DUNSTAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL

Dunstan Times, Issue 984, 25 February 1881, Page 3

DUNSTAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL

Thb adjourned monthly meeting of the committee df management was held in the committee room, Clyde Libiary, on Tuesday the 22nd inSt., at 8 p.m. Present: V Pyke, Lsq , President j W. Fraser, E-q , Vice President; and Messrs Clark; Holt; Cambridge; Sims; and Geo. Facile. The mimitei df previous meeting Were read arid confirmed. tnward correepouderiee from Dr Leahy—--Ist, asking for leave of absence till Srindav; the 27th inst; 2 id, asking for defiriite instruotious as to payment to be demanded from patients for maintenance and attendance. Dr Leahy was called into the room, and explaine 1 that there were five patients in the Hospital, and that he had arranged for either Dr Sraopoole or Dr Sleemm to attend the Hospital, if required, during his absence. Resolved—That the request of Dr Leahy for leave of absence be granted. The Secretary stated he had already in* forme 1 Dr Leahy that the payment to be niade by patents who are subsciibers of 20s or u pwarda is 30s per week ; by nonsubscribers, 40s per W. ek. "file Visiting Committee Nd 2 report, recommending payment of accounts for salaries and supplies for the month of January, amounting to Mi 13s 51, was read and received, The Resident Sit ration'd repo'rt, aHewiftg that five patients had been admitted daring the mouth of January, and recommending that the patient Wibiurt Hatton, suffering from paraiysis (following an apoplectic fit), be fdrwarde i to the B nevoleut Institution; Dunedin; as being a more fit place than a general hospital, was read and received. Resolved—That full particulars of the case be placed in the hands of the President, Who, by virtue of hii office as Coulity Chairman, is a Life Governor of the fienevoent Institution.

The election of officers for the ensriing year was proceeded with, and resulted as follows : - Honorary Medical Officers, Urs Stacpoole, and Sieemau ; Treasurer, Mr Geo. Clark! Secretary and C -Hector; Mr Geo. Fache; Auditors, Messrs Heaney and Jeffery. Messrs Cambridge, Steveus, aad Holt were appointed members of Visiting Committee, one to retire each month by rotation.

Mr W. Fraser, the Vice-Rresiderit, On behalf of Mr Rees, of Galloway (Ration, who was unable to attend the meeting, said he wished to draw the attention of the committee to a matter that had militated most considerably against his success in the collection of subscriptions. l He then referred to the case of the patient John White, who was refused admissiou to the Hospital when suffering from an accident without payment ih advance for his maintenance. lu consequence of this refusal it was very generally shpposed that in no cast, however urgent, would patients be admitted Without either forms of recommendation: or payment in advance. For his (the Speaker’s) own part, he was perfectly aware that such was not the case ; but he thought, so fls to disabuse the minds of the people on the question,- it would be Well to aldvehiso clause No 59 of the rules and regulations of the Institution whbreiiy it was laid dbWu definitely and upmistakeably “ thatoases Of accident or of special Urgency shall be admitted without recommendation.” Wore that done ho was of opinion that it would have the effect of restoring confidence m the Institution. The President said he remembered tha circumstance, and he had thought that the explanations given at the time bad been

considered satisfactory ; ha was strry to hoar, however, that such was not tho case, the whole ulistake Was brought about through the over z sal of thi Resident Surgeon in carrying out special an! absolute instructions jmt previously given tine no patients were to hi* admitted without cither a form of recommendation or payment in advance. It Wits ntuch to ha rOgfetlS I that any misunderstanding should have arisen, and urge 1 that every possible step should hn taken to chair it up. Resolved—That clause sf) of ilia rilled and regulations he a Ivertisa I, and th it a letter in full explanation be written to Mr Rees. The meeting*hen adjourned.