Among the Hospital facilities for the comfort of the physically suffering is a covered-in ambulance, with bed on rollers and seat accommodation for an attendant. This vehicle is available in the case of accidents or for prostrated invalids coming from distant parts of the city or suburbs, or from the railway station; a telephonic or telegraphic message to the institution being the only notice requisite to ensure its being sent where required.
A good many years ago, the opening of a public dispensary in Dunedin was contemplated; but the necessity for such an institution was obviated by the establishment of the Out-door Consulting Department as a branch of the Hospital work. At first the House Surgeon was the only out-door consulting doctor; but now cases of a general nature receive his attention, while as experts, Dr. Batchelor attends to diseases peculiar to women, Dr. John Macdonald to diseases of the skin, Dr. Lindo Ferguson to eye, ear, and throat complaints, and Dr. de Zouche to the ailments of children. This charity is of great advantage to such of the sick poor as can remain in their own homes; but as it was much abused by persons in fair-to-do circumstances availing themselves of it, all applicants must now, to the satisfaction of the authorities, certify to their inability to pay for medical advice and medicine.
While in the aggregate those who in the course of the year receive gratuitous out-door advice far exceed the in-patients in number, the out-door branch of the Hospital work is, of course, the least important. The real work lies in the wards; all the in-patients being under the care of an Honorary Medical and Surgical Staff of nine gentlemen elected annually, with the addition of the resident House Surgeon and his assistant. This system, which ensures careful consultation and all proper treatment in serious and intricate cases, has with good results been in operation since 1876. The gentlemen constituting the present Honorary Staff are: Drs. Batchelor, Lindo Ferguson, J. Macdonald, Maunsell, Coughtrey, Gordon Macdonald, Jeffcoat, and Ogston. Recently another honorary office was created by the election of Dr. William Brown to the position of Honorary Consulting Surgeon in connection with the Hospital, he having, when he retired in 1888, been senior member of the Honorary Staff.
