HOSPITAL HOUSE SURGEON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2162, 19 August 1907, Page 1

HOSPITAL HOUSE SURGEON.

TO BIS GOT FROM ENGLAND. At the meeting of tho Hospital Trustees on Friday last soino interesting discussion took place on the staffing of tho Gisborne Hospital. Mr. Dewing considered tho hospital under-staffed.. The Chairman thought that in addition to Dr. Morrison, there should be a medical staff of at least three; four would run the institution comfortably. Mr. Matthews was disappointed that a house-surgeon had not yet- been secured by by Dr. Valintino. i After the examinations, held in the summer months was tho best time to secure a man, but ho saw it would be difficult to carry on in the moahtimo. Ho suggostod that tho beßt plan, as Dr. Valintino had so far failed t<. get a house-surgeon .in Australia, would bo to cable to England for a man. There would be plenty of doctors in England who would bo glad to come, and a man who had graduated in London would have twice tho hospital training of colonial liion.

The Chairman anticipated that things would work satisfactorily once a. house-surgeon was appointed. Mr! Delving: At the rate wo arc going on wo. won’t have any staff left by'then. Mi\ MacDonald suggested that Dr. .Valiiitino be, asked to advertise in tlie leading papers of New Zealand arid Australia. It was.no use waiting for thorn to come to him. There must be plenty of young doctors arriving iri the colonies. Tho Chairman: I don’t like that kind of advertising. AVe got a lot of papers, and they aro misleading. AA 7 e. were within an ace of making a mistake some time ago. . He thought it better to secure a man through responsible channels. Air. Tuohy: The doctors are not working together now. AVould the appearance of a house-surgeon lead to more unanimity and keenness in the work P

The Chairman: They don’t pretend to give us much assistance until wo got a house-surgeon, then they will commence to visit regularly. AVe can’t try the proposed system until we get a man. The trouble is to got n house-surgeon. Mr. Tuohy: It is to bo hoped the trouble will end then. The Chairman: It may not. Mr. Dowing: The trouble won’t begin if we have no members loft on the honorary staff. If they continue to drop out at the samo rate we won’t have one left, Air. Alatthews said he had opposed the system, but he would like to see it given a fair trial. A house-sur-geon from London might bo the solution.

The Chairman: Of course we have the alternative of engaging one or two of the local doctors. I don’t think they would accept any temporary appointment, but I think ' they would a yearly appointment. Itwould not cost us any more, in fact hardly as much, as we intend to ex-pend-on an outside man. AA r e have that as a standby. I don’t think for humanity’s sake the medical men would see us to a standstill. Air. AlacDonald: AVo are in an unsatisfactory position now, and have been for a long time. If all these difficulties arise it does not seem muck 'use persevering. Mr. Alatthews (laughingly): It is very refreshing to hear these remarks, even so late in the day. Air. AlacDonald: It is no laughing matter. ..

Air. Tuohy: The trouble is we have had too many advisers. Mr. Dewing: I don’t like the thing to fail now. The Chairman: AA r e have done our best in a difficult position ; the public can’t blame us.

Mr. MacDonald thought they ; had .made' a mistake by putting the apofntment in Dr. Valintine’s hands. They should have advertised long ago. * Mr. Dewing: We had no reason to .ta'ke it on our hands. We had every reason to suppose Dr. Valintine would speedly get a suitable man. Mr. Sherratt suggested sending a cable to Dr. Tweedie, Chairman of the College of Surgeons and a leading man in the profession. No doubt he could fill the vacancy without delay, and would be willing to help them.* Mr. Matthews said that, instead of having two local men appointed, he .would prefer a resident house-sur-geon, who would be always on (hand : and could attend to the.indigent poor. Complain ts'had come beforo the Charitable Aid Board. There was not much ground for complaint, as the doctor would always come when called, but there appeared to bo some difficulty in summoning the doctor for those patients. A resident man would bo more satisfactory. After further discussion it was unanimously resolved to cable to .England. through Dr. Valintine, with a request for a reply as early as possible.