TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 74, 17 March 1908, Page 4

TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday. Present: JlesaH F. Bellringer lehairinsin), 0. W. Browne, las. Burgess. C. Andrews. .1. R. IUII. i. Brown. I. U'Sullivan, and V>. H. ileDonald. CHAIRMAN'S F.EI'OKT. The rhainuau rejiorteil on hi- vi-its to the Hospital and Home, and his ailion in authorising some alteration* wa> confirmed.

Dr. LeatlMin had brought up the question of always having a wardsimwi or assistant on duty at the hospital. In the di-cu-sion upon this item i; was stated that there were two hours on two nights a week when the wardsman wa- otr the premise-. Xo action was taken.

The tender of .Messrs Htt-ell and Son, for enclosing the plot at the Te Henui Cemetery for the interment of bodies from the old People's Home, liad been accepted, at £34. MEDICAL REPORT.

The medical report stated that there had been 2a patients admitted to the Hospital during the month. 31 had been discharged, six had died, and 28 remained in the institution. Then' were two patients in the consumptive annexe. AMBULANCE. The New Piyiuoiitu Borough Coun.ll forwarded a letter rcccivcu iroiu the ilea I tli Department drawing attention to the need of providing an ambulance

lor the conveyance of inicctious diseases patients to the New Plymouth Hospital, in which the Health Oihcer was supported by the unanimous opinion of the practitioner, in .\ew Plymouth. At the present time private conveyances

and public vehicle, were used, and it was questionable what amount of disiwection was perlorined, or property performed, in the case of the latter. the letter suggested that the Mayor should biunnion a meeting of delegates oi the local contributing bodies, to conaider the question of providing an ambulance for the removal of infectious diseases occurring in the New Plymouth Hospital district tu the Hospital fur iuleclhjus diseases. Ur. Ficngley offered to be present at such meeting and give any information in his power. Mr. Browne thought the purchase ot a special conveyance would be an unnecessary and useless expense. There were only about half-a-dozen cases in the borough each year, and very few typhoid cases were diagnosed as such

before they went to the Hospital. Thus the mischief was done before there could be any chance of disinfecting. At present the work oi conveying typhoid patients to the Hospital was done by a few willing members of the St. John's

Ambulance Association. But there was every probability of typhoid cases in the borough decreasing as the drainage extended, so that these gentlemen's services would soon be no longer required.

The secretary: If they have to carry till the drainage is completed they'll be at it till their old age. Mr. Burgess said that Opuuake people had obtained an ambulance for the carriage of patients trom that district to the hospitals, but it was seldom used, as the expense of "horsing" it was almost prohibitive. People preferred otluv and less expensive means.

After further discussion the matter was held over. ALEX. THE GREEK.

A letter from Constable Price, of Waitara (on the same lints as published) re Alex, the Greek, was read stating that he was ill and had been sent to the hospital.

The secretary stated that the old man had now left the hospital and gone back to Waitara. Members stated that the old man had expressed his intention to die rather than go to the Old People's Home. A suggestion was ma3e that the man should be compelled to avail himself of the Home, and that his allowance should be stopped. -Mr. O'Sullivan demurred.

Mr. Brown said the Board could nut look on the wntinaental side of the business. Ther e was a home here, and lie had been offered admission. The man said he would sooner die first. This man was not being properly eared for, and the Home was the proper place for him.

Mr. O'Sullivan said this was an exceptional cas»\ and deserved exceptional treatment. .Mr. Brown -aid that it was not fair to the Waitara people tint they should have to keep the old man. Mr. McDonald thought the Hoard might continue tlie present allowance. The chairman quoted the constable's letter, in which it was stated that Alex, the Greek could not look after himself, and that his dwelling was being demolished. He also mentioned that the Board had lieen put to expense of medical attendance on him and his conveyance to the Hospital. The Board resolved to stop the allowance to this recipient, and to ask the police to send him to the Home. Messrs McDonald and O'Sullivan dissenting.

A MOOT POINT. Inspector Wilson, of the Police Department, wrote: 'Sergeant Haddrell has forwarded your letter of the 12th inst. re a misunderstanding between your Board and the sergeant, as the constable-* plated in charge of persons sent to the hospital for insanity or attempted suicide, or delirium tremens, and asking what position we take up. In reply. 1 beg to inturni jou it has been decided trial when delirium tremens patients are placed in the Hospital by the polk-,, they will take charge if them if the doctor in charge considers it nece-sary, that is, when they are in custody Hinder arre-ti. I gather from your letter and the previous correspondence .Hi the -object that uitir Board think- the polire should take charge of every patient, accident or otherwise, the |Hpik-e bring to the Hospital. This is perfectly unreasonable, and neither asked for nor granted at any of the hospital- in the Dominion, for caseH where patient- are placed ill the hospital by the police, not under arrest, it is considered the duty of tile Board to provide propel- supervision.'' The chairman considering this un-at i-l.otoiy. the matter hail Ixvn referred to Dr. Valintine. The chief clerk in the Department of llu-pitals and C'harilabl. Aid had now written that the his|»TtoiM;eneral vva- out of town. At pr-'seiit the exact jin-iti egarding the siipervi-ion of delirium tremens and other ia-e. taken to the Hospital by tin' police was that in any case where a charge wa- pending against the patient tic const,,!,!,, would remain in attendant, but no! otherwise. Any extra help, if uete-siiry. would have tii be obtained by the hospital authorities themselves.

OLD PEOPLE'S HOME. An application came before the Board for the admission of an old-age pen- I sioiier. The applicant staled that she , would lie i v ennifortable in the i Hoc

The -C'-rclal \ -aid one of the troubles w.is that her -on g.-ncrailv managed l" pet hold <.f the pen-ioii and '-hu-(" on

Mr. Andre,,- 0bj,,.,...| to making the Home a private bo ir.iiiigboi,-,..

It -.va- ,1-eiiic.l i,, adiuil ti [,l p,.,

son upon the applicant guaranteeing payment of ]■>- per week.

OTHEi: ISFMNE-sS.

The Trea-ury forwarded -üb-idic-arnountiug to CI7I I'U. The Hawera Ho-pital Board forward ed to. and tie-Stratford Board tl'lto. card, the c-.-r of encl.,-i„g ; , r ,| o , f„, old people - * burial. Xtir-e froziiT applied lor an increase U)ion her present --alary of c.!."> per annum.— IN'lVrre.) i„ tl„. iluii— (ommiftee.

AeCOIUIt- wee jia--cd for p.,Vlilellt : - Hospital. V.S.V.I 11- lid: charitable aid. tl-2.. His 7,1.

The Board considered the plan- of ~ new entrance gate -tiiunitted by Mr. F. Messenger and Me-sr, i;u--ell and Son. Neither iva- adopted, a'ul the matter will be further discii-e.l a! next meeting.