THAMES HOSPITAL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4673, 12 March 1924, Page 4

THAMES HOSPITAL

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Thames Hospital Board was held on Monday last. There were present Messrs W. E. Hale (chairman). J. W. Dauby, W. J. Hall, G. Death. H. L. Berncy W. C. Kennedy, and P. EBrenam The secretary, Mr G. Tonge. was also in attendance. KEREPEEHI SITE. The Commissioner or Crown bands wrote re the Kcrepeehi section, asking whether any definite arrangement had been arrived at in connection with the purchase of the section. The chairman said that the Director of Health had refused to grant a subsidy on the money collected. Kepre.-entalions were now being made to get the subsidy. It was decided that the Commissioner of Crown Lands be informed that the. ..board- wag Endeavouring to finance the purchase, and that the members of Parliament for the district be asked to get in touch with the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and asked to reserve the land for the time being.. STRETCHER FOR PAEROA. The Town wrote applying for an ambulance stretctiei for the use of stretcher cases in Paeroa. The secretary reported that an ambulance had been sent forward the day following receipt of the application. CHARITABLE AID. The secretary of the Hauraki Ladies’ Benevolent Society,. Thames, wrote applying for £2O, and enclosing receipts for the money spent. THE MATERNITY WARD. The chairman reported that the maternity home would be opened as soon as certain fittings arrived. The board’s architect, Mr G. W. Allsop, wrote stating that,the building would soon be completed and occupied. It marks a distinct advancement in policy of the board, and will undoubtedly confer considerable benefit on the people of the' district. He felt it was fitting and opportuntc to suggest that a slight memento should be given to the mothers of the first boy and the first girl born in the maternity home. If the board was agreeable he would like to present the sum of £2 2s to each mother. He enclosed a cheque for £4 4s.

The chairman said that two mothers had applied for admission to the home, hut as it was not opened the cases were admitted to the general hospital, where in each case a baby boy was born. To save any heartburning he would present Hie mother of the first boy born in the hospital with £2 2s. as it was not her fault that site was not admitted t.; the ma' ternity home.

The two donations were accepted and the donor thanked. Mr Danby suggested that the scope of admission to the annex should oc extended so that private practitioner* could bo permitted to send their patients into the home. The patients would pay the, board the weekly charge and the doctor his charge. Unless this was done there was a danger that the home would not pay. It was decided to, refer the matter to the nurses committee for a report. THE RECENT TROUBLE.

The Director-General of Health reported that after careful consideration of all the evidence available he had come to the following decisions: (1) That Nurse Benn, having been guilty of rudeness to the matron and medical superintendent, and having shown an attitude of defiance to authority, cannot be regarded as having any claim to consideration in the matter of allowing her to continue her training in another hospital. (2) That no offence having been proved against the other five nurses (the three newcomers being outside the scope of this statement) except that of having broken their contract by resigning, it remains only to deal with this breach of discipline. They will therefore be permitted to complete their training in another hospital only by serving for a period of six months in addition to what would have sufficed to complete their three years’ course had they remained at Thames. The chairman said that the Heatlh Department had sent an official to investigate the case, and this was the result. It was just as satisfactory as a public inquiry. ADMISSION TO HOMES. Applications were received for admission to the district homes on behalf of Mr W. M. Bonier, of Thames, and Mr, W. H. Mahony, Raetihi, and of Paeroa. The application on behalf of Mr Mahony was granted, members expressing regret that this man had fallen on evil days. In regard to Mr Comer, he had been placed in the home by the police without the board being consulted. It was a case of committing, him to th? home or to gaol. Mr Dauby suggested that the police be asked to inform Comer that he must behave. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the chairman, with power to act. FINANCE. Accounts totalling £835 6s ltd were passed for, payment. it was decided that the sum of £3236 13s So for outstanding accounts oe written off. Tiie secretary was instructed to call tenders for the annual supplies. OUTSTANDING LEVIES. Tn reply to Mr Brenan the secretary reported that the Ohinemuri County and the Paeroa and Thames boroughs owed one quarter’s levy, and the Hauraki Plains and Thames counties two quarters’ levies. The total outstanding was £.1594 I,ls Id, on which,a subsidy of £1374' 5s 7d was also due. It was pointed out that the position was serious, and the secretary was instructed to urge the local bodies io make an effort to pay a contribution during the month. MONTHLY REPORTS. The resident surgeon, Dr. D. A. Bathgate, reported that 32 males' and 27 fen-ales had been admitted during

the month and 34 males and 26 females had been discharged. Two males and one female had died.. Twenty-seven outpatients bad been treated, and 30 operations had been performed and 266 attendances made.

The matron reported that a Health Department officer. Miss Bicknell, had visited the hospital on February 7 and had spent two hours making inquiries in regard to the nurses who had left. In the evening .she had conferred with the doctor. Five nurses were due for cookeiy classes this year. The lectures were now in progress, and were gives by the doctors, matron, and the theatre sister, the subjects comprising medicine and surgery, anatomy and physics, and nursing and theatre work.

The engineer reported that the Glen Af'on coal at present being -supplied to the hospital was very SatisfactoryComparing the amount used during the past four months with the same period of the previous year, whe t otlier coal was being used, it was found that 7 tons 16cwt less of Glen Afton coal was used. The coal now being used was clean, and the furnaces only required cleaning every eight hours.

Tlie superintendent of the District Homes reported that the number of inmates was 18 males and 5 females. The conduct was good, with one exception.

The Paeroa district nurse reported having attended 5 European and 37 Native patients. Fourteen pas had been visited and lectures given.

The Patetonga district nurse reported having visited 11 patients and had collected £2 5s 6d in fees during the month. She asked for.a ruling as to whether a charge should be made for advice given by telephone. It was decided that a charge should not be made for minor cases advised upon over the telephone. The nurse was given permission to take a month’s annual leave from the 17th inst.