Homeopathic Hospital

Homeopathic Hospital (1869-1934) and Prince Henry’s Hospital (1934-1987)

1869

Opening of Homeopathic Hospital on Spring Street, Melbourne.

1904

 Dr J.W. Günst, of the staff of the Homeopathic Hospital, was responsible for the gift of £2,000 [$4,000] as a contribution towards the cost of a Children’s Ward.

1910

Opening of a new Children’s Ward. The original ward, a brick building with slate roof and located at the rear of the main buildings, was opened by the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir John Madden, G.C.M.G., and Lady Madden, on 5 May. Dr William Ray, of the staff of the Homeopathic Hospital, was instrumental in arranging for the final cost of the ward and its furnishing to be met by an anonymous donor. Artists Jessie Traill and Ida Rentoul-Outhwaite decorated the Children’s Ward with paintings.

1921

Of the two large Children’s Wards existing by then, only one was in use. There was not enough bedroom space for more nurses to be engaged to attend to a greater number of patients (i.e. ideally a daily average of 20 more little children to attend than were being treated at this time).

1934

Conversion of the Homeopathic Hospital into the new Prince Henry’s Hospital after the Charities Board decided to rebuild it.

1940

Official opening of Prince Henry’s Hospital, a tall and graceful central block fronting St Kilda Road in South Melbourne, by the then Premier of Victoria, the Hon Albert Dunstan, on 10 October. The Children’s Ward was situated on the tenth floor of the new hospital.

1943

 The Children’s Ward, which during the period of danger from air raids was transferred to the ground floor, was re-installed on the tenth floor, where the bright and cheerful surroundings “materially assist in the happiness and well-being of the little inmates.”

1962

 Planning for a greatly expanded paediatric service took place

1975

The Paediatric Unit was now able to offer a more comprehensive service to paediatric patients. Two paediatric physicians and one paediatric surgeon were available for consultant opinion. The nursing standard in Ward 10 West remained extremely high and was well recognised as being at least as high as any other Melbourne teaching hospital unit. Plans were underway to alter the Sister’s Station and provide a better administrative working area within the ward.

1976

The Paediatric Ward was completely re-organised. Provision was made for observation of more acutely ill children. The playroom was integrated within the ward and the Sister’s Station was considerably enlarged to allow direct viewing into all sections of the ward. A re-alignment of all facilities was carried out, so that a more functional ward would result without “losing any of the character which has made the Children’s Ward at Prince Henry’s Hospital so much liked by patients and their parents alike.”

1977

 With the modernization of the Children’s Ward, the Paediatric Service was in a better position to care for acute respiratory and post-anaesthetic patients. Modern respiratory equipment was available for children of all ages with respiratory illness. The arrangements in the ward “make it one of the most attractive children’s wards in Melbourne.”

1978

Closure of Children’s Ward on 24 November after several years of declining occupancy rates and a growing trend towards “rationalization” of paediatric services across Victoria. An estimated 70,000 children had been treated in the ward since its opening.

1987

Following a merger with the Queen Victoria Hospital, Prince Henry’s Hospital was integrated into the new Monash Medical Centre in Clayton. It would take until 1992 for designated sections of Prince Henry’s to be transferred to Clayton.

1992

Complete closure of Prince Henry’s Hospital, which was imploded to make way for the construction of a high-rise luxury residential apartment tower known as “The Melburnian”.
References:
Brochure entitled “The Children’s Ward 1910-1978”, published by Prince Henry’s Hospital, 1979 as a supplement to the hospital’s Annual Report for that year [photocopy of this also available in Box P153, Southern Health Historical Collections].
Historical notes collated on Children’s Ward from Box P153, Southern Health Historical Collections [may have been extracted from hospital annual reports].