STUDENT
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NIC
BODENSTEIN HOSPITAL BRIEF HISTORY OF NIC BODENSTEIN HOSPITAL Qualified doctors before 1900 were very scarce. People used home remedies to heal the sick. On 2 February 1897 the magistrate H. de Waal wrote a letter to the state secretary to appoint a district surgeon. On 25 March 1897 the first doctor was appointed by the name of Dr Justus Schmauser. His salary was £100 per year. Thomas Leask was appointed as second district surgeon in 1899. He was a pharmacist and did study medicine for a few years. After the Anglo Boer War Dr Dundon, from England decided to stay in Wolmaransstad. He did a great job under the diggers, especially with the Great Influenza Epidemic. The school in town was used as a hospital and teachers were helping him to take care of the sick. In 1923 another doctor, Dr Bodenstein started working in Wolmaransstad. A need arose to have a hospital. Mrs. Hatfield started colleting money for building of the hospital. In 1929 a small hospital with 8 beds was built. One matron and two nursing assistants were working there. The hospital was to small and on 10 October 1938 the memorial stone of the new hospital was laid by General JCC Kemp. The new hospital had 65 beds for non-white and 40 beds for white patients with a maternity section. In 1948 there was also a nurse's home built with rooms for 40 nurses. By 1952 the hospital had a modern x-ray machine and a well equiped theatre. In 1966 the hospital had 89 beds for white patients, 129 non-white beds and 7 Indian beds. 115 operations were done monthly. The personal included the following:
In 1994 the
white and the non-white beds were integrated. The hospital now has
158 approved beds. There are four (4) general wards: one male, one
female, one children's ward and a maternity ward. The hospital also
has two theatres and an OPD and Casualty departments. We have been fortunate this year to have the Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Radiographer and Dietician performing Community services here. Currently the
hospital is undergoing revitalization aimed at face lifting of the
OPD, Causality, Pharmacy, and Admission Offices.
Activities
Accommodation, meals and transport Accommodation: Meals
Why you should choose Nic Bodenstein as your real rural experience. Situated on the Diamond City of the Platinum Province, here is your chance to meet both the diggers and the dealers. It's on the N12 from Johannesburg to Cape Town, tourists and luxurious buses passes through this small town to these big cities. 80km from Klersdorp town, 10 and 30 km respectively from two beautiful tourist attractions. The warmness and gentleness of the people at work to improve their lives will humble you.
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