THAMES HOSPITAL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4749, 10 September 1924, Page 3

THAMES HOSPITAL

MEETING OF BOARD. I — The monthly meeting of the Thames Hospital Board was held at Thames on Monday last. The chairman, Mr W. Hale, presided over Messrs, J. W. Danby, W. J. Hall, A. R. Robinson, P. E. Brenan, W. C. Kennedy, and H. L. Berney. The secretary, Mr G. Tonge, was also in attendance . GIFT OF AMBULANCE. The Director General of Health wrote stating that authority had been received from the Treasury to transfer free of capital cost to the Board the motor ambulance hitherto on issue by loan. The chairman said that the vehicle was worth £450 and was insured. DONATION. ■ A cheque of £5 Is was received from the Paeroa Rugby, being a donation towards the Paeroa Hospital. The chairman moved and Mr Danby seconded that the donation be received with thanks. A subsidy would be available, making the sum of £lO 2s LOCAL BODY LEVY. The Hauraki Plains County Clerk wrote stating that the Council had decided to pay one of the two quarters’ levy outstanding when an overdraft could be arranged. l The clerk reported that since the letter had been received a cheque had been received. One quarter’s levy was still outstanding and another would shortly be dub. KEREPEEHI HOSPITAL SITE. Mr W, Booth, hon. secretary of the Kerepeehi Hospital Site Committee, wrote as follows In reply to your letter of the 12th inst, you will no doubt have by this discovered that the moneys collected by Kerepeehi ' .-s.,- residents lies in the Post Office Savings bans and that the pass-book and a withdrawal slip are in your possession. You have had th© funds for over twelve months, and Kerepeehi residents want to see the Board meet the urgent needs of the Plains in regard to a mreataity home. We remind you that approximately 50 new sett|>lers will take up the Crown block which will shortly be thrown open for selection. We fele sure that the maternity home will be more than self :suppoiting. In reply to the chairman the secretary stated that he had shown Mr Booth the withdrawal slip which was of no value, as it was twelve months old and signed by. the late secretary. Mr W. C. Kennedy stated that he had read Dr. Trilby King’s opinion in the Press that the establishment of maternity homes by Hospital Boards was a step in the wrong direction. The chairman said that it was absolutely necessary to get the withdrawal slip renewed. He moved, and it was carried, that the secretary again communicate with Mr Booth. TRANSFER OF FUND. The Mayor ,of Paeroa forwarded a . form of formal application for the Minister’s consent to the transfer of the Hauraki District* Comforts Committee War Fund to the the Thames Hospital trustees. The chairman and secretary were to sign the application. A POSSIBLE BEQUEST. An Auckland legal firm, acting on behalf of certain trustees, wrote asking the annual cost of maintenance of a bed in the hospital. The clerk reported having given the actual cost during the past three years. The amounts were between ' £lB7 and £196. AMENDMENTS TO ACT. Severa. circular letters were received from the Health Department in referenceto amendments to the Hospital Boards Act, and the admission of patients into sanatoria. There were several vacant beds in the Pukeora sanatorium. F hospital boards conference. The Director General of Health forwarded copies of the agenda paper for the conference of delegates of Hospital Boards commencing at Wellington on October 7. It was decided that the next meeting of the Board be held on Friday, October 3, to permit delegates to.be present at the conference. CHARITABLE AID. The secretary of the Hauraki Lad- . a, Benevolent Society, Thames, fora list of accounts paid, and asked for a cheque of £lO, which was granted. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Dr. D. A. Bathgate applied for leave of absence from September 30 to October 18, stating that he would make - satisfactory arrangements for a locum tenens. Leave was granted. Dr. Jas. Ritchie wrote from Edinburgh thanking the Board for having granted him an extension of leave to enable him to sit for for an examination in January 1925. ’ A RESIGNATION. Nurse Helen Dawson wrote stating v that .as she would be leaving for England in December she would like to be relieved of her duties when convenient.—Accepted. THANKS FOR ASSISTANCE. A Waihi woman wrote expressing her sincere thanks for the Board’s kindness and assistance since her illness. She hoped to be in a position to pay her rent after this month. MATERNITY TRAINING. Nurse Bell wrote applying for the vacancy of probationer nunse in the maternity annex due. early next year. The chairman said that this woman should be given the training she desired.—Agreed to. REPORTS. THE HOSPITAL. The resident surgeon, Dr. D. A. Bathgate, reported that 41 males and 50 females had been admitted during the month ; 2 males and 2 females had died and 41 males and 45 females had < , been discharged, leaving 32 males and 35 females in the institution. The ’ *attenoances on outpatients numbered 184 males and 41 females. Forty-one operations had been performed in the .31 days. One case of suspected '■'■3? typhoid had been admitted, and six

patients had been admitted tb the maternity annex and four babies born. Dr. Gray was acting ap anaesthetist during Dr. Lange’s absence on annual leave. Sister Lundon .Nurses Kelly and Miller, and Miss Hall, telephone attendant, were on the sick list. Members commented on the fact that 41 operations had been performed. and on the large number of patients. The matron, Miss M. Smith, reported that during the month tne nurses had been ill for varying periods. Nurses Twentyman, Baker, Claxton, Miller, and Hill all passed their cookery examination very satisfactorily. Three patients had been booked for admission to the maternity annex next month. Mr W. J. Hall, on behalf of the visiting committee, reported that everything in the hospital was satisfactory. though the large number of cases kept the staff very busy. The engineer reported that everything in his department was working (satisfactorily. Repairs had been much as usual. The coal consumption for the month had been 54 tons 19cwt. The chairman remarked that the heating would probably be discontinued at night from Monday next. The reports were adopted. THE HOMES. The superintendent of the Tararu District Homes reported that one man had been discharged during the month, leaving 18 men and 4 women in the institution. The conduct of the inmates was very good. The farm gardens and grounds were looking well. The visiting committee recommended sundry matters, which were approved of. THE DISTRICT. The Patetonga district nurse reported having attended thirteen different patients during the month and collected £1 in fees. The Paeroa district nurse to natives reported at length on the outbreak of typhoid at Tirohia. The relieving officer reported on the charitable aid granted during the month. Cases were in Thames and Paeroa. The reports, were adopted. INSULIN TREATMENT. Mr Robinson brought up the matter of securing a supply of insulin for the treatment of Diabetic patients, saying that there were a number of cases in the district. The chairman stated that Dr. Ritchie had been asked to investigate the matter while in England. It was decided to ask the medical superintendent to look into the securing of supplies. ACCOUNTS. Accounts totalling £l3OB 18s lOd were passed for payment. EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY. Votes of sympathy with Messrs E. N. Miller and G. Death, members of the Board who were at present in the hospital, were carried. APPOINTMENT OF SISTER. The necessity of appointing another sister to the staff was brought up by Mr Danby, who mentioned that certain -vacancies had not yet been filled, and when one of the other sisters became ill a woman had to be secured at great expense from Auckland. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman and Mr Danby. THE HOSPITAL SURGEON. In reply to Mr Brenan the secretary reported that from July 1, 1923, to Augus; 31, 1924', .the house surgeon had given 396 anaesthetics. Of these 179 had been paid for and 204 had not been paid for. Thirty were still in the hospital, so had not yet received accounts. Mr Danby said it was very pleasing to notice that for nearly 400 cases there nad not been one fatal accident. If a house surgeon had not been employed the Board would have had to pay an outside doctor 396 guineas and take the chance of recovering the amount from the patients. The chairman said that the arrangement had proved very satisfactory. The Board had saved about £l5O, and in addition had the resident surgeon’s services. Mr Danby thought the Board was very fortunate in having such a competent resident surgeon as Dr. Bath-, gate. There was a great deal of very fine work being done in the hospital. Other members endorsed these remarks.