ST. HELEN'S HOME INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1671, 11 February 1913, Page 8

ST. HELEN'S HOME INQUIRY.

DR. VALINTINE GIVES EVIDENCE. . INSPECTION OF BOOKS. WITNESS OPPOSES THE REQUEST^ (By Telegraph.—Preeß Association.) ' u Auckland, February 10. At bt. Helen s Home inquiry, further evidence was; by Mr. Schoficld (chainiiau of tho Hospital Board) find Miss M Lean (Assistant Inspector of Hospitals). Under cross-examination, Miss M'Le'nn stated that she had written to tho Central Midwives Board of England, asking it to rccogmso nurses trained in New Zealand without necessity for further examination in England. In reply, she had been informed that steps to bring this about were being taken, but that so far, owing to pressure of business, tho change had not been brought about. Dr. Valintino (Inspector-General of Hospitals) submitted a lengthy report on the administration of St. Helen's Hospitals, ami the measures taken to give effect' to the intentions of their founder (Mr. Seddon). Dr. Valintine claimed that, despite many drawbacks, tho St. Helen's,institutions had been a success. Sinco they were lmt'ated, 0420 mothers had beeh treated nnd 02*4 babies had been born alive therein.", Maternal deaths numbered 23, or .31 percent., this low mortality being especially .satisfactory when tho urgent nature of 6onio of tho cases admitted was taken into consideration. In addition to the abovo, 205 nurses had been trained; It was not claimed that tho system could not be improved, but to do so a good deal of money was needed. With the exception of tho recently-opened hospital in Wellington, none of . tho buildings were really suivablo for hospital purposes, nevertheless they wero doing a groat work. It would bo scarcely fair to tho people in country districts to greatly increase the accommodation, and. expense on behalf of people in the foui) chief towns while the needs of equally-deserving women in the back-blocks wore so .inadequately inot.' Moro midwives'wero wanted in the backblocks, and medical residents in more remote districts should bo subsidised. By means of the existing institutions, some 60 midwives were trained every year, and this number, with those who were-admit-ted on oversea certificates should meet the demands of-tho Dominion even in country districts. ■. Continuing his evidence, Dr. Valintino said, in regard to the statement' that details of cases were not available, that in each the maternity homes the matron had- to keep records in no fewer than 21 books, as well as to fill in numerous returns. The books >at St. Helen's Home were particularly well kept.; He denied that any of tho case books had been destroyed, but admitted that tho rough books from which they were mado up nad been done away with. At this stago Mrs. Is'icol and Mr. Skelton ; wished to investigate th-a indoor case books.

Dr. Valintine: I must ask your Worship not to allow the books to bo inspected by anyone. There are matters of family history contained in the books which it would "not. bo, fair to place, in tho hands of unscrupulous persons. Mrs. Nichol: Oh, I am . not.an -.unscru: pulous person.. It is—Dr. Valintine: I did 'not'mention your name, madam. Mrs. Nicliol . again, objected'to tlie remarks of-Dr. Valintine,, and added that if the books were not made available she would withdraw from tho inquiry. She did not ask for the privilege out of idle curiosity, but wished-merely to study the entries concerning the special,cases under discussion. . . : ■

Mr. Skelton supported . Mrs. Nichol's 6tand, and urged that it was in the best intefests of the public that'he and Mrs. Nichol should be allowed to inspect tho book in; question. •

' Tho Conitnissioner saw. that the iffatter' was an important one, and ho would have to consider it thoroughly before giving his ruling. '■> Mrs. Nicliol retired for the time being, and-ultimately took a ssat;in the body of tho Court.

Tho examination of iii-. Valintino was continued. Ho stated that at St. Helen's Homo .last year the mortality rato was as low- as .14 per cent. ■ In other respects tho position at the institution was equally satisfactory. During the last ten vears tho mortality rnte of infants in the dominion had decreased considerably, but he would not go as far as to say that St. Helen's Homes had been indirectly responsible for this. However, in Auckland last year there', were only 63 deaths per 1000 babies compared .with 140 per 1000 in 1902.' Continuing, he characterised the suggestion that a . resident medical officer should be appointed to the Home as absurd, for, apart from other reasons wh'at necessity was there for a resident officer in a Homo where they wore only twelve beds? He was opposed to the Homes being placed under the control of the Hospital and Charitablo Aid Boards,; as he considered that in that ease they would not be so well managed as at present. Further, he did not consider it advisable that . single women should be admitted to the Homes, a 9 there was plenty of accommodation elsewhere. Aslted whether ,she had any quesfions to put, Mrs. said she would crossexamine when she had the Commissioner's ruling upon tho question as to ■whether the indoor case book should bo made available to her. >, •