Page 288 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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after in other wards in the hospital. In order to accommodate the service patients an additional new
ward for 12 beds was built on the first floor of the men's hospital and a number of extra rooms providing
European kitchens, bathrooms, etc. were added to the building. When it became evident that the
normal hospital staff could not cope with the number of service patients the R.A.F. provided a Medical
Officer and four nursing sisters for duty in the Government Hospital. Owing to the extra staff and
additional wards, the presence of large numbers of service patients scarcely reduced the hospital’s
capacity for the people of the country. This war time arrangement, which might very easily have
led to innumerable difficulties, worked smoothly and successfully as long as it was in force. In the
beginning of 1365 (January 1946) the wards were relinquished by the services ; during the time that
the scheme had been in force 1,330 in-patients from the Navy, Army and Royal Air Force were received
in the hospital.
European Nureing Home.—Half of the accommodation whichhad been used by the services
was adapted for a European nursing home, this proved adequate, the ward of 12 beds was very rarely
completely full except during August. Towards the end of 1365 (1946) an additional private ward
was made and a similar one was arranged in the Women’s Hospital, both were in use during the year.
In-patients in the men’s ward numbered 91, the majority of them came from the Merchant Navy
and from Tankers but the wards too proved increasingly useful for the European community of
Manama.

Venereal Disease predominated (20 cases): there were 8 injuries mostly severe, including
a fractured base, vault, and Maxilla. A severely ruptured kidney was cured without operation.
Unusual admissions were a Mitral Stenosis, and a Paratyphoid. There was several operations done,
mostly Appendicectomies. A ureteric calculus was also removed. There were no deaths, but a
moribund unconscious heat exhaustion patient was only just saved in time by intensive air-condition­
ing and ice treatment. Tins new institution has proved of immense value, and is expected to be
increasingly used.

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