WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

Southland Times, Issue 21098, 2 June 1930, Page 5

WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The above committee met at Waipiata on Wednesday, May '2B, there being present J. Matheson (chairman), W. Bryant, E. Macdonald, H. Grenfell, J. Clark, J. Ritchie, P. Aitken, and Inspector K. Cameron representing the Department of Health. Leave of absence was granted to Mr J. G. Johnston. Dr F. S. Maclean, Medical Officer of Health, Dunedin, the Department’s representative on the committee, wrote advising that owing to his transfer to Wellington he would not have the opportunity of again meeting with the committee, and expressed his appreciation of the consideration shown to himself and the enthusiastic manner in which the representatives of the associated boards had taken up their work in connection with the sanatorium. —Received. Letters to be forwarded to the Director-Gen-eral of Health appreciative of Dr Maclean’s work as the Department’s representative on the committee, and to Dr Maclean thanking him for his services. Mr Ritchie reported the result of his interview with officers of the Public Works Department regarding the latter’s proposed charge for water for hydro-electric purposes. —Received, the secretary to write to the Department in Wellington with reference to the proposed rental. ■ In connection with the proposed Group Control of Consumptive Sanatoria in the

Dominion, and as the outcome of a conference in March between representatives of the Otago Hospital Board and the committee, it was decided to inform the Otago Board “That the committee, as representing the Associated Boards, were of the opinion that in view of the failure to bring about the group system of control in the North Island, it was advisable that the South Island boards continue as at present, and that when the agreement between the eight Associated South Island Boards expires in about three years’ time, the whole matter could then be reviewed.”

Dr A. Kidd (Medical Superintendent) reported that on April 30 there were 114 patients in the institution, all of whom, with the exception of 13 whose condition was stationary, were doing well or improving. In response to the committee’s inquiry regarding reduction of the waiting list, he reported that a large number of patients were now completing their treatment and would be discharged within the next few weeks,.. which made it unnecessary at present to consider any alteration in the present policy, the waiting list being then down to quite a reasonable number. He advised the result of his visits to and examination of patients at the different centres, and the report was received and adopted. Bed State.—The secretary reported that at date of meeting the following boards had patients in the institution: South Canterbury 34, Southland 33, Ashburton 15, Waitaki 12, South Otago 11, Wallace 7, Vincent 1, Waipiata Committee 1. Of this number one had been in the institution for more than two years, 20 for more than one year and 93 for less than one year. Since last meeting 12 patients had been discharged, 11 with the disease arrested and one disease quiescent. He submitted a waiting list of 40 patients from six hospital districts, but as the result of a personal interview that day with the medical superintendent regarding immediate admissions and review of certain patients, it was now reduced to about 25, which was considered satisfactory. The Farm Manager submitted his returns of milk and meat supplied to the institution during April; also account sales of pigs sold at Burnside sale. —Received. The matter of the renewal of lease of neighbouring land held by the committee for grazing purposes was left in the hands of Mr Aitken to adjust with the owner. The committee during the afternoon visited the new storage dam and were agreeably surprised to find what a fine supply of water was now held for hydro-electric purposes, and decided on the certificate of the engineer to pay the contractor the balance owing.

E. R. Wilson, architect, submitted pencil sketch and elevation of the administrative and X-ray block and same was approved, and the architect instructed to have plans and specifications prepared for tendering purposes as soon as possible, he and the secretary to go into the question of bringing in a steam main from the laundry boiler for heating purposes. The committee also instructed the architect to confer with the chairman and secretary and prepare plans of two small cottages to house married members of the staff of the institution.

The secretary presented his annual report, balance-sheet and the statistical tables of the institution for the year ended 31/3/1930, showing that the average cost per occupied bed was £121.05, the figures for the preceding years being as follows: 1929 £128.33, 1928 £135.9, 1927 £139.43, 1926 £163.93, 1925 £201.46, 1924 £248.05, so that for the year just ended the average cost per occupied bed was less than half the cost for the year 1924 when the sanatorium was opened. He reported on various matters of interest, and stated that the reduction in the daily charge per patient to the Associated Boards from 9?- to 7/6 had been justified, and anticipated that the further reduction to 7/- per day for the ensuing year would cover the whole cost of administration of the institution, farm and subsidiary departments.

Tlie Medical Superintendent’s report showed that for the seven years ended 31/3/1930, 436 patients had been discharged, of which 8v.9 per cent, went out with the disease arrested or quiescent, and of that number so far only 3 per cent, had shown any sign of a recurrence of the disease.

Since the Medical Superintendent had commenced his visits to the different centres in August, 1924, he had examined no fewer than 1518 patients, many of whom had no sign of the disease or were unsuitable for treatment in the institution. For the past year 312 patients had been examined, 145 of whom were considered suitable for treatment.

The reports were received and held over until next meeting for consideration, copies to be forwarded to the Associated Boards.

The secretary and architect were directed to go into the account for extras on the recent building contract completed by Mr Harris and with power to act.

It was decided to hold the next meeting of the committee in Dunedin on Tuesday, June 24.