WANGANUI HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1772, 10 June 1913, Page 6

WANGANUI HOSPITAL

OBSERVATION WABD NEEDED. (By Telegraph— Special. Correspondent.), Wanganui, Juno 9. Tho need of an observation ward at the Wanganui Hospital was strikingly brought before tho Haneitikei County Council by the Health Inspector. He said that a licensed dairyman had a ease in his house whero the .symptoms suggested scarlct fevor. The symptoms, however, wero not conclusive, and therefore the doctor in charge of tho case requested him not to send the cliild to the hospital. Tho inspector's duty to the; public made it necessary far him to give the dairyman the choice of either ceasing to supply the public with' milk or sending tho patient to the hospital. In the absence of an observation ward, and being unable to diagnose tho case definitely, ho preferred to keep tho child at liomo. Tho case afterwards oroyed to be one of scarlet fever. At the Orphanage recently there was a case of scarlet fover, two suspected cases. In the absence of isolated accommodation in this institution, considerable risks wero taken with suspected cases, which would not have been tho caso had it been possible to send to the public hospital. Also, the District Health Officer criticised tho present building for infectious cases, and mentioned tho special responsibility of the board to provide adequate accommodation in such an important educational centre as Wanganui.