HOSPITAL BOARDS AND D.T. CASES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2354, 12 November 1921, Page 2

HOSPITAL BOARDS AND D.T. CASES.

At Thursday's meeting of the Palmerston Hospital Board, the Direc-tor-General of Health, Dr Yalintine, wrote stating that by direction of the Minister of Health, the departmen. twouftl not reimburse boards, as it had done in the past, for the cost of special attention that might be required in connection with delirium tremens cases in general hospitals. He intimated that full consideration of the matter showed no reason why the department should bear this cost, which was obviously the responsibility of the hospital boards if the patient was unable to pay. The chairman said that delirium tremens eases were very troublesome, and the policy of the board was to refuse such admissions except on the application of the police, in which case an attendant had to be sent with them. Nurses were not really capable of handling such cases, and it was unfair to put them under their charge. He recalled that one delirium tremens subject at the hospital,chased a nurse through the wards, brandishing a liefivy billet of wood. The nurse escaped through a glass door, and as she made her exit the patient struck at her. Fortunately the blow missed, but the door was shattered. Mr W. Murdoch: Arc D.T. cases sick ones'? He contended the board should take a definite stand in the matter. The complaint was brought about by the act of the individual. Shouhl the ratepayers of the country have to pay for them if the sufferer had no money? Mr Ilornblow: I think each licensed house should have a padded cell on the premises for the treatment of such cases. , The letter was received, and ii was pointed out that as the- police brought such ('uses for treatment, that they would not be received unless placed in charge of a police official.