DUNSTAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 667, 29 January 1875, Page 2

DUNSTAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL.

The Annual Meeting of Subscribers was held in the Council Chambers, Town Hall, Clyde, on Satiu-day afternoon last, the 23rd inst., at 2Jp.m. About twenty-five persons were present. W. L. Simpson, Esq., VicePresident, who was voted to the chair, stated, the object of the meeting was to receive Reports of the Retiring Committee ; also Treasurer’s and Surgeon’s, and to elect a new Committee. He would call upon the Secretary to read theJßeport. Mr G. Eache then read the] Report as follows : ,

To the Subscribers, — Your Committee, whose term of office now expires by effluxion of time, in resigning their trust into your hands, beg to congratulate you on the very satisfactory condition of the Institution, both financially and otherwise.

The Resident Surgeon having compiled a most elaborate ref ort, together with one by the Treasurer, which will be placed before you, the’task to an extent is taken from your Committee ; however, we cannot allow the opportunity to pass without briefly reviewing the past year’s work. During the year, and since your Committee’s term of office, the present surgeon, Dr A. T. Thomson has been elected ; and the present Wardsman and Matron have been engaged, Mr and Mrs James, the late occup mts of the latter offices having resigned. . The number of patients, who have been inmates of the Institution during the year, has been greater than for many years past, and though the class of disease under which the majority suffered was of a contagious and fatal type, the number of deaths have been small. It will also be found that the cost of maintenance has been reduced by at least one-third of that of former years. Special reference is directed to these two subjects, not in the spirit of flattering Dr Thomson, your Resident Surgeon, but so that the subscribers may know that he and the servants of the Institution have done their duty faithfully and well. A careful reviewing of the Treasurer’s and Surgeon’s reports will show from what por* tions of the district the greater amount of support (financially) has been received; also, the districts that sent in the patients. The figures are in no w T ay proportionate. Your Committee, however, hope their successors will be moie evenly supported during their term of office. The result of last year’s work, however, clearly demonstrates an unshaken confidence in the Institution, the which it must ever ho the effort to maintain. During the year L 1242 5s 9d has heenreoeivod, L23112s (id, Subsidy due, whilst Ll3solSsod have been expended ; leaving the verv handsome sum of L 123 m hand to commence the new year with. Your Committee have held thirteen regular and special meetings during their term of office, at which the attendance of members were averagely good. Before closing this report your Committee desire to lay before you an application by Dr Thomson for leave of absence, and would ask for an expression of your opinion on same. Geo. Fache, Secretary. treasurer's report.

Assets. Subsidy from Provincial Government for quarter ended Dec. 31st, 1874 .. ...£231 12 0 Liabilities. Overdraft (Bank of Xew South Wales) .. £IOB 12 3 TotalnumberofTn-doorpatients treated 108 Do. do. Out-doc r do. do. 1;6 Average daily number of Indoor do. resident ... ... ... 13| Average daily number of Outdoor patients treated ... ... 0 076 Average daily cost of patients treated 5/31 J. E. Stevens, Tieasurer. Wm. Bames, ) . ... R. Poole, j Autlltorß ' Clyde, Jan. Slat, 1875. surgeon’s report. At the end of last year there wore ten patients in the Hospital, and during the year 1874 no less than one hundred and fifty-eight patients were admitted, making a total of one hundred and sixty-eight patients during the year—you will note this by means of the statistical tables enclosed. During the year one hundred and thirty medical cases were treated with the following result—one hundred and nine patients were cured and discharged, twelve discharged as relieved, and ten patients died, and of this number of deaths, one survived ten hours only after admission, another three, and a third only four clays, and each one was unconscious from the time of admission until death ; in fact, they were in a dying state when admitted. Thirty-eight surgical cases were treated during the year, and with the following results —discharged cured, thirty-seven; died, one—the case of death was that of a man w'ho was severely kicked by an entire horse at Ida Valley—ho only survived 354 hours.

Theie aro now in the hospital twelve patients, of whom six aro surgical, and six are medical cases.

There were one hundred and forty-six out-door patients treated during the year, making a grand total of three hundred and fourteen patients treated during the year in this Institution.

At the beginning of the year or shortly after taking charge of the Hospital, we were kept busy on account of an epidemic of Enteric or Typhoid Fever which raged at Cromwell, and so rapidly did patients come in that, we had to borrow bedsteads and stretchers, and I have specially to speak of the kind response of Messrs Fames and Hastie, who very kindly supplied the necessary articles, otherwise great inconvenience would have been the result. It was found necessary to engage the services of extra hands as nurses, consequently Mrs Duffy, Mrs John Jones, and Mrs Joseph Young were engaged ; the two latter acting as day and night nurses, during the continuance of the fever.

A great deal of unnecessary labor resulted from the fact of there being only one water-closet to two wards, between the male and female wards, which were kept as fever wards—if this great draw-back could be remedied, as 1 have pointed out to your Visiting Committee, it would not only bo a great boon to the Hospital as far as convenience is concerned, but, it would also assist materially in preventing infeo-

tion, and it is safe to infer that, if large quantities of disinfectants had not been assiduously applied,’ the mortality would have been greater. Several suggestions were made to the Visiting Committee, which, I have no doubt were mentioned at your monthly meetings, which, if practicable, will bo greatly to the advantage of the Institution. During the year there was a change of servants, Mr and Mrs James resigning their situations, and in their stead Mr and Mrs Russell have been appointed, and I am happy to state that they are both attentive and kind to the patients, and are particularly careful of tho stores, &c, 1 in short, they have both up to the present time given me entire satisfaction. Should there be any information required I shall be glad to afford it, and if necessary, will draw up a short statement of tho several suggestions made during the year to your Visiting Committee, and in my monthly reports. In order to complete this report, 1 now draw up a summary, regarding the places from which patients were admitted during the year : Manuherikia or Alexandra District. Alexandra ... 215 Tinker’s Cully... 2 Butcher’s Gully . 2 Moutcrie Station. 2 Campbe'Ts Gully 2 Galloway Station 2 Conroy’s Gully ~ 2 Matakanui Station 1 Speavgraas Flat . . r > Ida Valley ... 3 Blacks ... 17 Serpentine ... 1 Drybread ... 5 70 Cromwell District. Cromwell ... 26 Cardrona ... 2 Bannockburn ... 13 Low Flat ... 1 Bendigo Gully .. 5 Kawarau Gorge . 6 Mt. Pi. a Station 3 Paddy’s Gully ... 1 Wannka Station 1 Ardgour Station. 1 Edwards’Ferry.. 1 Albert Town ... 1 Quartzvillo ... 2 Adams’ Gully ... 1 Garrick ...-7 71 Clyde District. Clyde ... 12 Wai Kcri Keri Eitniscleugh Sta- Valley . . 1 tion... ... 2 Monte Christo Hawkcsbum Sta- Farm ... 1 tion ... 1 17 Teytot District. Coal Creek ... 4 Moa Flat .. 1 Total 5. St. Bathan’s ... 1 Arrowtown ... 2 Dunedin ... 2 Number ok Patients from each District. Manuhcrikia ... 70 St. Bathans ... 1 Cromwell ... 71 Arrowtown ... 2 Clyde... ... 17 Dunedin ... 2 Teviot ... 5 Total ... 108 You will perceive by tho accompanying list that during the year we have had more patients from the Cromwell district than from any other. It may be as well to state that, during the year there were admitted one hundred and eleven males, and forty, seven females—ln hospital on the 31st Deo. 1873—eight males, and two females.

Such then is a short account of the work done during the year 1874, and although we had no less than eleven deaths, yet it has not been altogether a very fatal year, when it is considered what kind of cases were chiefly admitted, and it will he a matter for congratulation if we can speak in a si ci’ar manner at the end of the ensuing year. A. Tixlin'o Thomson, Resident Surgeon. The Reports as read were received and adopted, and a vote of thanks was recorded to the Committee of Management, Officers of the Institution, and to Dr Thomson for their Reports. The election of Officers and Committee of Management was next proceeded with, resulting as follows : —J. Hazlett, Esq., M.P.C., President ; W. L. Simpson, Esq., R.M., Vice-President ; Messrs Stevens, G. Fache, Naylor, Holt, Beck, Cambridge, Clark, Auckland, Hastio—all of Clyde ; J. A.Presbaw, Cromwell; J. Samson, J.P., Alexandra ; J. Coleman, Butcher's Gully ; W. Greenbank, Drybread; M. s aramon, Tinker’s Gully ; Sinclair and Wotberspoon, Blacks; W. H. Munford, Serpentine; D. Scdly, Nevis ; C. Neipor, West Bank of Molyneux, Members of Committee. W. Ernies and R. Poole, Auditors. Dr Corse, Honorary Surgeon. The Chairman explaining that the business was terminated, the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chair.

A meeting of tho newly dented Committee was now held, W. L. Simpson, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair.

Mr J. G. Stevens was appointed Treasurer.

Mr G. Faoho was appointed Secretary and Collector. Salary, LSO per annum. The Secretary read a letter from Dr Thomson, applying for leave of absence. Dr Thomson, who was brought into the room, stated that his desire was to visit England; and that he was in communication with a Dr Allan, of the ship Auckland, now in Port, who was willing to take charge of the Institution during his absence.

After discussion it was resolved—That leave of absence be granted to Dr Thomson for eight months, a condition being that he appoint a substitute to the satisfaction of the Committee, and that Dr Thomson remain sufficiently long in the district with Dr Allan to post him up in his duties The meeting then closed.

Holloway’s Pills. —The Hourof Dancer. —Disease commonly comes on with slight symptons, which neglected, increase in extent and gradually grow dangerous— a condition which betrays the grossest remissnees, when it is known that theso Pit's taken in •accordance with their accompanying directions, would not only have checked but conquered the incipient disorder. Patients daily forward details of tho most remarkable and instructive cases in which by timely attention to Holloway’s advice they were undoubtedly saved from severe illness. Those Pills act primarily on the digestive organs, which they stimulate when sluggish and inactive ; and secondly, upon the blond, which they thoroughly purify, and hence is derived the general tone they impart, and their power of subjugating hypochondriacism, dyspepsia, and nervous complaints.

Dr. £ P. d. £ s. d. To Subscriptions, &c., per Cromwell Local Committee— Cromwell ... 17 4 0 Bendigo ... 14 2 0 Albert Town 6 I 0 Bannockburn 1 1 6 Garrick (per Messrs G. Taylor and J as. Hazlett... 5 13 0 E unholders and Stntioa hands 28 15 C 72 19 0 Clyde 121) li 10 Do. Concert by Clyde Choral Soc. 10 13 0 Do. Concert 23 2 0 Do. Offertorv, Ch. of England 4 9 G 1C3 11 4 Per Collector— Wai Kcri Keri Valley 9 0 0 Tiger Hill ■ 3 0 0 Chatto Creek 2 0 0 Dunedin Edad 3 0 0 Spear, rasa 2 1 0 Ida Valley 4 4 0 Sandy Pointy 2 0 0 — 25 5 0

Alexandra 07 19 0 Do. Chinese 23 10 0 Do. Lecture by Mr Clapoott... 2 12 0 Do. Lecture by Dr Carr 2 0 0 Do. Concert 21 7 0 117 8 0 Nevis, per Mr .1. 0. Baylea 8 5 0 Do. Mr Scully ... 9 12 0 Do. IvIrA. Spn>e 2 11 0 Do. MrKeeYong 12 12 0 33 0 0 Tinkers, per Mr Sammon 25 .7 0 Drybread Water race Co 2 o 0 Blacks 4 0 0 31 9 0 Dunedin ... 4 3 0 — 4 3 0 Runbolders and Station bauds 72 13 0 72 13 0 Hospital Races— Aleman Ira (won by Mr P. Carroll’s Judy Callaghan 5 15 0 Do. Mr Crossan’s Maid of Athens 8 4 0 Do. Mr Cox’s Backbiter C 15 6 Clyde (won by Mr Robt. Kidd’s Port Phillip Buck) 12 15 6 Do. amount col-lected-not run for . . 8 4 0 Blacks, do. do. . 4 0 0 Nevis, (won by Mr C. P Beck) 11 4 0 Drybread (wonby Mr Sammon) 0 15 0 03 13 6 Paying Patients 139 2 7 ProvineiabGovernmcnt Subsidy 518 19 10 £1242 5 9 Overdraft 108 12 3 £1350 18 0 Or. By Salaries— £ 8. d. £ 8. d. Staff ... ... 396 5 0 Special Servants ... 39 5 0 Collector ... 50 0 0 4S5 10 0 Rations 424 9 4 Repairs and Furniture 89 6 4 Lignite 47 10 9 Kerosene 20 17 3 Drugs 78 15 1 Surgical Instalments 8 2 6 Wines and Spirits 73 6 0 Bedding and Clothing 25 13 9 Printing, Advertising, and StaStationery ... 33 16 4 Coffins 14 14 0 Interments ... 9 12 6 Incidental Expenses — Livery 10 0 Auditors ... 4 4 0 Insurance Premium 10 IS 9 Agreement with Surgeon 1 12 6 Whips for Hospital Races ... o 5 0 19 16 3 £1337 16 1 Balance from last year’s Statement 13 1 11 £1350 IS 0