which gives room for two sick carts and a
hearse, and has fittings for the support of dandies and a resting bench for bearers. The latter
have been added by the Engineer according to suggestions made.
"The mortuary behind No. 1 block is large and well-constructed. It is a somewhat too
prominent object in the back view of the hospital.
"The kitchen is brick built and zinc roofed. It is large and has three rooms, and when
fitted with a Sylvester's range oven and boiler, as allowed by scale (with the sanction of the
Government of India), cooking may be improved and made easier, but at present this is the
hospital blot.
"Twenty-eight army hospital native corps' quarters in two rows face and are parallel with
No. 3 building, 30 yards behind it.
"Their kitchen at one end was three partitioned, according to suggestion, to afford a
cooking place for each caste. The dry-earth shed was built at the other end for ,convenience
and uniformity, and is suitable.