MONTHLY MEETING

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17748, 17 March 1927, Page 2

MONTHLY MEETING

At the monthly meeting of ihe V.'aitaki I. cspital Board, thpre wre present: — Vessrs H. Grenfe'l 'in the chair), A. Mclnnes, W. Si.upiar. W. Forresffr and J. C Kirkness. It was decided that a visit he made by the architect, secretary, j matron, and Mr W. Sumpter to the i Balclutha Hospital for the purpose of inspecting the institution Mr W. Sumpter reported upon the meeting of the "Waipiata Sanatorium Committee. It has been decided to i proceed with the extra buildings at the sanatorium. The InspectorGeneral of Hospitals had suggested that some limitation he made upon the stay of patients in the institution, but the' committee had decided to allow the decision in this matter to rest with Dr Kidd. The chairman (Mr Grertfeli) stated that he had visited Waipiata, and was satisfied that the extra expenditure proposed on buildings was fully justified. Mr Sumpter stated that a most inieresting address on tubercular treatment had been given at the Hospital Board's Conference hy Dr Blackmore. The main point of this address was the proposal to treat those children who were susceptible to the disease. A good deal of controversy had taken place in regard to the attitude of fhe North Island Boards. The Inspector-Gen-eral had stated that with uniform action there was no reason why the scourge should not be entirely elim- ! inated in two generations. It was S proposed to bring down a scheme | as early as possible for the nation- ! alisation of system of tubercular ! treatment. Di Blackmore had sug- ! gested that annexes for advanced cases should be connected with the various sanatoria. If that suggestion were adopted, the annexe at the Oamaru Hospital rnight be used for other purposes.

CORRESPOMDENCE-

The Department of Health forwarded ifc^ approval of the contract for the erection of a laundry at the Oamaru Hospital. It also stated that it was forwarding plans of a kitehen. ■ The Inspector-general advised of vacant beds at the different sanatoria in the Dominion. There were 87 vacaneies at the Pukeora Sanatorium, in the North Island. The Tourist Department wrote intimating that the baths at Rotorua were available for the treatment of various diseases, at«a charge of £3 3s per week. The resignation of Mr Johnston as cook at the Kurow Hospital was received, and a proposal to. appoint a sister of the matron to the position was approved. The Waitaki County Council advised that Mr T. A. Munro had been appointed to the Board in succession to Mr G. Livingstone (resigned). A communication in regard to ironing nppliances for the laundry was referred to the Works Committee. Some discussion took place regarding an inmate of the Victoria Home, who was alleged, to be capable of work, and woulcl not work. — It was ultimately decided that the regulations in regard to work, etc., be more rigidly ebforced, and that the special case mentioned be referred to the chairman and secretary, with power to act. The Finance Committee's report svas read, and various recommendations made were approved. Accounts amounting to £2829 5s, most of which was in connection with capital expenditure, were recommended for payment. A proposal for the purichase of a new weig'hing machine for the tubercular annexe at the public hospital was approved. The chairman reported that the contractor for the painting at the Victoria Home was not responsible for certain conditions that had been complained of.

- Knitted spats wth fancy tops are being worn by men in America. They are not very dissimilar from the spattees which British women have been wearing this, winter. Designed to rise to 1208ft. above the street level, a building now being erected in New York will have sixty high-speed lifts, two of them being express to the eighty-second floor.

\ KUROW HOSPITAL.

It was reported that nine patx•nts had been admitted io the Kurow Hospital during February, of which three were maternity cases, — The Secretary stated that the Finance from the Kurow Hospital was not satisfactory. No payments had been made by patients during the month of February. In future, accounts would be sent out from the main office. — Mr M'lnnes said the position, to his mind, was most unsatisfactory. The whole of the Kurow patients were able to pay.

RETURN OF PATIENTS.

The Matron of the Oamaru Hospital reported that 58 patients had been admitted during the month, 62 discharged, and two died, leaving 40 in the institution to date. Thirty-one operations had been performed. Siste.rs Marshall and Whitefield and Nurse Mackay were on sick leave. Donations had been received from. Miss Christie, Miss Reid, Mrs Perry, Miss Bartrum, Mr W. H. Munro (Otekaike), and Mr Cox.

VICTORIA HOME.

The Matron of the Victoria Home -cported 22 inmates in the home. Tbe health of the inmates was fair. Donations had been received Miss Christie, Miss DaWson, Mrs Wilson, and St. Paul's Sunday School. The inmates desired to thank the Motor Association for a very enjoyable outing. FR'IENDLY SOCIETY PATIENTS. Mr W. Sumpter reported upon work done at the Hospital Board's Conference in regard to the treatment of friendly society' patients. The feeling of delegates was that the friendly societies were doing splendid work in the Dominion, and the general opinion was that the fees for society patients should be not less than 50 per cent of the existing fees. Mr A. Mclnnes said the question of rating had been raised at the conference, and the general opinion was that the present system was the most inequitable. He did not think a rate of £2 ls 8d in the counties and 10s in the boroughs, was equitable. The secretary stated that these figures were not correct. For the cities they were quite the opposite, and as far as Oamaru was concerned. the position was not as stated. The secretary mentioned that a remit from the Waipawa Board, asking that a greater portion of the hurdens come out of the consolidat ed fund. \y.as withdrawn. The Chairman stated that an agreement had been made between the Otago Board and the friendly societies that a fee of 50 per cent. be charged friendly society patients It had been decided, however, that it should- be optional for friendly society members to come under the scheme. The optional proposal would, in his' opinion, be detrimental to the scheme.