THE ST. HELENSHOMES

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1508, 2 August 1912, Page 5

THE ST. HELENSHOMES

9 CRITICISED BY DOCTORS, AUOUTIOX OK Crr.UIGKS advocatkij. Comment on (ho methods followed by tiovernmcnt in administering thd si. Helens Maternity Homes was oll'ered by a deputat lull representing (lie Wellington division of the Itrili-li Medical Asso'■tnlnni, which waited yesterday upon tlio Alini-der-in-Charge of Jlof-pital's (the Hon. if. .11. Hhodes.i. 1 ( was introduced by Dr. A. ,K. Newman, \1.1.\ > Dr. Herbert said I hat (lie medical prolossiou were not antagoiiHie to Sl'. Helens Homes, but approved such institutions provided tiloy benefited the right kind ut people. The objects of .Mr. Seddon in tounding tlu.se homes were: —To provido a maternity hospital for the wives ol' mourners oi Ilu> worliinj* class earning up to .fi, a week and the training of n,\"'ies for vcMvieo in the back-block*. J Jio iMe .Mr. Seddon had informed a deputali oi i that the honuis would jiot ho k charitv institutions, nml that patients , paul fur. "We would said J)r. Jicrbor"that you make these homos | ( charity institutions. Wo readily admit:, that; the poor are admitted, thai the poor have boon admitted, and that the poor cun I w admitted, through Ihe Charitable Aid JJonrd, nut that doos not alter (ho principle. "No deny that; it is that poor 1 women uudor the*o eircmnstaneos should jo forced to <r 0 (o ti ie Charitable Aid! Hoard Jur assistance. The poor ' m every other phaso of siekness have every facility tfiven to them to- gain as>istaneo from cliaritv of J° me «nd we do not think it right i that; tiio women of the Dominion nor- j iorminjf the high duly of maternity in I poor circumstances should lmvo to lo the Charitable Aid J)onrd and expose their poverty. "We know that the groat majority will not do so—that thore aro many poor who refu-e to gain admission to I ho St. Helens Hospitals by what wo may call the workhousp entrance. You may answer that if the poor can bo admitted by the Charitable Aid Boards it is not n hospital." The deputation urged that, whore homo surrounding were un- . lit", cases should be admitted to the St. Helens Hospitals, but at present (ho medical profession had no right to send cases to (lie,. St. Helens institutions. As to the training of nui-m«n ho expressed tho opinion that once the charitable aid beards founded malerniiv wards in llioir general hospitals they would turn out hotter trained nurses in every respect i rll -"°' ens Hospitals could over do. I'lic (jovornmont had everv opportunity of rendering the assistance'that was required, and tin; deputation desired lo know whether tho Government was willing to do it. The deputation maintained that tin dor the present conditions tho Government was unfair to the public. Tinl.iir to the charitablc aid boards, ami linlair to the profession. Dr. H. J. M'.Leau said that the medical profession had not been given ■ the consideration m the past to which it was entitled. Ho hoped that under (lie new rogims the prolession would be consulted as to mailers concerning public health and the public service. Dr. Newman said tlrat his attention had been drawn to tho fact that, there was a laypi o number of women who could not a fjord to go to the St. Helen's Home, but who were greatly in need of some comforts i'i l c i' 1 ' ' 10U1 ' oi trial. Such women found the St. Helen's Hospital a. very great expense, nml the Minister would find that there was a very great; demand for assistance in another direction. Another point was that the difficult cases did not go to tho St. Helen's Hospital, and the training of tho nurses and the province of the homes did' not cover fully tho intention ot the founder, D) '- pointed out. the anomaly that the Charitable Aid Hoard governed nil . the institutions except those relating to maternity. They should, ho contended, be under the same governing body. Thel Hon. tt. H. Rhodes. You mean that tho Hospital Hoard should tako over the St. Helen's Homos." Dr. (jibbs: Yes. They should be under the same category; that poverty and need should be Ibe chief recommendation to entrance. If you do that we don't obicct lo tho. income limit. Tho Minister had also before him a very difficult problem in the illegitimate, cases. Medical men knew the tremendous handicaps which mothers of illegitimate children had to undergo. The point that the deputation wished to make was that tlio poor person suffering from a broken leg or pneumonia or appendicitis was admitted to n hospital, but there was no corresponding provision for confinements; Dr. Hardwick Smith, agreed that St. Helen's Hospitals should bo given in charge of the hospitals and ciiarilablo aid boards. It seemed to him wrong that because a woman was poor she should bo unable to get the necessary accommodation, while a woman who was only a little better off could go into tlio* St. Helen's Hospital, and be told that slio was doing light:, wliilo as a matter of fact: Rile was receiving charity. It appeared to him that there should be no difference between the two; and lie did not sro why_ tlio poor woman should be penalised. MINISTER IN REPLY. PREFERENCE TO THE POOR. The Minister remarked, in reply, that ho had only just taken charge oi tho Department, and lie would have to consult his ullicers beloio giving a dclinito reply, lie was glad to receive the assurance of the medical profession thai it had 110 antagonism to the St. Helens .Hospitals, 'i'lioy were designed fur the training of nurses for the back-blocks, and it was the back-blocks rather than the towns that required . looking alter in that respect. 'Die more nurses that were trained tho better it would bo for the back-blocks. He hoped to be able to extend the operations of St. Helens Hospitals, and ho would bo glad to consult the members of the medical profession in such matters. In regard to making the St. Helens Hospitals charitable institutions, Tie could'say at once that ho was net prepared to do 'that without very full consideration. It would bo better, he thought, lo add maternity wards''to the hospitals. _ As to tho generad subject, it was his view that the poor should be given preference as against the more well to do. everything else being considered. He had no doubt that nurses trained in the general hospitals would be belter trained than those who got their experience only in tho St. Helens Hospitals. He would give the representations of the deputation his must careful consideration. Dr. Valintine asked the Minister's permission to say a few words. In reference to tlio statement that the St. lidens' Homes were not covering the ground Mr. Seddon intended them to cover, ho iienied that absolutely. ' They had not departed from the policy one iota since he had taken charge of the Department five years ago. ■ Though it had been staled that they took only a specially-select-ed class in,' such by no means had been the ease. They had at times taken tho poorest, in the community. Dr. Holmes; Only when you wore absolutely forced. Dr. Valentino said tluy must also remember that n vast amount of work amongst the poor was also lieing done by the out-patients' department'of the hospital. The poor were also attended in their own homes by nurses sent: out from St. Helen's. As la the illegitimate oasssi, tliev were attended 'to in the Salvation Army Home and St. Mary's Home. A few Vears ago tho lot ol a girl who had bcon'unfortunato was very hard, but now orrangements wcVo made by the Hospital 'iloitrd, in conjunction with the Salvation Army and the St. Mary's Home, so that these girls could got treatment. Dr. Uibbv. That is absolutely inadequate. It is only a sop. Dr. Vulintine: Can you quote a single ease from press reports f° justify what you have said? I don't think you'can. Four or five vears ago, no doubt, there was great difficulty, and lamentable scandals have arisen. Dr. Holme-*:. Tho work you refer to in these homes is all done by the charity of I lie medical profession in AVollingtou. They do it for nothing. Dr. Valintine said something about arranging that fees should be given for such work. Dr. Herbert, (emphatically): Wo don't want lees. Dr. flibh--: Xinetv per cent, of these i cases do not go lo (K' hotm* mentioned. You do nut attend to more Hum ttl per < cent, of tile ul-es. ' Dr. Valintine: If that ii so, a \ery i grievou-- wiong is going on, but: I am not ' aware of it. _ ] Mr. Rhodes: Xow that the nintler has i been brought under the notico of the Dc- 1 partmcnt. it will bo looked into. i , Dr, Ya.iiu.tiuo referred to tlio traiuias '

given at tho St, Helen's Hospitals. Ho maintained that it was quite etli?iont. lie. did not think tho deputation meant lo cost . any slur 011 tho nurses trained there... Dr. Herbert: Most certainly not. . Dr. Valintine maintained that, provision was made, for tho poorest, although per- . haps there was not sullicient provision i;.r the illegitimate class. He was perfectly suro that tho Minister would make prompt . arrangements in regard lo the latter class. The women in the cities were better circumstanced in regard to maternity cr.ses than tho>e in the back-blocks. Thero were eases in tho baok-block\s where tlie.ro was not 41 trained nurse within '111 or 50 mill's, nml there were eases where women could not see even one of their own sex. They must devote their attention to tho back-blocks before t.hey made any great extension in the cities. Jlr. 1! bodes said that in regard lo illegitimates. he had no ulea t hev wer: l 1.-f ng treated in the way that had keen stated'— that there wa« an organised method of Inking away what should be tile mother's due. The deputation having brought that fully to light, it would be his duty to make further inquiries, and to see what steps cm Id be taken to prevent it. He '•> was lileased to hear that, such good work was being done at (he Homes by 'medical men free of charge. They deserved every credit for it. Dr. Valintine added that, even if thero were fifty institutions in tho city with ] bods in thorn, they would not get thesn eases to gO to thenu These women wanted Us hide their .shame. Dr. Herbert said (hat (hey got them to go to institutions in other cities. Mr. lihodes said (hat he wn« lieing'""" pulled bo(h wa;ys. The waterside work- j ers Ind waited on him the previous day, and urged that tho St. Helen's Hospitals should not he regarded as ciiarilablo . ill- , slitntions. They also urged that women should be treated in their own homes, and yet the deputation said Hint in somo eases the homes were unsuitable for such a purpose. He would give tho matter, lie added, most careful inquiry.