The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-04-05
Australian Hospitals.

A LII HOSPITALS in Australia
~ of any note, are owned and op-
1 Grated by the general govern
ment, assisted financially by
general, contribution, and are absolute
ly in the full sense of the word
Free. The only qualification for ad-
is sickness or surgical
necessity. AS the'government employs
the highest obtainable skill both as re-
CARDS the medical as well as the nurs-
Ing department, they are made use of
by rich as well as poor, and the feeling
is general, "That class distinctions have
absolutely no place in an institution
that belongs to the community, and
should be, and is, operated for the
benefit of ALL the community"
The financial control of each hospi-
tai is vested in a treasurer, who is
advised by board of governors, who
have advisory power only, but may if
they see fit, protect the general govern
ment against any financial act of the
treasurer, is made up of citizens who
have contributed specified sums to the
hospital fund. The amount of their
contributions determining the dura-
tion of their stay in office. They have
no salary, but the position is coveted
by wealthy retired merchants for the
social prestige it brings. The treasur-
er is elected by the people of the
community in open ballot by viva
voce vote; his election is certified to by
the board of governors, and submitted
by them to the general government for,
its approval. He gives bond to the
government, and the hospital funds
for that district are placed liz his con
troll His duties are to keep the funds
in such shape that money will be avail
able as needed to cover the payroll,
to invest any surplus he may have so
as to bring the best results, Tin this he
is advised and assisted by the board of
governors) to sign all checks for
moneys paid out, and to receive all
moneys paid in. He gets no salary
but is much respected by the commun-
ity, and his selection is a certi6cation
by the community of their sense of
his high moral worth and unques-
toned integrity.
The medical and surgical depart
ments are under the absolute
management of the head physician,
who is provided with separate house
within the hospital grounds for the
occupancy of himself and family and
whose salary ranges from one to three
thousand pounds per annum. These
positions are considered as prizes by
the members of the medical profession
They are also allowed private practice
but as rule rarely take advantage
of this except as consultants. They
are assisted by a corps of physicians
and surgeons, graduates of the univer
sity who are usually paid from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred and
fifty pounds per annum. All of these
latter reside during their whole stay
in the hospital itself. The first yea
they attend to routine work, such al
bandaglng, dressing wounds, tabulat
ing reports on cases, ETC., and in thei
second year they generally (if the!
have shown ability take charge O.
some group of cases, of course alway
subject to the advice of the head ply
sician. After two years their service
ends, unless they should prefer to re
main in the governments employ, ant
should be lucky enough to obtain
position as head physician in one 0
the smaller hospitals, from which, i
they showed marked ability, the
: would be transferred to larger one.
: The whole working force, exclusiv
. of those directly attending the inmates
: is under the orders and control of tn
steward. This applies to cooks, jan
tors, gardeners, and secondary attend
. ants, ETC., also those who carry food Q
: medicines to and from the wards an
! who act under the nurses orders i
: cleaning the wards. The hospits
i itself is usually composed of sever,
q buildings suitably arranged for variou
: kinds Of cases. But plenty Of ope
! space is always left around each built
ing. Ambulances are kept read