ISOLATION WARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1951, 6 December 1906, Page 3

ISOLATION WARD.

CONFERENCE WITH HEALTH

OFFICER,

A epeoial mooting of tho Oook County Hospital anil Charitable Aid Board was bold yosiorday afternoon, tbo Hoalth Ollioor, Dr DoLislo, being in attendnnoo. T.ho Mayor (obairmau) and tbo following Councillors wore prosonfc : Howard Kenway, AV. Wobb, J. Wbinray, J. W. Bright, W. D. Lysnnr, W. Miller, J. A. Harding, W. D. y. Macdonald, and Captain Tucker. Tbo Chairman said tbo cf tbo mooting was to moot Dr DsLidln and aoo what could bo douo in regard to isolation of infections oases. Ho mentioned recent cases of scarlet iovor, and stated tbit* in the case of tbo boy ho could only do what be had dono, send tho boy to bis own borne. Thai was net satisfactory. These wore only solitary cases, but they could nevor toll when they might have some thing move serious, bdc! they should be prepared for it. They now had too District Health Offioer with them, and should first boar what bo had to say, Mr Miller: Jn-t a momout. Would is not be better to Ist the Dooior first hear wbat we have boon doing in tbo matter, aud tbo stage that wo have arrived at? Tbo Chairman said that Dr DiLisln was well versed on those paints. Ho knew what they had been doing, and all that bad boon done. Dr DoLislo then addressed the mooting Hb called attention to tho Acts of Parliv men,, and otated that it was tho duty of the Hospital authorities to make the neoossary provision, failing which the Department could take steps in iha matter. Ho referred to tbo recent oases of scarlatina, and also to tho case cf tho girl who bad fallen ill iu the Waiinata, and would not bo received into *ho hospital, Only that she was a very alroug girl her lifo would have been sso rifiood. He further mentioned a oaso or diphtheria that had hern takon to a doc-* tor’s sutgery, where cf all places they should rot have infectious oa ; os unless when it oould not possibly bo avoided and disinfecting could take place before other people entered. It was a grave danger to the public to have infectious oases other than in an isolated plaoo. In private houses people oame and want, and it was very difficult to maintain isolation in ordinary residences, with people oomiog and going- The subject was no new one in Gisborne. Two years ago, with Dr. Mason, be had gone into the matter. Tho Hospital authorities could perhaps bo congratulated on their extreino caution and lack of impetuosity. There was no reason and in this Dr Mason agreed with him —tho ward should not bo on tho Hospital grounds, separately from the other building. The place at which they now proposed to put it was too eloso to the road. He indicated a place back on tho Hospital grounds that he considered more suitable. Mr Wbinray : Would there bo any objection to the same doctor as attonds tho Hospital attending ? Dr DcLisle : No. Mr Whinray : This is a bug-bear that has been troubling tho Hospital Trustees. Dr DeLisle: It can be properly arranged. As it was, he said, the doctors in ordinary practice attended to the patients, taking the safeguards against carrying infection. ■ There was no reason why a doctor should not change his clothing on entering or leaving. He did not require to change much. He could throw off his coat and put a mackintosh on, and with proper disinfection there would be no difficulty in that matter. Mr Whinray : They have made a big objection on that score- Our object in wanting the Hospital site chosen is the ground of expense. Dr DeLisle: It would lesson expense, and make things much better to corry on. There would be the samo matron to control tho institution, and the same discipline. An institution two or three miles away would require another matron and staff. If you are prepored to pay for it by all means go to the Waikanae site. Mr Whinray : "We want the most efficient and economical place. Dr DeLisle: You can have equal efficiency and more economy by placing it on the Hospital grounds. Mr Whinray : I think that is the best place for it. Dr DeLisle : That is the general sugges tion

Mi: Lysnar ; Have you seen the plans ? ■ Dr DeLisle : Yes. Mr Lysnar: Have you any suggestions to make ? The Health Officer indicated a few ’details, each as a lavatory, where the doctor could change hia olothea and disinfcoi himself. The Mayor : You want to get the Hospital staff to work Shis hospital, with She same doctor and in tbo oame manner as in the ordinary Hospital Dr. DeLisle : Yea. The nurse attending there must remain for the time, and not go back to the main Hospital. Mr HardiDg : Who ia to fiil hor plaoe while she is away ? Dr. DeLisle : You will have to get emergency nurses. Hospitals frequently have to got nurses to fill emergencies. The oookmg would all be dono at the main hospital, and could bo conveyed without risk of infeolion. The Chairman : There oould bo eon« aeotion by telephone ? Dr. DeLisle : Yea. Ho wbd! on to ex plain an admirable arrangement made by Dr. Leahy by which a bell was rung and kept ringing until necessary attention was giveD. Mr Matthews asked whether tbo plates, knives and forks, the latter having aotnal contact with the month, would not possibly convey infection, oven though the nurse herself were disinfeoied ? Dr. DeLisle : They would bo put into boiling water. The Chairman said they oould have an extra supply of these and keop them in the ward. Mr Lysnar : That ia only a matter of detail. Mr Bright pointed out that there was a later Act than quoted by Dr. DeLialr, the Aot of 1904 casting the duty of providing an isolation hospital on the joint bodies, She Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Mr Webb asked whether it would not be rnneb better to have tbs building plastered inside instead of match lined, the plaster beffig so much easier to clean. Dr. DeLisle said paper was bad, matchwood was better, and plaster was better Btill. Mr Lysnar said after heatiDg what the doctor had said aDyone who was soeptioal about it would bo satisfied. At Dunedin he found that a portion of tbo hospital building was being used as an isolated ward. They had taken part of the ohildran’s ward, a wing of it, the nurses being kept isolated. If it coold bo used there in the one building, surely they oould do it hero with a separate building. The •point raised by Mr Harding as So Die nurses would have to bo considered. At Dunedin they had 44 nurses for 120 beds ; hers they had tekeu, bo believed, up to 60, and only bad five nurses. They ohonld he in n . rß ". a4 sn y hero - They would got pronattffners-ftM—very-small recompense, so many being enxions to get the training. It was no wonder to him seeing tho small staff at the local Hospital, that complaints aros.o through tho press and otherwise. As to sito they had first chosen the site favored by tho doctor, but thinking that complications with the Trustees might ensue they had nicked on a sito just outsido tho Hospital ground. He moved, “That the Board lavors the recommendation of tho District Health Officer to erect an infectious discaso hospital in tho Hospital grounds, upon tho B ito recommended by Dr. DeLisle, anil according to tho plans submitted.’ Mr Kenway asked for information as to the cost, Tho Mayor Bald they could not tell that until they learned tho voluo placed on tho land, Mr Bright, in eoconding tho moiion, said be hod looked up the records of infectious oases (excluding enteric) ana found that in 1902 there wero 17; 190 d, 7- 1904,11; 19C6, 16. These oases had been attended by the doctors in private practice, aDd they should be bettor aole to puard against risks in a separate buildmg on tho hospital ground?. Ho admitted that there was a groat deal to be said on the other aide, but the argument wo* greatly in favor of the ons lite, and they had also the Uslimony of the Health Officer, ■ Kenway i Have tbe Hoepiiial Ttneo

I tecs objcotod to 4bia ? Tho Ohnirinnn: As ft sopnrato body I they have objsotod ah along. Although I wo bull! on infectious hospital in tho hosI pital grounds over twenty years ago it has boon absorbod in iho hospital. Mr Hordiug said Shat was a fever ward, not infootious hospital. Continuing, Mr Harding said ho would vote ugainst tho motion, and was much susprisod at IDr DeLislo recommending tho silo. it was on tiin lino of road, with all tho noise of Sho trsllij that would bo on the now bridge. Is was also too noar the main ho.'pit »J. Tho site chosen on the beach by Dr DrLislo wai objioted to beoanao of its proximity to this abattoirs read. linvoJy if ih .{ weto a reasonable obj Jetton tlioro wi re much groatoe obj .oitons against tho other

as fir*. Mr Wkiaray said in view of tb-.< Doctor a statement thus i; was Sho eastern el-jo-where ihov need not hesitate in tiio motier. The Hospital Trustees li.ul got a fad inio their Lauda and uoibiug would gut it out. Mr Matthews said ho could not support the motion. Only u short Sima ago the Trustees had otf.ssd them a house on very reasonable' imin, bus Sbo Charitable Aid Board ot j'Olsd owing to the psepio living around. Vos whi-rc ihoy proposed so put it uow, with all defrreuce to Dr DeLialo, was close to whevo population was in-, creasing rapidly. Thuro would bo a largo truilio ovo: tha midge nod ohildrcn would be playing about the grounds. It was all very woli so tails of what yns done elsewhore, bus hero they had not a uriek hospital; they had a wooden building, and such buildings wore full of crocks, Tboy should keep on the tmfo side, and not peril) is 1 tbo ceuioiest ohnnoo of a eurg.oal operation proving fatal through their iicbon in tins matior. Their first canaidorntion should be lifo, and nudor these conditions ho would vote against the motion, Cap’.ain Tucker said he'supposed they bad made up their minds an infectious hospital must be built, but the question in doubt was whore '? He could not say hia mind was made up. A groat many arguments were in favor of the Hospital grounds, but tha weightiest ones wore against it. Although they had given the matter much discussion, ho thought they might take time to further consider it. He would like more information about other plsoesi. Dr. DeLislc said what ho proposed was tho custom all over tho colony, to kavo ' infectious hospitals in Hospital grounds. | He had moved tho site chosen to ono | further back from the road. MrLysnar: Six chains away. Captain Tucker - asked if they built in proximity to the hospital would they bo in line with other places ; or were tho wards iu other places of such a nature as to bo far in advance of auythiug that could be built here. Dr. DeLislc said tho plan showed a bettor ward than they had at Napier. Captain Tucker : If we havo the definite testimony of tho Health Oflieer that in other parts of New Zealand infectious wards are built as it is proposed to build it here, that it ought to bo as safe as in other places, tho duty is cast on us to vote aye. Hitherto I had not felt safo in the mailer. In the prts.ni case uiy mind is very maoh relieved by what Dr DeL'alo has told us. He is tha reccgtrised authoriiy in this dislriob. Ij is so grave a matter that unless ho fell confident that he was right he would noi have oome and backed it up here. I feel there is a great deal of force in what Mr Matihews has said, but wbaiever one personal feelings may be it is our duly to take the direction of sho Health Oifioer of the district. Therefore one's cjnsciscc3 is not strained iu voting

for tbo ruouon Dr DaL‘ala said bo understood th-it tho a, c.tou aijoiuing bad bosn acquirod—Shas iii.ru was no cnaoco of private persons ssepping in. Too UoHiunan : Not that I know of. D: D L.sie said bis advice was io keep She section as incorporated. Mr Matthews said thsro was nothing to pr&vent building on thß other eiio. He also referred io iho prevailing winds. Dr DeLiala said ibat ii anything went in She wind it would ba thoroughly osidistd. Mr Kinway asked if any difficulty in getting hospital nurses So go into the isolation ward was apgrehendtd, Dr D.Lisle said no ; there bad been no trouble that way yet; nurses rather liked tho change, and io any case discipline was discipline. Mr Kenway said k 9 agreed with the Couuly Chairman, and could ace nothing oho for it than to be guided by the weighed advice of Dr. DoLisle. Ii this was going on ali over the colony ho did not see why they should take any other course. Dr. D-Lisla was the District Health Officer, and unions they could offer some objections they must bo guided by their officer. In reply to the Cuairmau as So whether they had power to build in the Hospital enclosure in ca3o of ebjooiioD, Dr. DoLisle oaid that was for the Chief Health Offiesr to answer. Ho assumed they were bound to provide a hospital, but if they did not ha could do it at thair expanse. Mr Matthews : But not put it Shore ? Dr, DeLisle : I have already chosen two sites for you, There o&n bo no objections to the Hospital sits, but if you care to pay tho piper by having a separate institution a mile or two away, and the aito is suitable, I certainly would not object to it. If you like to build near the loading lights it will coat you moro money. .Mr Lysnar: You don’t recommend it ? Dr, DeLisle : No ; i) ia only wasting money, but it io your money, not mine. In reply io Mr Lysnar, Mr Little oaid be thought a brick building would coat 15 to 20 per cent, more, . Mr Maithswa : We roliove ouraelvoa of oil responsibility, and throw it on tbo Health Offiosr, The Chairman : Ha takes it all, Mr Hurding : What responsibility ia there on him ? Ha says, “ There'a a place—you can put it there.” If anything goes wrong he will say you have not attended to it. On the motion being put all voted for it except Messrs Maithswa and Harding, who dissented. Mr Lysnar moved that alternative tenders be called for brick and wood. Mr Harding : Then we are to understand the Hospital Trusteea have nothtDg to do with it ? Tho Mayor : VVo shall apply to the Chief Health Officor to build this hospital in the Hospital grounds, and it will bo done aoeordiDg to the general constructions in the colony. It io no use the Hospital Trustees ssyieg this or that must not bo done. Mr Kenway : Will there be any likelihood of friolion in tbo management ? Tho Chairman said that tho cole object was to have Economical administration, oiherwiso tho nec-d to have it there was douo away with. Mr Whinray said it was tho Hospital and Chariiablo Aid Bjotd'g duiy. 2b3 Trustees will be removed and au elective body The Chairman : Wo aro cot on that now.

Mr Whimsy : Tbsy bavo put their backs up. Is ia simply a fad of theira. —The Mayor said is would pay tho Board io gl\?o sc mo oi tho trn-. teas a trip round the colony. If tha building was put up it would bo properly udmiuisiered, or tbu Eeaish Boatd would put them in their proper poaitiooi Mr Keuway i I bops tboro will bo no faction with the Hospital Trustees. Captain Tucker: No, no. Too Mayor : .Oh, no. Mr Kouway : I hop 3 Shat will bs oloarty understood. They havo dona exceedingly grod work, though they get rnacy kicks. They havo managed ths Horoital in a way that is a credit to ths whoio district. (Hear, hear.) I think ovory cradi! is duo to iho Hospital Trti3tfO! for tha way they lruva managed ” Dr, D. Lisle ; Tbo coudision oi the Hospital fa their best testimonial. Is is a pleasure to go round tbo Hospital. Mr Matthews arid ordinary courtesy required them to ccmmunioato with tbo HcEpi'al Trustees, under whoso jurisdic? tion tbo land waa on wbioh tho buildiog wa3 to bo placed. Ho moved accordingly. Mr Miller seconded tho rnoiioD, ordinary courtesy requiring it, They seemed rather trying to bounce tho Trustees. Too Chaiimun: Certainly not. Mr Miller said ho waa in favor of this buildiDg going cn tho hospital grounds, but be did not biamo tho Trustees, who had a lot of good argument on their side, « Wo are determined it ahall go there," he ga id, " and tho only right and proper woy

on our part is to writo tho Trustoos and toll ihem bo. If they boo wo aro dototmined, 1 think wo will havo an umioablo arrangement about tho site.” Mr Lysuar said tboy woro required by tho AoS to oonfor. It was rosolvod, boforo calling tondors, So invito the Hospital Trustoos to a con* foronoo on Thursday noxt, at 7 80 p.m.