HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1548, 2 September 1905, Page 2

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Tbo monthly meeting of tho Gisborne Hospital Trustees was held yesterday [ afternoon, when therd wero presentl Messrs Nolan (chairman), Tuohy, Joyce, Gray, Dewing and Johnston. Dr Do Lislo wrote, drawing attention to tho necessity of the Committee providing shelters for patients sugaring from pulmonary tuberculosis, preferably iu the Hospital grounds. The necessity for these shelters were recognised over, the en- j lightened portion of tho world, and they were being provided in every town of any size or importanoe, and in the present day no hospital was considered eomplete without them. They were not only in the interests of the patients, bat also to afford a means of protection to the healthy and to minimise the risk of their acquiring the disease. The advisability of erecting these shelters on the hospital grounds was chiefly economic. Tho plan involved no extra charge for medical attendance or nnrsing, and in an hospital witb’such a large area the providing of a suitable site will present no difficulty. The cost of erecting a shelter for four people, whioh would meet present wants, would not be expensive and should not oOBt more than about £4OO. There was also urgent need for some provision for the isolation of oases of acute infectious disease,such as scarlatina, measles, and diphtheria. This oould be inexpensively provided by adopting the method suggested by Dr Williams, to have a cottage on the outskirts of the town, with a curtilago of about half an aore, retained for tho reception of suoh oases. Suoh a cottage could be secured at a rental of 10s per week. A respeotable woman oould bo allowed to live in it rent froe on condition that she kept it in suoh a condition that it would be suitable for the admission of an infeoted case at a moment's notice. Should the epidemio assume suoh proportions that the number of patients overflow the capaoity of the buildiDg, tents oould be pitched on the ourtilago, and qseistance in nursing be provided. The annual cost of the plan would be £25 per annum, and when it was considered that the maintenanoo of suoh a borne would tend 'to prevent a widespread epidemio, the outlay was more than justified. It was inadvisable to have the isolation hospital in the.grounds of the general hospital, as it would be next to impossible to prevent the nurse detailed to look after the patients from mixing to a certain extent with the other nurseß in the insti tution, and the infection of soarlatina carried to a surgical case would be liable to result in the gravest consequences. The Chairman said the Charitable Aid Board had the matter of providing a home for oonsumptives under consideration. The other matter came within . their, province also.' - • ;

Mr Gray thought it would Coßt more than £25 a year to maintain a cottage for the reception of infectious diseases. Iu speaking of shelters for consumptives, he questioned if many would avail themselves of the opportunity. The Chairman said the idea of having the shelters was to ease down the main centres. It was recognised that the introduction of consumptives did a district harm.

Mr Taohy stated that as the Charitable Aid Board had to .find the money they should have the management of the ward.

The Chairman . said Jif the , Trustees erected a home for consumptives it would praotioally mean a home, for incurables — another name! for an old men’s home. Mr Johnston said that.in.the Cambridge Sanatorium patients were only kept while there was a ohance of their recovery. Speaking of the erection of an isolation ward for infeotious diseases, tho Chairman stated that be had impressed tho matter ou the Charitable Aid Board some four or five years ago, The Government medical offioer had approved of it being then built on the hospital grounds, but it was found that the cost would be too great, and the idea was abandoned.

Mr Tuoby said that more was needed than merely a suggestion. He thought that some actual steps should be taken in the matter.

It was decided to acknowledge the letter, and see what the Charitable Aid Board intended to do in the matter.

The Building Committee’s report on suggested alterations and additions to. the Hospital was adopted, and it was deoided to consult Mr Natusoh, arohiteet, in regard to the work. Messrs Gray and Harding were appointed a Visiting Committee for the month.