HOSPITAL BOARD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 157, 28 March 1919, Page 2

HOSPITAL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING . REPORT ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES

The "Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board liiet yesterday, those present being: Air. 11, Baldwin (chairman), Dr. J. K. Elliott, lte\v H. van Staveren, • Messrs. A..-J. M'Curdy, P. T. Moore, C. M. Luke, I''. Castle, J. Smith, D. Campbell, J. AV. M'Etvan, and Mesda:ncs M'Vica.r and Aitken. . Twenty-nine nases of infectious diseases were reported by tlie_ llealtli Inspectors during the month ending March 19. The total was mado' up as follows, the figures for last month and those for the same period last, year being'given in parentheses Scarlet fever, 0(5 and 7); diphtheria,' .15 (18 and 39); tuberculosis, 7 (7 and 5); influenza, 0 (2 and 0); ophthalinia Neon, 1 (C.S.M. 8 and 0); totals,. 2? (40 anil 51). ~ During the month. 49 dis- : infections rfere carried out in connection with'the foregoing figures, and there were 41 sanitary inspections. .Sixteen samples of milk were . taken. The 1 infectious diseases reported for the month were distributed ' its follow: Wellington, 20; Petone,. 2;. Hutt.. County, 1 0; and Miramar, 1. , Charitable aid statistics afforded tha - following comparisons for February: ■ 1919, 1918. Outdoor relief— ■ », Cases assisted 52. . 40 Daily average of. persons • " in receipt of relief ... 191 " 131 liations 'granted 486 402 Kent grants Maintenance-.0f.., children i!G3 .>£23 t ■ ■ The. Hospital. Committee: imported that the ■Public Health Department was reimbursing the board,for all expenditure .incurred for assistance rendered to widows and widowers with children owing to the influenza epidemic. • • '- .-. " It was announced, that plans were being piepared~for the alteration of the old Fever Hospital to make 'it suitable ior a diphtheria ward.. Should there he a, recrudescence of the epidemic whilst the work is in .hand, all. work will -be stopped and the hospital will be available for the treatment of patients. • •. • New appointments to the ftaft include Mm, Si' H.chardson, masseuse, and Nurse B. Mackenzie, sißter.. The report of the ,dental branch of the out-patients''department for the period ended February, .1919,' showed that there were 1 188' attendances,. 173:-.out-patients treated, and that there . were ;15 inpatients. There were 21 new patients ami seven non-paying patients. The_ cost, or the work done .amounted- to- JM) IJS,\ whilst the total cash -received' was 428 105. lid.,--and the value of frep wol'k.done amounted to .£l2-Bs. ' ' ! T'lie return of patients for the month of February showed that there were a,, tolnl-of 359 in .the institutions onjnnunrv 91, 332 were admitted during Februarv, 27 died, 327 were discharged, wmlst thero were, still in- the .institution on /February 18, 337. The daily average number of patients was 346; ■ • • • The Charitable Aid Committe'b reported that it had banded over- the administration of the financial assistance - arranged for "by the .Government in connection with tile influenza epidemic to the Social Welfare Comwittee recently appointed bv the board. Outside members of the'"Socinl Welfare Committee pointed' i» compliance instriictious contained in a letter from tlie..Mini»ter of Public Health are Mrs. r. Glover and Messrs. Brice and Cornwell. The chair- , " man announced' that the present weekly payments in connection with the epidemic were not' less than JSJ3O. Tho:hoard confirmed the grants of assistance made. to amounting to .£13,289 lCs. Sd. '(.£3617 12a. 3d. of which, has already wen paid) were nassed for payment. - In connection with t.he_ increased expenditure for influenza elamumts. it!.wns nrinounced- that the .Public Health Department" had advanced a sum of Jijftuli. : Improvements to the hot watfr service, to cost approiimately are to bo earricfl out M'.th© board's stuff/ ' The' following tenders 'foi'- aiimiarfunplies werß'nccet)lcd:-Funoral6, Jfesr>. b. H." AVilson and'Sons'boots ',and' shoes, Me'ssis. E. Hannah and C0.,-'coal and livewood, AVestport COftl Co. . After further consideration on 'J 1 ® question of making a grant of,bonuses on account of. the' influenza epidemic, the Finance, .Property, and Policy Committee reported that it had iio- recommends tion to make. - '