HOSPITAL BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1859, 19 September 1913, Page 11

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING.

OTAKI HOSPITAL FEES,

Tlio monthly meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitablo Aid Hoard was held yesterday afternoon, ' thero being present:—Rev. W. A. Evans (in the chair), Dr. D. E. Platts-Mills, Mrs. D. M'Larcn, Revs. J. K. Elliott and H. Van Staveren, Dr. Mackenzie, Messrs. H. Baldwin, D. Campbell, F. Castlo, H. Freeman, W. Galloway, B. H. Gardener, D. M'Laren, F. T. Moore, J. W. M'Eivan, G. Nash, G. J. Pethericlt, D. Robertson, i\nd J. Smith. The Hospital Committeo recommended that the maintenance fee charged patients admitted for treatment at the Otaki Sanatorium from outsido the Wellington Hospital district bo raised from £2 to £3 per week. The proposal was opposed by the Rev. H. Van St-eaveren, Messrs. D. M'Laren, and F. G. Castlo, and Dr. Mackenzie. Mr. 13. R. Gardener said that the previous generosity of the Wellington Board had encouraged other boards to neglect the treatment of this disease. The recoption of outside patients had resulted in a Joss of £4000 to the board. Payment would not be enforced in cases where tlio patients were unable to pay. vl'ho recommendation was defeated by 11 votes to 7. N Tho question of the treatment of delirium tremens patients was brought up by a letter from tho Waterside Workers' Union, complaining that the p:e6enco of such patients in tho geno'.-al wards was unfair to other patients. Tho chairman said that ho had waited on the Minister for Justice, who had received liim most sympathetically, and had promised to defray the cost if a building for tho purpose in the hospital grounds. A formal reply was to have been Sent through tho Public Health Department, but it had not yet boon , received.

Tho Health Inspectors reported tho following cases of infectious diseases in tho district for the month ended September 8, the figures for tho corresponding period of last year being given in parentheses:—Scarlet fover, 28 (19); diphtheria, 2 (22); tuberculosis, 5 (7); enteric fever, 2 (2); blood-poisoning, 3 (0); chicken-pox, 30 "{lbis disease was not reportable,last year); smallpox, 1 (0): total, 71 (50). Tho number of disinfections was 79 (55), and of sanitary inspections, 97 (8). Special disinfections had been made on' tho steamer Delphic, the hulk Adderloy, tho accountants' room of tho G.P.0., two public telephones, two rooms at Dr. Henry's surgery (all as a result of th 6 smallpox case on the Delphic) ; also at tho children's' hospital,' five houses, .and tho Maranui, Nowtown, and Roseneath public schools.

Tho application of the Health Inspectors for motor-bicycles was referred to tho Finance, Property, and Policy Committee. Statistics of the Otaki Hospital for tho mbiitli of August were:—Admitted, 21; discharged, 21; death, 1; under treatment, 6 males and 3 females. Figures for tho Otaki Sanatorium tare Admitted, 2; discharged, 0; under treatment, 9 males and 10 females. Thf* tondor of the Scott Motor po. for tho chassis of a motor ambulance van was accepted. Accounts for'the month were passed for payment as follows: —Wellington Hospital, £3856 los. Jd.; Charitable •Aid and Ohiro Honiej'£34s : lis. lid.; Otaki Hrispital and Sanatorium, • £28718s. id.; head office, etc., £224 os, lid.