BACK                                                                                              HOME and surgical, were built.  One of these wards, however, was soon turned into a women's ward.                                                              In 1923, a modern x - ray plant was installed, as well as a laboratory, and, in 1924, the massage department was opened.                                         Soon, there was a maternity ward built and the popularity of this department may be gauged from the fact that 1,000 babies had been born here by 1933.                                              The Foundation Stone for the present day hospital was laid on June 28,1939 by the Governor General of Australia, Lord Gowrie.                                   In September 1941 the new Broken Hill hospital, was opened by the Governor of New South Wales, Lord Wakehurst.                                                   The new building had the distinction of being the first hospital in Australia to be fully air conditioned.                    In 1946, the maternity ward, which was still housed in part of the old Hospital building on the hill, was overrun with babies - so many, in fact, that the staff ran out of cribs.  Makeshift cribs were hurriedly provided by turned - out of drawers to accommodate the new arrivals.                                                 1948:  The fine modern air - conditioned hospital was constructed from funds raised by joint contribution of the Government of NSW, the employees of the mines, the townspeople and the mining Companies.  The hospital block has a capacity for 245 bed patients.  A maternity block and additions to the nurses quarters and laundry are now being undertaken at an estimated cost of 277,000 pounds, to which the city of Broken Hill, assisted by the mining companies, is again contributing substantially.                                                                    July 1954 the new maternity ward was opened, which had begun in 1950.        1968;  The new dental clinic was opened, and the Rehabilitation Centre and the medical officers cottages were started early in the year, and were nearing completion at year's end.                                                    STAFF - Board Chairman C.G.Datson; vice chairman Mr J.P.Keenan).  Medical Supervisor:   Dr V.J.Barron; Surgeon Specialist:   Mr G.Ormandy; Nursing director, Matron H.Wade.  Doctors,11; Nurses, 86; sisters, 23.                                1970;  This year was a successful one with regards to buildings.  A splendid new complex was finished at the end of the year.  This is used as a cafeteria, kitchen and staff amenities block.                                              A corony - care ward was also opened, and a new air - conditioning plant was placed throughout the main building.   In April 1981, the Broken Hill Hospital changed its name to Broken Hill Base Hospital.  When the general hospital block became overcrowded, geriatric units were opened in 1946 in wards of the former hospital building.                      The geriatric opening was on April 29, 1946.  Sister Nelson was in charge of these geriatric units until 1966, after Sister T. Thomson and D. Mathewson had extended the scope of them in the 1960's.                                       The first nurses preliminary training school, established in 1951 was located in part of the former isolation block until the new Nurses Training School was opened by Mr W. F. Sheehan, minister for health, on August 19, 1964.  Currently in use at the hospital since 1982 is ultra-sound scanning, which is a great aid to diagnosis.                                                        In 1970, the first patient was admitted to the corony - care unit.  The most modern equipment - equal to any to be found in any other large hospital - had been generously donated by Silver City Charities.                                      There are now more than 100 former patients of coronary-care who have undergone heart bypass operations.                                                          Silver City Charities also presented a gift that was an asset to the Nurses Training Centre.  The gift was a manikin model used in the demonstration of modern techniques in artificial respiration                                       S. C. Charities also gave the V. J. Barron refrigerator for the Blood Bank.    In 1965, the mining companies gave a cardiac machine.  Cots in the children's ward were donated by the smilers club and north Junior Sports Club; and the Red Cross gave anesthetic guns, agitators for mixing blood at the Blood Bank, and other significant donation over the years.                                        The Hospital Kiosk Auxiliary gave an oxygen tent for the Children's Ward;  an operating theatre table in 1959; and a humincrib cot for the OBU (maternity) block in 1954.                 On August 29, 1978, the men's surgical ward was destroyed by fire, and, after much delay, work began in 1982 and completed in 1983.                              In the early 1980's the geriatric wards were given names - Elloura Lodge (woman's) Kincumber House (men's) and Corinda Court (women's).  The new Pathology Department was occupied on December 1, 1975, and the official opening, together with that of the new Radiology Department took place on May 31, 1978                                                       CONTINUE NEXT PAGE