Board of Superintendence of Dublin Hospitals: first annual report with appendices

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4 Bejjort of the Boa) it of Dublin Hospitals. 

i We have inspected each of these institutions, and conferred with the governing authorities, and with the medical and other officers, respecting the various sources of its income, and the different heads of its expenditure. 
We ascertained the number of officers and servants employed ; examined the wards, and the condition of the patients, the dietaries in use, and the Forms for the registration of the patients; and inquired respecting such other matters as might assist in enabling us to supervise the insti¬ tution, and to report thereon, in accordance with the provisions of the 18th section of the Act. 
Subsequently to the making of these inspections and inquiries we issued the Circular (No. 
2, Appendix) to ascertain what pro¬ gress was being made by the governing authorities of each hospital, in carrying out the recommendations contained in the Report of the above-mentioned Commissioners. 
The reply received from each is given in the Appendix (No. 
3). 

We give in the Appendix (No. 
4), communications from the medical officers of the hospitals in which medical instruction is given, in reply to a letter requesting to be informed of the arrangements now existing for that purpose. 
In the Lock and Cork-street Hospitals, the necessary arrangements for carrying out the important object of medical education, although under the consideration of the Governors, are not yet completed, such object not having been hitherto contemplated in these Institutions, and being only now brought under their notice by this Board. 

The Westmoreland Lock Hospital. 
The Report of the Hospital Inquiry Commissioners, as well as our own observations, showed that considerable alterations and repairs were necessary to adapt this institution to the increased number of patients intended to be received into it, and that, in several respects, its arrangements and management required improvement. 
As the Board of Public Works is charged, under the Act, with the duty of effecting the alterations which may be requisite, we lost no time in placing ourselves in communication with their architect along with whom we carefully examined the buildings, and the several wards, and to whom we suggested our views in respect to the alterations and improvements which appeared to be required; and, finally, we approved of the plans and estimates which the architect submitted for our consideration. 
Up to the 31st March last, the number of beds for patients in this hospital was limited to forty, the funds being insufficient to support more, although several applicants were stated to be refused every week. 
Since that period four wards, containing fifty-one beds, have been fitted up, and a corresponding increase of patients has taken place. 
Some considerable changes in the kitchen and laundry, and in wards that have been long unoccupied, still require to be effected, provision for the expense having been made by Parliament. 
These improvements will he made under the management of the Board of Governors, whose number has