Poverty Bay Hospital.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 960, 13 July 1881, Page 2

Poverty Bay Hospital.

The following reports of this admirably conducted institution were read at the recent annual meeting of subscribers. The accounts for the past year will be found in another column :— The Treasurer’s Financial Report. In the first place I have to thank your Com mittee for altering the date of the annual meeting, so that it will hereafter save a great deal of unnecessary complications in keeping the accounts, and the quarterly returns to Government will now coincide with the annual statement. Receipts.—On referring to the balancesheet you will observe t’at the subscriptions and donations amount to £276 19s 3d, of which £93 3s 2d was the result of our annual gift auction, and £27 15s the result of a very successful entertainment kindly carried out for the benefit of the Hospital by the J Battery. The balance has been collected from the generously disposed portion of our community who give freely. I am sorry to have to add that those who receive the most benefit from the institution are generally the most backward in supporting it. The subsidies from the Government have always been paid promptly and exactly in accordance with my returns. Fees from Patients.—The rule with regard to payment by patients must in future be vigorously enforced for, notwithstanding our best endeavors we have only been able to collect £26 9s 6d for the year now past. Expenditure.—You will observe that the rations for the year amount to £177 0s sd, about the same as previous years. Medicine and Medical Comforts.—£BB is a very heavy item, but they are all obtained on terms best in accordance with circumstances. Assets and Liabilities.—Our total liabilities amount to £B3, whilst our assets amount to £276 10s sd, besides which we have a very fine building large enough for the requirements of the district for a long time, even allowing for a very rapid progress, and the ground is now laid out and will only require the planting of a few trees to make it complete. The building is insured for £1,200. E. K. Brown, Hon. Treasr. Medical Officer’s Report. Since I last had the honor of making a report to the annual meeting of subscribers, there have been 41 patients treated in the Gisborne Hospital. The number is less than the previous

year, a fact to be accounted for, I think, by the particularly fine and healthy weather we have experienced. Of the 41 cases treated, 32 were males and 9 females. The deaths during the year numbered three—one, John French, being caused by the injuries received through a gun accident. Another was due to the debility consequent on a cancer of the breast. The third was from a chronic affection of the brain. The cases treated during the year included four fractures of the leg, a saw-mill accident of the hand, two cases of typhoid fever, seven cases of continued fever, also cases of inflammation of the lungs, dysentery, bronchitis, and asthma. We had one operation, that for the removal of diseased bone. The patients were, as usual, mostly single men. The number of female patients treated during the year was in excess of that for any previous one, owing, I think, to t te extra comfort and accommodation afforded to them in our new building. The nursing throughout was most satisfactory, and no complaints were made to me by the patients under treatment. A short time ago, Mrs. Mitchell, the matron, was obliged to resign her post through illness. During the time she held the office, some 4 years, she proved a good, kind, skilful nurse, and competent general manager. The newly appointed master and matron, Mr. and Mrs. Chrisp, have so far r proved themselves quite efficient. During the year, several gentlemen availed themselves of the accommodation afforded by the private ward. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I am glad to be able to report that the improvements to the Hospital are now almost completed, drains having been constructed during the year, and other necessary work done. Hy. Pollen, M.D., Surgeon. The election of the Committee for the ensuing year resulted as follows : —Archdeacon Williams, Captain Chrisp, H. McKay, E. K. Brown, Dr. Percy, D. Johnston, and Mr. Butt.