THAMES HOSPITAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4823, 17 April 1925, Page 1

THAMES HOSPITAL.

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD. ihe monthly meeting or the Thames Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held at Thames on Wednesday, the chairman (Mr W. E. Hale) presiding over the following : Messrs J. W. Dauby, W. J. Hall, G. Death, A. R. Robinson, P. E. Brcnan, W. C. Kennedy, H. L. Berney, D. McKay, and the secretary, Mr G. Tonge. PAEROA HOSPITAL. '.Llie Minister lor Health wrote stating that he had replied to the Hauraki Plains County Council's objection to the erection of the Paeroamaternity and casualty hospital and had pointed out that while he .vas of the opinion that a general hospital at Paeroa would be inadvisable he considered that a maternity hospital wuj warranted, and he had approved of the project. The County Council had been asked to state its objections to tlie maternity hospital, but so far no reply had been received. Tlie Minister went on to stale that the plans submitted by the department were for an institution estimated to cost about £6OOO, and he was of tlie opinion that £OOOO was too high an expenditure for a (small maternity cottage hospital. Tlie Board was asked to submit the plans as completed and adopted, so that the Minister would be in a position to give a decision on the matter.

Mr E., E. Gillman, architect, Paeroa, forwarded amended alternative plans, specification, and details of the proposed hospital. The estimates weie based on the completed plans instead of on die sketch plan, ais on Ute previous occasion. The wood alternative completed was estimated to cost £662'3, plus £l5O for excavating. The fust that classification of timbers in the framing class had been altered accounted for a portion of the difference bet ween the two estimates. The brick alternative was estimated to cost £lO,338. plus £l5O for excavating. The actual building, apart from sanitary titlings, sterilising and heating plants, was estimated to cost £B9lB. The brick building included concrete foundations throughout, brick cavity exterior walls, and -I 1 ,2 inch brickwork in all partitions, the whole to be plastered inside and out. The chiarman moved that the completed plans be forwarded to the Di-rector-General for his authority and comments thereon.

Seconded by Mr Brenan and carried. HOSPITAL CONFERENCE.

The Director-General of Health wrote advising that the principal business for consideration at the forthcoming conference of hospital boards would be the staffing of hospitals. He was of the opinion that the honorary staff system was obsolete, and where necessary the boards should pay any outside medical practitioners needed to give medical or surgical assistance, such practitioners, however, having no voice in the general administration of a hospital. The chairman intimated that he believed the conference would be held on May 25. ADVANCES FOR SUBSIDIES. The Department of Health, in a lengthy circular letter, advised that under section 8 of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Act, 1923, it was provided that the levie, should be due and paid in. monthly or quarterly instalments, as the board might decide, and interest should be charged any local authority on the amount of any instalment remaining unpaid after the expiration of 14 days from the date on which it became due. That provision, and the power of the Minister to make advances on account of subsidy, would practically dispense with the necessity of hospital boards obtaining bank over,'.,’aits for maintenance purpose-.. RATEABLE VALUE. In reply to an inquiry from the board the Valuer-General advised Unit the following was the rate ibie value each eontribut/.y local autho. ity in the Thames l.cspital district Pae'-oa Borough, £369,116: Thames County, £592,577 ; Ohinemu'i County, £669,244 ; Thames Borough, £79L72f>; Hauraki Plaids mnty, Ki • 581,291.

IdFAXTJLE PAH \L'-’SIS. I’he Director-Genreal of Health advised that Dr. Robertson, the officer appointed t* undertake the supervision and treatment of cases of infantile paralysis in the .Wellington district, had been deputed to visit various hospitals and inquire into the treatment of cases. It was anderstood that in many instances eases of infantile paralysis suffered from a change of nurses. The nurses did not recognise the absolute necessity for the permanent splinting of those cases, nor did they realise the necessity for supporting the paralysed limbs when the splints were removed. In many instances it had been I’cund that patients were in the hands of probationer nurses, who could not be expected to know the importance of permanent splinting arid the handling of paralysed limbs. It was suggested that in those hospitals where there were competent masseurs those officers should be held responsible for the treatment of cases, and to see that the patients’ splints were not removed at any time during the day or readjusted immediately should it be found necessary to- remove the splints for a short time, The peimanence of splinting was an essential part of the treatment, and it was suggested that the matter should be brought before boards to see that the necessary measures would be taken for splints of patients not to be removed unless absolutley necessary. in a later circular the Diroetor-

General pointed out that the treatment of cases would probably involve the apponilmeut of extra masseurs a hospitahs, and it might also mean that a certain number of masseurs sliould reside in hospitals so that children would always be under their supervision. Mr Dauby thought that the hospital staff sliould include a permanent masseur, not only for paralysis cases, but abso for fracture cases. At present the position showed a weak link hi tlie administration, and iie thought that if a permanent masseur could not be obtained, then the board should make provision for one of the nurses to be sent away for a course of special training, Tlie chairman stated tlrxt he had gone into the matter with the resident surgeon, and although it was necessary to have a skilled maiiseur on the hospital staff, at the present time it was not practicable to secure the services of one. The matter would be kept in view, and the resident surgeon was doing what he could in the meantime. HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION. In connection with a resolution passed at the conference of hospital boards in October last wherein the Government wa(.s urged to appoint an architect to the staff of the Department of Health for the use of hospital boards, the department wrote stating that the matter was under review, and the Government had decided to make the services of the architectural branch of the Public Works Department available. PATETONGA NURSE. Mr E. E. Wilkins, on behalf of the Patetonga settlers, forwarded a cheque for £25, being a contribution towards the cost of board and lodging for the district nurse at Patetonga. Tlie writer also asked to be supplied with books on research work. FRIENDLY SOCIETY CHARGES. The Druids’ Lodge, Auckland, wrote in connection with the Board’s charge of 2s for outpatient treatment as follows : "The charge came before a conference, and 1 am directed to inquire if your board intends to collect from each patient or make it a charge against the conference. If the latter charge is made, will your board accept Half rates ? Also, can the same be applied to anaesthetics, accepting settlement from the conference at half rates. I might state that we are getting theise concessions from, another board."—Request not acceded to. ROTORUA SANATORIUM. Tlie Department of Tourist and Health Resorts advised that on and after May 1, 1925, the fees for treatment of all patients sent to the Government Sanatorium at Rotorua by hospital boards would he 9s a day. The chairman pointed out that the fees referred to the sanatorium only. INSECT EXTERMINATION. The Magic Exterminating Co., Auckland, wrote advising that it had agreed to accept the sum of £lO 10 < for exterminating cockroaches in the hospital and home under the condition that should any cockroache..make an appearance within two years after treatment the company would again clear the buildings free of charge to the board. BENEVOLENT LEAGUE. The Hauraki Ladies’ Benevolent League forwarded accopunts totalling £lB 2s Id, being the amount spent on relief during March, and requested the board to forward its contribution of £lO as soon as possible.—Granted. FINANCE. Accounts totalling £1723 19s 3d were passed for payment. In presenting the statement, of accounts for tlie year ended March 31, 1925, the treasurer (Mr G. Tonge) stated that the year had been a record one, both in regard to the number of patients admitted and the amount of expenditure. The total expenditure for the year, was shown .”s £21,333 Ils 6d, and the receipts totalled £13.666 6s 7d. Tlie rateable capital value of the board's district was given as £1,006,9-17, on which a levy of %d would produce £6260 17s Id. The total cost of the maintenance of the hospital itself for the year was £B6OB 5s 4d, and the estimated cost of maintenance for the ensuing twelve months was £10,139 8s 3d. The cost of maintenance of the Homes at Tararu was £2241 ss, including an expenditure of £552 17s 4d for painting and renovating. r l'he estimated cost for the ensuing period was set down as £1536 ss. The total levies received from local bodies for the year was £4140 10s lid.

The const of maintenance of the maternity annexe, which was opened on June .1 last, was £BB9 6s sd. The fees collected amounted to £260 18s, si: owing a loss of £628 8s 5d for the nine months that the institution has been nt use. COMMITTEES.

Tlie following committees were set up for the ensuing month: Homes, Messrs Hall and Kennedy; hospital, Messrs Berhcy and Robinson. FELICI TAT lONS.

As it was the last meeting of tlie board before the municipal elections Mr Dauby said that there was a chat’ce that some of the members might not be returned, and on behalf of those members he wished to congratulate the chairman on the fair and impartial manner in which he had discharged his duties during a very strenuous period. The speaker also extended thanks to Mr Hale for his unfailing help, courtebusness, and friendliness to the members, and trusted that the remaining term of his office would continue to be a happy and successful one.

In returning thanks Mr Hale said he earnestly hoped that the ratepayers’ judgment and recognition of good (.services rendered to the community would be recognised by the retupn of the present, members for a further term. The chairman said that a great deal of sound and. progressive work had been carried out, and he wished to thank the members for their loyal support and co-operation. Much work still remained to be done, and lie trusted that the same members would be returned.