IF EPIDEMIC CAME

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 617, 20 March 1929, Page 16

IF EPIDEMIC CAME

RELIEF ACCOMMODATION PROBLEM

QUESTION FOR HOSPITAL BOARD

What accommodation would be available to the Auckland Hospital Board outside the hospital, should emergency arise, in accommodating influenza patients, is a question that has been asked by Hr. T. J. Hughes, medical officer of health at Auckland. In a letter to the board yesterday afternoon, Hr. Hughes inquired what arrangements had been made. He further gave it as his opinion that picture theatres would not provide altogether satisfactory accommodation in the face of emergency. Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the board, was certain that the possibility of the use of picture theatres in an emergency was not mentioned at a conference between Mr. E. H. Potter, of the board, and health officers. “However, I do not think that picture theatres are satisfactory,” Mr. Wallace said. The letter from Hr. Hughes pointed out how the influenza danger had been greatly increased by severe winters in England and America. A suggestion that board members and officers at the hospital should confer with the health officials on the question of extra accommodation was approved.

HOSPITAL CROWDED NEEDS IN EMERGENCY MR. M. J. COYLE'S ANXIETY Concern at the small number of beds available at the Auckland Hospital is being shown by Mr. M. J. Coyle, member of the Hospital Board. .W hen it was revealed yesterdav afternoon to the board that only two beds at th© institution were vacant on Sunday, Mr. Coyle asked what would be done were a large accident to take place. A serious public accident, Mr. Coyle said, was always likely to happen in a city of Auckland’s size. Then, again, an epidemic would make the position acute. An idea of the large number of patients receiving treatment was given when it was stated that 693 were in at present. “I have raised this question time and again,” Mr. Coyle said. “So hav* other members. If an emergency ward is set aside, it becomes full almost immediately. Of course, to obtain money for extensions is difficult, and we do our best. But should a serious accident or an epidemic take place, we would not have room for all the patients. We will then be told we have failed in our duty. “We are blamed, it seems,, if we do not provide accommodation, and if we do there are protests against the expense,” said Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the board. In his comment on the medical superintendent’s report for February, Mr. Wallace said that the board’s greatest difficulty was in accommodating ordinary patients. He agreed with Mr. Coyle that it was right that the board’s position should be known. Regarding cases of infectious diseases, there were at present 50 patients suffering from scarlet fever, and about 30 from diphtheria. So far there had been little difficulty in providing for these patients.