CONVALESCENT HOSPITALS, although as yet rare in this country, are institutions of the greatest importance. All who arc acquainted with our ordinary hospitals, which are often situated in crowded parts of populous cities, must feel that a very considerable number of patients must almost of necessity die soon after returning to their own unhealthy homes, simply for want of an institution where convalseence may by devel oped into perfect health, under the general influences of pure air, gentle exercise, and a nourishing and well-regulated diet. The convales:ent hospital must be regarded as a stage in the process of cure intermediate between the ordinary hospital and the patient's home: it is an equally necessary addition both to civil and military hospitals. One of the greatest of our military surgeons, Robert Jackson, writing in 1803, recommends "separate and detached houses," and the removal of convalescents "to other apart ments or hospitals." He states his firm conviction, as based on long and most extensive experience, thai; soldiers, in a state of convalescence, recover their health better and sooner in sheds, huts, and barns, exposed occasionally to wind and rain, than in the most superb hospitals in Europe. " Pure air," lie adds, " in this respect, is alone superior to all forms of cure, and to all other remedies without such aid." The same great authority frequently notices relapse as being the leading cause of mortality in general hospitals.
The magnificent establishment at Vincennes, founded in 1857 by the late emperor of the French, may be taken as a type of what convalescent hospitals ought to be. We borrow the details from sir James R. Martin's article on "Convalescent Hospitals" in IIolnies's System of Surgery. It is composed of a main building, with two long wings, two stories high, with a ground floor, and contains more than 400 beds. It contains a
chapel, airy dining-halls with marble tables and convenient scats, a library, and play rooms; the wings in both stories being subdivided into rooms, each containing three beds, and looking towards the south. Each patient has the use of a press, with lock and key. There is ample garden-ground attached to the building. The mean duration of residence is 22 days, the patient remaining till he is either completely cured, or declared incurable. The diet is regulated by the director and head physician, and usually consists of soup at 7:30 A.m.; meat and vegetables at 10:30 A.M.; soup, roast meat, vegetables, and salad or dessert at 5 P.M.; each convalescent receiving a pint of Burgundy, and as much bread as he may choose. Numerous means of diversion, as skittles, balls, draughts, dominoes, etc., are afforded, but cards are prohibited; and the library, the greater part of which has been presented by Paris book-sellers, is much resorted to, there being on an average 50 readers. The conduct of the inmates is exem plary. They are allowed to see their friends thrice a week. The officers are a director, treasurer, head physician, and 3 house-surgeons; 6 nurses, a chaplain, 5 clerks, a store keeper, 4 overseers, and 40 subalterns. The simple fact that this hospital, in less than three years, administered relief to 14,000 convalescent artisans, affords undoubted evi dence, were such evidence required, of the utility of such institutions. Several estab lishments of the kind are already in operation in England. One, for 50 to CO patients, was erected in 1867 near Edinburgh; and a large one has recently been built at Leuzie junction, near Glasgow.