CiiAr. V. IIOSPI I'ALS.

1077
liutWL'eii wards was the iini)ortaiit feauire of suc-h establishments. This hos,jital las Ijceii
tl.e model for those designing later work>).
t.'97.5((. The erection of the Victoria geiieial military hospital at Netley, commenced in
I85G by Mr. iMeimie, led to so much lorrespondence, investigation, and contradiction, that the
ttudent is best referred to the journals between 1856 and
1858, v\l)en a plan was finally
adopted, wiiich met with the approval of ]\Iiss Night ngale. It ij said to have pro-
\iiied averages of 1,315, 1,406, and 1,8C0 cubic feet per patient. The communicaticn of tiie
wards witli a general corridor and with tiie ua^er-closets lias been alleged as its chief fault,
but its plan should be compared wi'h others regarded as models at the time, to obtain a
notion of the great stride in the planning of these buildin^^s. Tlie controversy
continued
with great advantage, as it produced plans of other hospitals considered as models on
various points, up to 186'2, when the military authorities issued their official plans for
hospitals.
2975<. In 1865 the Socijte Chirurgicale de Paris issued the then ncent exposition of
scientific views with regard to the reconstruction of the hotel- Dieu and of hospitals
generally. It demanded a minimum of 538 scjuare feet per bed as clear
space of siteo(i//(/e
the building; a maximum of two siories ot wards, and of LOO to 300 beds in each
hospital, considering that two small hospitals are preferable to <jne equal to their united
capacity, because the periodical and regular v.icancy of wards has been
attended
will) go'jil results. It considered that small wards of 15 to 20 beds are to be jireferred to
larger wards, and that the builuing should nut iiily possess a day ward for convalescents,
'but another for their inials. The wards shouKI be separated by landings and rooms for
attendants They should be completely isolated blocks, all having the same aspect,
and lieing exposed without any obsiruition to the rays of the sun, to the eflects of rain,
and to the action of the wind; and they should be arranged in a single line or in parallel
lines at intervals.of 260 feet or 330 feet, in order to obtain an efficient
separation and a
sufficient current of air. Finally it declares that no emanation from refuse or effluvium
is to be tolerated
;
and that no abundance of artificial veniilation
compensates lor an
insufficient natural ventilation. (The Z)'Ki7/er journal, 1865, vol. xxiii.
p. 170.)
29T5c. It has been strongly reconunended that ward space for each patient,
approach-
ing as near as circumstances allow to 2,000 cubic feit, wiih 144 square feet of floor, should
be allowed for each bed . the ventilation to be obtained on tlie natural svstem;
yet othi-rs
Uieiu favour of anihcial ventilation with an a.vce/tt^iz/y current ; others for a d<:sceiidi}iy
current, which is adopted at the Ii6))ital Lariboi^iere to the extent of 12 to 14 cubic feet
per
minute; at tiie hopital lieaujoii 24 to 36 feet, which was inefficient
; and at Guy's
hospital 40 to 60 feet, which was sulci. ssful. Fireplaces alone are considered
inefficient
for the purpose.
2975c?. The opinions expiessed by the writers in the Buildtr journal
during 1856-61,
result in describing the coruct plan as consisting of detached wards separated at least by
lawns twice as wide as tlie height of the buildings, each ward being enclosed by four
separate walls, and having indo\\s on two sides that open from the ceiling witii double
sashes glazed
;
water-closets undera separate roof and divided from the wards by a corridor;
the corridors continuous and close for 7 feet high, but open above with
piers or columns;
galleries, with scats in the gardens
;
comfort of nurses' rooms
;
and care as to finish of
floors, &c. Be^idtS the ab.ive publication and various parliamentary reports, the works
bv Husson,
*"(/!> sar Its Hd/ntaux, 4to. Paris 1862, and by Jaccuud, Nouveaa Diet. &c.,
vol. xvii., .'vo. Paris, 1873, both contain plans and valuable suggestions.
2975e. The new building i.f St. I'hoinas's Hospital in London, designed 186.5-71 by Mr.
Henry Currey, has been described by liini in a lecture read at the lloyal Institute of
British
Architects, January 23,
1871. It may be supposed to exhibit all that isreq'isite
to be provided in an hospital of a metropolis, for the accommodation of 600 patients.
It is arranged on the pavilion principle, now generally admitted to be the best for hos-
pital purposes,
and being placed in a low is specially suitable forthespaie of ground
oil which the edifice is erected. The corridor, of two stories, with a flat roof over, con-
necting the end' of each of the six pavilions, is 900 feet long
;
tliey are placed at the dis-
tance of 12.5 feet from each oti.er, their axis being due east and west. The wa'ds arc 28 feet
in width by 120 feet in length, and 15 feet high, in which are jjlaced twenty-eight
beds
on each of five floors, giving a cubic capacity of 1,800 feet for each patient, the beds being
placed 8 feet fro.n centre to ceiiire : small wards for two beds, contiguous thereto, separate
special cases from the
others. Adjoining the passage are placed the sisters' room, the ward
kitchen, and a room for medi- al officers. The staircases are wide, and have a tread of
12^
ill., with a rise of
5^
m. I'he well-holes are occupied by lifts and ventilating shafts.
The
water-closets,
lavatories, and a bath-room are attached toeach ward, and cut off from it
by intercepting
lobbies, with windows on both sides. There al.so are the foul linen anil dust
shoots
communicating with the basement for external removal. iJormitories for ihe
nurses and servants are placed in the attic story. The wards have flat cei.ings, and the
windows are carried up to it, to ensure a thorjugh change of air in the upper part. The