H.B. HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3761, 4 August 1883, Page 2

H.B. HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Friday, August 3,

The following is the visiting committee's report:—"Your commit too have several times visited the hospital during the past month, and have been satisfied with tho superintendence and food supplied, and tho general comfort of the patients and cleanliness of servants and wards, although some trivial complaints were made by two convalescent patients. Those were inquired into and were found to be unwarranted by the facts. The patients confined to the sick wards without exception expressed their thankful acknowledgments for tho care bestowed on them. The visiting committee agree that a corner cupboard should be put up in the male ward, and that the present matron's sitting-room should be made into a ward kitchen. The drainage pipes been carefully laid so far, and from the traps and good fall they will not bo so readily obstructed.—M. 11. Milleu, S. CaKXKIJj.

Mr Carncll supplemented the report by expressing very strongly his disapproval of the conduct of the two convalescent patients who, he said, had raised complaints without any just cause whatever. It also transpired, during a discussion which ensued, that there was a tendency to insubordination on the part of some of the convalescents, and the secretary was instructed to write to the superintendent requesting him to exercise stricter control over inmates of the institution. Mr J-J. "Williams was appointed a member of the Charitable Aid Committee, vice Mr J. A. Smith, who wished to be relieved of his duties. Tho Chairman reported that tho tender of Mr "Woods had been accepted for drugs, and tliat of Messrs Gilbord and Co. for rcrated water. Ho mentioned that tho examination and comparison of tho tenders for drugs had occupied him ten or twelve hours, and ho suggested that in future there should be printed lists of the articles for use by tenderers, and then comparison would bo easy. TJi.o following report of tho sub-com-mitteee on Dr Menzies' application to bo allowed private practice and on for iu-pati'jutsjand out-patients was road: — ]i\>r Admission as In-paticuts.—That all ticket-holders obtain admission to tho hospital on production of their tickets, and that on leaving they be handed a discharge ticket showing tho date of admission and also tho date of discharge, bearing the surgeon's signature ; any further admission to tho hospital during tho current year to be by the production of tho dischai-ge ticket endorsed by a member of the committee. Out-patients. — That from the Ist of October next no out-patients be treated at the hospital oxcopt by an order of a member of the committo; subscribers' tickets to bo available only for in-patients, and which tickets are not transferable. The subcommittee also recommend that tho byelaws referring to out-patients be altered to meet the above recommendations. Private Practice of Surgeon.—The «übconimittee by the above recommendations referring to out-patients consider that tho dispensing at the hospital wil be materially reduced, that the duties of the surgeon will not bo so onerous, and therefoi-c do not sec their way to recommend the application of Dr Menzies to be allowed unreserved privato practice, and consider that the visiting committee's report of November 15th, 1881, accompanying Dr Menzies' letter, cannot well apply at the j>rcscnt time, but to meet the wishes of persons desirous of consulting Dr Menzies, the committee suggest that a fee of one guinea be charged, such fee to be devoted to the building fund. And tho sub-committee would further recommend that the names of all persons, both in and out patients who have received gratuitous > advice, appear in the animal printed reports.

It was decided, after v brief discussion, to hold the report over until next meeting. The Chairman stated that the surgical instruments ordered from Homo hud arrived by the Catalonia. Tho amount of the invoice was £119 19s lid, to cover which a draft for £120 had been forwarded. Tho Secretary .'stated that the balance to the credit of the current account at the bank was £1.33 5s lid, the amount on fixed deposit being £900, Some discussion took plncc respecting , Peter Maloncy, an inmate of tho hospital waiting to be operated upon by Dr. Spencer, but no action was taken in tho matter. The month's accounts having been passed for payment the committee adjourned.