THE weatherboard wings of the Bega Hospital were replaced by brick contructions in 1904, which was the men’s section, and 1909 for the women’s section.
The total complex now comprised the main building, operating theatre connected by a walkway, laundry, nurses’ quarters, morgue, isolation building and several minor outbuildings and extensions.
The fever ward was destroyed by white ants and replaced in 1912. In 1914 a new fuel kitchen store boiler provided hot water with the water brought up from two 18-foot deep wells with a rotary pump.
Gas was connected in 1918 to provide lighting.
During the 1919 flu epidemic the staff and hospital couldn’t cope so emergency hospitals were set up at Kameruka, Tarraganda and Yarranung.
In 1924 the horse and buggy ambulance was replaced by a Ford car.
The horse had been called Night and Day as by day he transported doctors and patients and by night the nurses used him to go out on their dates.
Although the Bega Valley community contributed in cash and kind to the hospital it was usually in financial difficulties and fees rose from 30 shillings to two guineas.
It wasn’t until the hospital and Systematic Contribution Scheme started in 1929 that contributors were entitled to free hospital treatment for sixpence a week for single or a shilling for a family.
A new X-ray was installed during 1934-35 and verandahs were glassed in during 1937 and used for wards.
Town water was connected in 1940.
In the minutes of a hospital board meeting that year matron reported that 65 patients had been admitted since the last report and 97 treated.
She also listed all the donations received.
These included plants from Mrs R Cochrane, old linen and books from Mrs D Britten, magazines from Mrs Carson from Candelo, bonbons and toys from Mrs Underhill senior, a pair of crutches from G Ubrihien, books from Mrs J P Rheinberger, tins of fruit from the Misses M and D T Gowing and so on through a long list of doyleys, serviettes, pyjamas, flowers, lettuce, socks, handkerchiefs, cakes, and beans among the other gifts.
At the meeting the question of the cows used for hospital milk was brought up.
Mr Filmer wanted them out as they took up the wardsmen’s time, ate the plants in the rockery, their droppings encouraged flies and generally they created a mess.
Mr H M Blomfield suggested subdividing the grazing area into small paddocks and keep the cows.
During the early 1950s concern was expressed on conditions at the hospital.
Dr Ted Blomfield said that staff had run down to such an extent they could not be replaced. There were no funds for new equipment and in 1952 two premature babies were born and had to be wrapped in cotton wool and put in cardboard boxes as the hospital had no proper equipment.
A move for a new hospital took several years but in the end the present hospital was built and Bega Hospital on the town common closed in 1957.