CROSS INFECTION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 25, 16 September 1946, Page 5

CROSS INFECTION

BOARD MEMBER’S QUESTION

DOCTOR’S EXPLANATION

The danger of cross-infection in a crowded institution where beds were almost touching eaeh other, was emphasised by Dr. E. T. Dawson, Medical Superintendent of the Whakatane Hospital, at last Thursday’s meeting of hte Board, when the question was raised by Mr 11. C. McCready.

Mr McCready said that complaints had reached him with regard to a number of ills allegedly contacted by patients in hospital who were there originally for treatment.. He claimed that one man was so incensed about what had ,taken place that he threatened to take his case further. He asked Dr. Dawson if he could throw some light on the matter.

“I have been stressing the need for increasing the accommodation at the hospital for years,” said Dr. Dawson. A great deal can be/rectified with the beds further apart, but you cannot expect cross-infection not to occur when the beds are so close to each other as in our hospital, where also there are no siderooms and the nurses are going ‘flat out.’ You just haven’t a hope of preventing it occurring at times.” Mentioning diphtheria, he added that this was introduced by carriers, and came under a different category. It was most difficult to detect for many who were ‘carriers’ gave a negative swab when examined. In a recent case a carrier had not been detected for quite a time and a number of cases occurred. When however she was discovered there was no more trouble. While patients were jambed together there was no hope of preventing possible cross-infection.

Mr McCready thought there had been more cases of cross-infection recently since the erection of the women’s ward than previously. Dr. Dawson explained that it was most difficult to detect at times. Even dysentry had broken out when there were no cases in the hospital at all. It was true that at the time it was all over the County, and then also there was a steady stream of visitors to the hospital who left foodstuffs and fruit. There were many • possible explanations. Mr McCready thanked the doctor for his explanation, expressing his satisfaction and adding that he hoped the matter would now be cleared up as far as the people who were complaining to him were concerned.