INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1938, 21 November 1906, Page 3

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

AN ISOLATION HO3PITAL BADLY NEEDED.

Tho urgent need of an isolst'on hospital for infeetioa3 diseases was again shown et tho meeting of ,tbe Hospital and Charitable Aid Board last night, when the following loner from Dr, Ooilius to ths Mayor was read : — 11 Sir, —I have tbe huoor to inform you I havo at present under my oiro a boy of tho name of F, Oarroll, who has recently been in Auckland, and thero evidonily contracted scarlet fovor, As present be is peeling, and in a most infectious oocduion, and a menace to the people of she distrioi I understand thc-re is no provision in tha town for such cases. Toe boy at present is in a serious condition, and I shall bo glad to bo informed what precautions the Council intend to take in this matter, and how wo a o expected to deal with future condiiions to conserve publio health. I may say there is no provision at 'he publio hospital for such oases, and their presence there is a rnennoa bosh to tho curses and tbe patients, hence 1 have not ordered him there. —I have, etc , James C. Collins.” The Chairman (to tho 8 cretary) : Should not this letter come before the Borough Counoil ? The S leretary : No ; this is the proper body to deal wish it. A telegram sent to the Health Inspector by the Secretary was then read. Ii notified him of ibo case of scarlet fever, and asked for iostraciions, hu: no reply had oorno to hand. Mr Miiier : What is being done in ro« gard to ths isolation ward ? Tho Secretary : Wo ara takiqg tho land. There is b claim 10-night for a thousand pounds. When we pay for that we can go on bnildiog. Mr Miller ; A thousand pounds 1 Mr Lysnar : That iB their claim. Mr Miller : What is the area ?

The Secretary : A lit Sis over an aere. I Mr Miller: If ws have taken tho land ] we oan go on building ? i The Secretary : Yes, wo oan build it 1 ourselves—it ha 3 nothing to do with the Hospital Trustees. i Mr Miller : Whether we have paid for , it or not it is ours ? The Sioretary : Yes, tbe Oounoil has taken is on the u iderstauding that the Chaiiiable Aid Board is to take it off their hands ; but ihat makes no difference—it i 3 practioally the Board. The Mayor: It 13 tho old subjrct we havo had before ua bo often. His Worship wens ou to say that ho had seen She boy, who was very bad from a serious attack of soar'oS fever. The boy had arrived from Auckland, wbeto ho had evidently contracted it. His rcsiddcoo wss in Cook s’.ret t. Tho decior had ru-g him (she Mayoi) up at onco. “ For cases suoh as Ihesa there should certainly be an isolation ward,” said the Mayor. "I told iho dcc'or the ouly ibing would be for the boy to go to his homo. Wo havo no provision of aoy kiod for Buch oases, There is only tho one hoepisal, and that is for sooidonts and so on. Dr Morrison, the Hospital Burgeon, was there too, He stated that under no circumstances could the bny be admitted to the Hospital, I said, ’There is only the one thieg to be done—he will have to go back to his home and be atSen. ded there.’ We took him in a cab, and got the inspector to fumigate the surgery and cab.” Mr Webb : Soarlrt fever! That is

nothing. The Chairman : I: is very infcc'.ious — that is the difficulty. There is only a sister in the homo besides She mot-bar, and I think Shoy ought to be able to nurse him alright It is one of those cases where wo want provision for isolation. Mr Lysnar : It only again emphasises tho urgency of grtiing on with the erection of that ward. H we have that land now wo c-ugbt to take steps to have a small p'aoi erected on the ground. Ii might be used for a nurses' home or eomething. Too Ohaiiman : They have their nurses’ heme now.

Mr Miller; Ws have a plan for the building ?

Ml- Lysnar: We have Mr Little’s plan. It would take from £3OO to £4OO That would bo all that is required. The Chairman : About £4OO, Mr Miller: I move that a special meeting of the Council be held at 7 o’clock on this evening fortnight to go into tho question of an insolation ward, the secretary to have all particulars ready to place before us,

Mr Webb : I second that. On tho suggestion of Mr Lysnar, it was decided to add that the Inspector prepare plans to submit to tho Board, and in that form tho motion was adopted. It was ulso resolved to send a special notice to members of the County Council, informing them of the meeting.