THAMES HOSPITAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4528, 16 February 1923, Page 4

THAMES HOSPITAL.

MONTHLY BOARD MEETING. The Thames Hospital Board met on Wednetday. Present: Messi’s W. E. Hale (chairman), H. Johnstone, W. Baker, D. Mackay, W. C. Kennedy, P E. Brenan, A. R. Robinson, G. Death, W. J. Hall, and J- Rowe. RECIPROCITY. The Grey Hospital Board i’oi’wai'ded a resolution affirming the principle of reciprocity between boards in connection with the treatment of, patients, and offered to enter into an agreement on that footing. Tlie proposal was declined. TUBERCULOSIS. Tlie South Canterbury Hospital Board forwarded a resolution regarding the treatment of tuberculosis, calling attention to the necessity for provision being made for the compulsory detention of tubercular cases in tlie curable -stage of the disease, and asking that adequate provision should be made for the care of incurable cases. The Chairman : lit is worthy of support. The Waipawa Hospital Board asked for support to .a resolution urging the Government, to admit phthisis pulmonary cases into sanatoria without, a further charge being made on Hospital Boards. Bota resolutions were supported. WAIHI ACCOUNT. The Waihi Hospital .Board asked for settlement of their account for £433 15s 4(1. Mr Kennedy moved that .the account should be passed for payment. In answer to Mr Brenan, the secretary said that owing to delay in the Waihi Board sending the account (about 12 month's 1 ) he was unable ’.o collect the accounts from patients. Mr Brenan said if that was the case lie would oppose the payment of the account. The secretary said some of the patients on the list had not paid because they could not pay. Mr Death said that, if a committee waited upon the Waihi Board that body would, .no doubt, make some reduction. ■ Hr Hall said tlie matter had been before the Board for two or three years, and he wanted to see tlie account cleared. ' Mr Johnstone said the Waihi Board had been very long-wi,tided, but he desired to s'ce the matter settled. Mr Brenan said he was anxious to see the account settled, but he did not think it would be fair to pay the full amount, seeing that the Board had lost by Wai'hi’s delay. He moved as an amendment that the account should be left in the hands of the chairman pud secretary, with power to act. Mr Kennedy said the Board was quibbling over the matter. The account had been outstanding for three years. This Board had received 3s a head, which it would not have collected itself if it had treated the patients in Thames. Mr Brenan’s amendment was carried. The Waihi Hospital Board, in a further letter, accepted this Board’s offer of £125 per annum for the treatment of patients in a given area. The offer was accepted. JUNIOR HOUSE SURGEON. The Otago University recommended Dr. H. G. Rix, at present a locum at the Picton Hospital, as junior house surgeon for the Thames Hospital. Mr, Johnstone proposed that) Dr. Rix should be appointed. Mr Robinson moved that tlie doeto' be employed for a term of twelve months at £l5O a year. In answer to Mr Brenan the secretary said the anaesthetic fee for; the year was about £350. About half ot that was paid back to the Board. Mr Brenan said he approved of the appointment. He considered that it gave young Now Zealanders an opportunity to make good. Similar appointments had been made at other; hospitals throughout the Dominion; and it should be explained to Dr. Rix that it was the desire of the Board to give the system a trial. Mr Mackay said it might be possible ■to have a fixed amount, for the yearly administration of anaesthetics, thus reducing the expenditure. The Board liad one of the best -surgeons in New Zealand in Dr. Ritchie, and it was necessary to have a good man to •administer anaesthetics. The chairman said the Board was very fortunate in having a doctor (Dr.

Ritchie) who paid such strict attention to duty. After some discussion Dr. Rix was appointed junior house surgeon.

PATETONGA NURSE.

Nurse M. A. English resigned her ’position as district nurse at Patetonga, as she was taking up a position in Auckland.' The • Patetonga Medical Association expressed regret at Nurse English having resigned, and asked .that she should be invited to reconsider her decision, as the residents were quite satisfied with, her professional attendance. Failing a favourable decision, the association asked that the Board should appoint another nurse, and pledged itself to make her position as far as possible a satisfactory one. The resignation was accepted with regret. On the suggestion of Mr Brenan the Board expressed appreciation of the nurse’s services. On the motion of Mr De'ath it was decided to invite applications for a nurse for Patetonga.

SURGEON’S REPORT.

Tlie resident surgeon (Dr. Ritchie) reported on work carried out during the "past month, and stated that the following patients had been dealt with : Patients in wards at last return 42, admitted since 68, deaths 6, discharged 71, remaining 39, outpatients 131, attendances 28, operations 29.