Dunstan District Hospital.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 349, 15 January 1903, Page 5

Dunstan District Hospital.

The annual meeting of contributors to the above, institution was held at Clyde on Thursday afternoon last. There was a §raod attendance, and Mr F. Jeffery was voted to the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting ;were read andconfirmed. '; j ; &> '■■■-'* The report of the trustees was read as follows: -"Your trustees, in laying before you their annual report and balance-sheet, have pleasure in saying that the Institution maintains its usefulness, and is taken advantage of, hot alone by residents of the Dunstan Hospital district proper, but by others residing in other districts, as will be seen on reference to the surgeon's report. To thoroughly maintain the usefulness and efficiency of the Institution in all its parts, and to bring each section Of it oh a level with the others, your trustees have completed arrangements for a re-modelling of the surgeon's residence by the addition of two rooms. The effect of the alterations will bo to give the front of the building a north-east aspect, instead of a south-west one as previously. By altering the interior arrangements the drainage will be down hill, into the river; and, further, the general appearance of the surroundings of the institution will be much improved. The building has been up for over 30 years and was in need of renovation. The contract price is £258, and as the Central Otago Hospital Board voted £250 for the work, what may be termed the real revenue of the institution, viz., subscriptions s and maintenance fees, will be but little encroached upon. With this work completed there remains but.' the erection of a casual, and a fever ward, and then' the Dunstan District Hospital Will compare favorably with any other hospital in. the country. " The support accorded your trustees na*s been sufficient, together with the Government subsidy, to «allow of every call made upon them to be met, and it is to be hoped that the collector (Mr J. H. Keddell), who is now on his canvass for subscriptions, will be accorded equal support to that of former years.

-ga fi attacked shows eiabt* jpositibn 6f the finances on the 31st December last. The credit balancelat that date was £llO lis, and the monies we may expect to'ijeceive between then and the 31st of March, -when the financial year expires, are: <\ 0. Hospitals Board £159 subscriptions £IOO, subsidy £l2oj Spaying patients £2o—making a total of £50913s 2d, jfosworkl: upon*.; But it must be borne in finihd that the contract priejilof the surgeon's residence isl £258, salaries Sand supplies and other contingencies iidr ;:three months—which cannoEhe'put dowit at less than £250, has to be met. Accordingly the;chances are of there being a debit at the end? of the financial year, which shows the need: of the accustomed support being given. M *' Duringtheyear Messrs M' Arthur,jStevens : andMacgeo'rge resigned from theßoftjcd, and Messrs Hutton, Barry and Edsejt were appointed in their place. These'latter gentlemen and Mr Jeffery retire, by effluxion of time, and you will be asked to elect four to fill up the vacancies on the Board. " The surgeon's report, which deals' in full with the internal affairs of the institution, the number- of patient* treated and their several maladies* needs'no comment on our part; suffice to say that the doctor and his staff have given, every* satisfaction. We therefore conclude by congratulating the district on having so grand an institution as the Dunstan District Hospital now is, and with thanks for the confidence reposed in us, and for the liberal response at all times accorded when appealed to for support." The surgeon's report for the year ending December 31st, was read as follows:

surgeon's report. Durtng the.year 51 patients were treated as indoor—4l male and 10 female. , -'••" iW. .v No - of District. : ••-'•' ''- ! *W Patients. . Clyde \.y;/ 12 Alexandra.,. ... ... 11 : Ophir f ... ..,.-■ y ... ■, 7, Earnscleugh ... . '•'•' ... ■'■ - - •» - .»-.> ■■:■- ... 3 Bald Hill Flat. '.'..." ... 3 Cromwell-:.... ... , ... 3 Ida Valley... ... " 2 1 Hawea ~i ... ... 1 Kawarau ... ; ... 1« Moutere ... .... . .... 1 . Total ... •"..•' 51 Deaths—There were five deaths during the year, in the hospital:—John Lynch (heart disease), Mrs Gilligan (heart disease), David "Leith (consumption), Wm. White (peritonitis), Lee On (consumption). - Outdoor patients— Forty four outdoor have also received medical and surgical relief. -,.—-. Th 6 nepOrts were adopted. V;. , The four retiring trustees were reelected, on the motion of Mr Parcell, seconded by Mr Smart. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the trustees and to the surgeon and staff for the very satisfactory work done past yeaY.;=f -' T The meeting concluded with a * vote of thanks to the; chairman..