_A lying-in institution for forty beds (thirty-two to thirty-six
occupied), with a training school for thirty pupil midwives and
midwifery nurses._
This plan gives a sketch of an arrangement of pavilions, offices,
quarters, &c., forming a complete lying-in institution and training
school. As already stated, such an institution must, from its very
objects, be situated in a town where land is scarce and valuable, and
this is a chief difficulty in erecting it. Hence it has been necessary
to keep the different parts as close together as possible, and yet not
to crowd them so as to interfere injuriously with the external
ventilation. The mere architecture, as will be seen, has been
subordinated to this necessity, but it must be borne in mind that
utility, and not architectural effect, is to be sought for.
In the centre of the plan project the quarters for pupils, on three
floors, ten quarters on each floor. They are arranged in this way to
enable the reliefs to be taken from one floor at a time. Behind these,
in the same block, are quarters for matron and midwives, waiting-room,
surgery, stores, kitchen, and pupils’ dining-room. The general entrance
is in one side of the centre block. The two front pavilions, on either
side the centre, contain the delivery wards, two on each floor. Each
delivery pavilion contains a ward for three beds on each floor, with its
bye-ward and offices. Only one delivery pavilion will be in use at one
time. While one pavilion is in use, the other will be vacant, and
undergoing ventilation and cleansing. These delivery wards are connected
with the centre, and with all the pavilions on each floor by a nine-feet
corridor, with crosslight and ventilation. Fire-places are shown for
warming in winter. On the ground floor are three four-bed wards, with
offices, on each side, on the construction shown on Plan III. There will
thus be twenty-four lying-in beds, and six delivery beds (but three
delivery beds and 20 lying-in beds only in use at the same time) on the
ground floor. The second pavilion from the front, on each side, is only
one storey in height, so as to afford a freer circulation of air among
the pavilions in the space within which it might be necessary to place
them.
As a consequence of this arrangement there would be only four lying-in
wards, of four beds each, on the upper floor, together with a delivery
ward at each side (one delivery ward to be used at a time).
A special detached ward for febrile cases is shown behind the building.
The total accommodation in an establishment of this size would be
sufficient for 6 simultaneous deliveries and 32 to 36 lying-in women.
There would be 6 delivery beds always resting, and 4 or 8 lying-in beds
always unoccupied. There would be training accommodation and facilities
for 30 pupils.
[Illustration:
_PLAN. V._