ROOM FOR PATIENTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2180, 19 June 1914, Page 8

ROOM FOR PATIENTS

IN CITY HOSPITAL SUBSIDIARY MDSPiTAi iDEA. Hoom for patients at tho Wellington Hospital camu prominently tinfk-r' the' notice of the Haspiini aiid Charitable Aid Board yesterday. Thft matter was introduced by a report from the Mttdica'i Superintendent (J)iV HardwitU Smith), The medication iuperiiit'eii.dMt outiiited certain causes of congestion, and these are sufficiently 'indicated by his proposals as to remedy, which wore as follow:—. . "I would suggest for y-owr consideration two jeWdres: father' sn» crease the accommodation at tho Hospital by building at least two more wards; or'bwW in the district', a homo for chtanie' ftittants and convalescents.. This fatter plan 'recommends itself to me. 'Firstly, be-cause-a general hospital is not a fit place for patients .suffering frow chronic diseases winch ealmot be cured by treatment. The' Hospital can often patch up,a patient,'say", with chronic brorwliitis, awl that patient will remain -comparatively well for years if properly Icoke'd after; whereas, if not'cared for, the patient will return again and again to the Hospital tilt death, releases" him from'suffering'. Another rea-. sort for removal of .tins class ofpatient' from the Hospital is that , '.tho expense w-ouM bo much less than now. It costs nearly £.2 a week to keep a patient' in tile Ho.spital. This is far too m«eh for thecaso I. refer to; £}. a week per patient is tho probabb estimate if tins scheme eventuates. Tdo not suggest that this institution should be a •permanent -home' fc ineiirables. We have such a honie already. But a place.-'where patients suffering from chronic ' com-'. plaints can -be. renwed' from the Hospital to rf?c;up«-rdt« after- the ' acute stages have passed away. AVhen comparatively w«U thfij' can ,bnco more leave tfae institution."' "I can think (frontiimedDr. Hardwi.i?k Smith) of many ca«os where I cflu'hl utilise such an instmitfeii.'• It woold also be'used as a convalescent hoiirfi for .patients w-ho had been in the :H«s-.. pital.and who needed a Week or tii-6 to recuperate after tliejr i'ftiress. .1 think ah institution $t. this fisttiire. is; Very necessary," and ■ nvHst. ■ cqmo JOOiier or later." Attached tfl\stkh ; a. place-it : will bo necessary to hitv« yt sniall hospital of a few beds'for botl'v sexes.. Pattehtssuffering from' chronic complftinte 1 .-it times -'becpine acutely ill,'"and. it then would be' necessary to treat them in a separate ward till siroh time as they could bo removed to tho Jfain Hospital.' A small attached' hpsfHtaf would also servo the purpose of a subsidiary hospital for tho district in' wliioh_ the institution was' placed. 1 'consider tho Hutt-Petone district an ideal place f<jr such cases." "-./',-.' 1 Tho Kutt Prdpasal Mentioned, "'■ The Finance Committeei whiE'h' had considered tlws -repo-rt: recommended: "That the reeom-mendatiofts ■ iiontabed in the report of the' medical Superiji-teudent'-iu ■rcfci;,e!ic® to establishing in the Hutt district- (k) a.-ha.iiio.for.ah.roiMe patients and convalescents-,''and (b> a small hospital to act as a subsidiary hospital, be adoptect."

The chairman (-Ret. W. A. Evans) moved that the" reeoniwottdation "bb adopted. The. question, hv said* had' been prirciaril.y., by Htttt and Potone asking fern're • hospital for those boroughs, and i* that the h>rg<M' ; question of a hospital for chronic' cases had been raised. ~ Mr. D. Robertson and Mrs. M'tareu emphasised the need for health institutions being located .on.high growidj-and not on the flat. • '"

Ilia-Rev. J, Iv...Eßjotfc : saifJ that--tiio.y had to'remember that it-was not their own money that they wofe adiriii-sistfir-ing. ' Ho would JUse to hnve evidence, before agreeing to the that this expenditure at Hutt was Hosessary. Tho late' Lisjuseiof-GnncrSl.'of Hospitals (Dr. M.a-egr-egor) had always set his face against baring small' lips* pitals in variflijs places whioli c.ottld be, served by a maiii liespital. Dr. Mackenzie opposed the proposal on tho ground, that people living at Hutt wore aecessililo to.' Welliug'toji. In the second ptn.ee a .£ subsMinfy hospital at Hutfc meant an expenditure of £10,000 befor© they %'crje. daiie with it. There was plenty, (jf land at the Main hospital, and at Oliiro 'ilotro for estriision. He also opposed. Hutt as A-site for a hospital, because of the JftTsts which wero so prevalent in the Valley. ■ Jlr. M'Ewan (Major of Petone) and Mr.-Baldwin (Mayo/-of Lower Hutt) defended Hutt Vafiej against th© 'charge that.it was Brist-r.idde.ii,' awl warmly supported the, recommendations- «f tire, medical superintendent. .. The Rev. H- Van Stavcren said-that if the proposal was. Met earned oitt they. must have immediately two new wings at tlje main hospital. .. • Referred Bask ta Committee. " Mr. Castle thought the medical superintendent bail' mado out a good.case, but at present he : wns not ..prepared to vote for tho estabßshmeiit of. tb. hospital in the Hutt district. He -moved ■ that the words "hi the Hutt district" be deleted irefli tire motion. This was ' seesrideel by Dr, Mackenzie, and, after' discussion, the' amchdniont'was carried, and the wot(Js struck-, out. Mr. F. T. Moore then moved to strike cut: "(b) A small hospital to-,act as a subsidiary hospital." The sub-ckiisu ivas retained on the casting-vote 'of ' the .chairman, after which the ctaijso tts amended Was 'referred back to the Finance Committee, with ■ the • addition 'of the Rev. .<T. IL Elliott, Dr. Mae-fcenrfo; atidMr. Mobre, for further' cosistelfifa.Mon s the eo-rnmi-t----tee to report to ..nest meeting of. theboard.