TAIHAPE PUBLIC HOSPITAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 December 1918, Page 4

TAIHAPE PUBLIC HOSPITAL.

INQUIRY INTO CHARGES MADE

On Saturday afternoon the members of the Executive of the Taihape Public Hospital met to con's*uor~ "a letter sent to the Wanganui Hospital Board by Nurse Reid, in which certain charges were made against the ..hospital management with regard to'the supply of food to the staff and patients. There were present: Messrs A. J. Joblin, Lethbridge Simpson and Pilkington. District Health Inspector Swindells and Messrs Arrowsmith and P. Baird were also present. Mr Joblin read the letter written by Nurse Reid, wiiich stared: '"Up 'to the present I have been obliged to provide myself with various articles of food .owing to the? fact that JEe hospital fare is shockingly inadequate. I do not know if you arc aware of they condition of things, but I unhesitatingly say that this institute is a disgrace to the community. From observations I made, patients on liquid diet received only milk and water; coffee and cocoa were made with water, and soup—the most essential thing—was something unheard of." Mr Joblin said the letter was a very serious one, and if the charges were refuted it would be serious for the one who made them; and for the hospital officials if not refuted. Matron Rellings said she had made inquiries, and found Nurse Reid during her term in the hospital had bought a tin of peaches, tomatoes, and a quarter-pound of ham. These she considered were luxuries. There were bread butter, scones, beef and mutton always .available. She had never received complaints from the staff. To Mr Simpson: There were no restrictions whatever placed on supplies by the Board. She had always got what she requisitioned. Continuing, the Matron said she was laid up for a time, and Sister Williams told her Nurse Reid had complained. Nurse Reid had rung up after making her complaint, saying, "After all, I think it was my own fault." With regard to the allegations about the patients' diet, it was news to her, especially as to the patients being given milk and water. Nurse Reid was on night duty from 9 to 7. If it was given it was during these hours. It was the rule in the hospital to give cocoa and coffee made of two parts milk and one part water. With regard to the allegation about there being no soup, she could not account for the statement, as soup was made and given regularly, which she (the Matron) had herself partaken of. Six or eight pounds of beef were daily made into soup. One of the sisters had seen Nurse Reid putting soup on to heat. Mr Joblin said it was an extraordinary thing to say there was no soup when Nurse Reid put it on the fire herself. The Matron: <Nurse Reid's statement about the soup is absolutely untrue.

Mr Arrowsmith asked the Chairman to define the scope of the inquiry. Mr Joblin: Generally to deal with any matters in connection with the hospital. The Matron (to Mr Arrowsmith): The cook is responsible for the preparation of soup. Soup is sometimes given at night, but not as often as other drinks. Have never run short of anything, but on one occasion had no bread in the hospital, but it was got before it was required, Mr Arrowsmith: A sister rang up, and I sent bread up. The Matron; That -was on account of the driver of the bread cart being laid up, and missed one day, and you were appealed to. Was aware that on November Bth two patients from the railway accident were put on floor on account of the shortage of beds. T v sy were temporarily placed on stretchers sent from town by Mr Arrowsmith. The stretcehers were returned to Mr Somerville's on request. To Mr Baird: Had a difficulty in getting a varied supply of vegetables this season. Always tried to get what was required. To Mr Lethbridge: During the epi demic the baker missed delivering bread, and I rang up Mr Arrowsmith to send bread. No meal was ever without bread. To Mr Baird: Mr Capill did stand security for vegetables owing to the difficulty of making the Chinaman understand who the supply was for. The account for these vegetables was paid by the Board. Nurse Williams: Took charge On* 13th November, the same <foy as Nurse Reid came. Have no complaints to make retarding the food. What Nurse Reid bought were luxuries. Have heard the Matron's statements, and can confirm all she has said. There was always a sufficiency of food. If water coffee was made it was not reported to her. There was always sufficient milk. If the night nurse gave water coffee the night nurse alone was responsible. Since and during the epidemic, when patients required soup they got it. Not a usual thing to give soup at night. Whenever soup was necessary patients got it. There should

j have been sufficient milk; if there was not enough it was due to waste. I Nurse Reid never complained there j was not enough milk. Heard Nurse I Reid remark she put water with coffee. • To Mr Arrowsmith: The doctor pre- ; scribes the diet, but some thing is left i to our discretion. Always able to sup- | ply what the doctor orders. Miss - j Fleming was cook at the. time of the " i epidemic, Mr Arrowsmith: How many were on duty? Nurse Williams: Two at night and -V two in the day; since the epidemic, j one at night and two in the day, and were on duty never less than twelve hours. I have had to work on for anything up to sixteen hours. Annie S. Fleming handed in a written statement: Was cook at the hospital from August to December 2. Only on one or tw r o occasions made soup ! for patients during that time. Never had sufficient milk for the milk puddings, and always had to add water to them. Only used eggs three times for the patients' pu t :ings during all the time I was at the hospital. The 1 patients and domestic staff always ; had skimmed milk for breakfast, and very often we were very short of milk in the kitchen. There was always a chop or a sausage each provided when the Matron was on duty herself for each person's breakfast, and sometimes fried potatoes for the patients as well as the staff, and nearly always jam and marmalade for the staff. During the Matron's illness there was sel- , dom enough meat provided for breakfast. On one occasion had only nine v chops for sixteen patients. The i nurses both told me they required' sixteen chops. When the Matron was on duty had sufficient meat, but not during her illness. The nurses fared better than either the patients of domestic staff. They had the cream of the milk for their breakfast, and a few extras in the way of puddings, etc. The nurses often provided something for their own tea, and we had to do the same or go without. At one time, owing to illness of the staff, there were only two probationers to do all the work of the hospital in the daytime. One day four patients died, and the work was terrible'. Miss Fleming, in answer to a question put by the Matron, stated 555 never made soup during the time she was in the hospital, except for the staff; Mr Robinson did. The Matron said whenever patients required soup it was made. Miss Fleming's statements referred to the period prior to the epidemic". -- Miss Fleming reiterated her ' statement that soup was only made for thel staff. Dr. Boyd said he very occasionally ordered soup for the patients. Pie did not believe in soup, and did net consider it essential. To Mr Arrowsmi.";\. Miss Fleming stated there was no one else ia the kitchen until Mr Robinson came. The only outside staff was the laundress and the porter. Mr. Ellis Robinson read a statement He started at iiospital a.s chef on November 17th. The first thing that struck him was that no soup was made. On inquiring he was informed that since Matron Rellings had been in charge there had been none made, and the third day he was there he started to make soup, and had continued to do so ever since. He found the w r ater supply was quite inadequate, and he frequently had to wait till midday for hot water from the boilers. The outside staff was unsatisfactory. The food since he had been at the hospital had been, good and. wholesome. He had always got what lie asked for when there was a defi- A ciency, and he was now able to copeJjß with the work. jS To Mr Lethbridge: The Matron gl|H a hot meal at 6 o'clock, and a hot was put away for the night nurse. In reply to a question, Nurse Willifms said there were 13 patients at present, which was the usual number. Dr. Boyd, medical superintendent, said no one had complained; have'heard about it if anyone had a complaint. The patients on Friday were much annoyed at certain statements which appeared in the local paper. With regard to coffee and cocoa, "he knew nothing about the pantry. He rarely ordered soup, but had he clone so the patients, would have got it. He considered the complaints a petty business altogether. He did not thing Nurse Reid was a certificated nurse. Health Inspector Swindells stated the water supply was unsatisfactory.. The Borough Council filled the tanks; otherwise there would be a shortage of water. Mr Lethbridge stated a pump had been taken out as proving unsatisfactory, and another one would be put in forthwith. / - Mr Arrowsmith Introduced MrHowjg den, who he said, was «, returne<f? soldier in the employ of the Railway Department, and who had done splendid voluntary work at the hospital. Mr Howden said the only tilings he had to complain of were water supply and the mud from the want cjL ' metal in the yard. At the mome* ' there was not a drop cC cold water to be got. '. At this stage Dr. Boyd handed to -1

Mr Lethbridge a copy of the local paper, drawing his attention, to certain statements contained in an article entitled "The Hospital Scandal." Mr Joblin explained that a letter had been sent to Nurse Reid, asking 3ier to be present, and offering to pay her expenses, but she was not present, possibly on account of nol having recaßred the letter.

Mr Lethbridge said "as Chairman ST the Hospital Board he thanked Mr Arrowsmith and those who worked so WF-H during the time of stress they IrSjjd all passed through. Wangauul could give them no assistance, as 30 of the nurses there were down at once. The Health Department had made fools of them all; the Department had promised everything, and performed nothing. He could see there were a great many improvements required at the hospital. The water supply would be put right after the holidays, the metalling of the yard and other matters would be done as soon as possible. He hoped good would come of this inquiry. The Board was willing to pay for anything that was asked; money would not stand in the way.

Mr Arrowsmith thanked Mr Lethbridge for the kindly references to irimself and fellow workers. The attitude he took up was not hostile to the Board. He thought if he attended tho inquiry a few facts would be elicited to help improve matters. He thought the town should have some say in the appointment executive. Mr. Lethbridge attributed no hostility to Mr Arrowsmith. I The Executive, on Mr Lethbridge's flpotion, placed on record the good work performed by Messrs Robinson and Howden at the Taihape Hospital during the period of the epidemic whilst the members of the staff, were incapacitated through illness. Mr Joblin then announced that he meeting was aftjourned sine die.