OUR CROWDED HOSPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 71, 20 April 1909, Page 4

OUR CROWDED HOSPITAL.

•DOUBLE-BANKING'' THE BEDS. WANTED, A CHILDREN'S WARD. Despite' the curtailment of the hospital district by the severance of the ilttwern and Stratford hospital districts, the number of patients treated at the New Plymouth Hospital is steadily on the increase. The matter was brought ollicially under the notice of the controlling Board yesterday by Dr. Lcathain, the medical superintendent, in a brief report, which stated that for the past few months the Xvomen's wards had either been full or overcrowded; there was •constantly a large number of children, including the youngest infants, in the hospital, and the men's wards had at times been over-full. He made note of the above facts that the Board might realise that in the near future the question of providing additional .accommodation would have to be considered in earnest. A children's ward was needed.

Dr. l-icathamjiersonally waited on the . Board and emphasised the points made 11 his litter. The hospital had been overcrowded, for a long time, and on / main ocuisions they had had to doubleInnk paikmg extra beds into the wards. This was not a good thing, and was not sanitin He was not going to make an ippluatio i now for enlargement of the building- but the Board would have to take the matter into consideration. From what he had learned recently iu \\ ellnigtiiii ilio felt sure that there would be little assistance forthcoming from Hit tiovernment. and the Board would have to do the bulk of the work them-ih - Hut he thought the public would be quite ready to assist the Boird particularly in providing proper lcconuiiodation for the children. Last wtek they had had nine children in the men's ward, who should have lieen in a children's ward. When they were in the idiilts wards childreu were difficult to keep under control. Again, they disturbed the rest of ihe other patients at uight.

In answer to the chairman, Dr. Lcatliain said he would not recommend building in wood. Any future buildings should be of a permanent nature.

Mr. O'Sullivan said there was not I much room on the hospital site for enlargement. Dr. Leatham said it would be necessary to build with a view of cxtondini upwards. A two-story building would eeem to he a necessity. The number of patients in the hospital was regularly on the increase, and it would continue to increase. 'Mr. McDonald said there was no doubt that a new hospital was needed. The present building was too small. Mr. O'.Sullivan asked how- the money was to be raised. The chairman said tin, new Hospital Act would give power to borrow. Mr. Hill was sorry that the matter had not lieen mentioned earlier, for they might have set aside the Hospital Saturday collections as a nucleus for tli.' building fund. The chairman said the Board had still .£2OO of that money i u hand. Dr. Lontliaiu. continuing, said'tliat for some lime past he had often had 1,, refuse cases for tile women's ward, on account of the overcrowding. Members came to the conclusion that this was a matter that had to be faced. and decided that the chairman and the medical superintendent should confe'-. with a view of ascertaining what, the actual requirements would he. Thev would then consult the Inspcclor-tieiicral of Hospitals iu the matter. The new structure will be of brick or some other permanent buildi'iisr material.