HOSPITAL BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 164, 20 October 1910, Page 7

HOSPITAL BOARD

«o MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Tara.iaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held vesterday. Present: Messrs. F. C. J. Beilringer '(chairman), G. \V. Browne, \Y. Cutlield. E. Maxwell, M. J. Meßeyuolds. C. Andrews, .1. R. Hill, J. Brown. C. O'Suliivan, G. V. Tate and D. 11. McDonald. MEDICAL REPORT. Dr. E. A. Walker, medical superintendent at the hospital, reported that during the month 34 patients had been admitted and 33 discharged. Five bad died, and there were 42 remaining in the institution. The isolation block luui now been open continuously for six months, and there were four patients ii. i the annexe. *

OLD PEOPLE'S HOME. Mrs. Bayly, matron at the Old People's Home, reported that during the month the supplies had been very good, and the discipline excellent. There luui been two admissions, and two had left. One of the men admitted left in a few days, and the other departure was the case of a man committed to the mental hospital. There were now in the home 29 males and 5 femaies. THE NEW HOME. Dr. Valintinc, Inspector-General ot Hospitals, wrote that the purchase of the 32 acres at Soleville for the purpose, of erecting an Old People's Home thereon had the approval of the Department. The following tenders were accepted for the removal of the Old People's Home from the present site to the new site at Soleville, and its re-erection com pletc, with drainage, etc.:—Boon Bk-s., ±'1290; Coleman and Son, £1375; W.j I-lowson, £1517; A. Tomlinson, £1825. The tender of Messrs. Boon Bros, was accepted. THE OPUNAKE AMBULANCE.

The secretary of the Hawera Hospital Board forwarded a resolution, "That the Onunake ambulance be handed over to the Taranaki Board, providing the same be left at Opunake for the use of the surrounding district,"—The Board accepted the terms, and the secretary was instructed to thank the Hawera Board for its attention in the matter. THE DRUG CONTRACT. It was decided to call tenders for medical and drug supplies, and that the tenders be submitted to the Inspector-Gen-eral before acceptance. THE URUTI NURSE.

Miss A. O'Callaghan, of Wellington, wrote accepting the appointment as district nurse. She would be ready to commence duty on December 1. Miss Bilton wrote that she could not stay after the end of the present month. Mr. Musker, on behalf of the Uruti Settlers' Committee, waited on the Board in reference to the levy to be made upon the settlers for the maintenance of the muse this year, and complained thai the amount was excessive. The secretary explained that the contribution would consist of thre« payments of £lB os 3d, and not four, as seemed to be in the minds of the Uruti people. Mr. Musker also voiced the settlers' protest against the action of the Boara in charging the district nurse fund with £5 12s for treatment of Nurse Bilton at the hospital. In reply to a statement that Dr. Valintinc had expressed the opinion that the charge was a fair one, Mr. Musker objected that "Dr. Valintinc isn't the Board." The Board said it would pay the account itself. This was supported bv "Mr. O'Suliivan.

"Mr. Lcpper pointed out that by this process the whole district was asked to pay for the treatment of a nurse who was a luxury for Uruti people only. Mr. Musker considered it fairer that the nurse should pay her own medical fees than to have the amount charged to the district nurse fund, which meant the settlers. The Secretarv: We don't treat our servants like that. Mr. O'Suliivan pointed out that if one of the nursing staff at the main hospital became ill, the whole district paid for her treatment.

The chairman pointed out that the Board couldn't charge this amount to the general fund. Mr. Maxwell thought the charge a fair one against the nursing fund. Mr. Mcßeynolds moved that the charge be remitted, and Mr. Hill seconded, remarking that a nurse situated as Miss Bilton had been wns more susceptible to illness than was a staff nurse. The chairman: Oh, no; not necessarily. Mr. Musker interjected that Nurse Bilton had gone from case to case without a spell. For throe weeks she had scarcely been aide to remove her clothes. No staff nurse did that.

Mr. J. Brown pointed out that the Uruti people were paying the hospital rate and keeping a nurse as well as their own expenses. They would have to help to pay for the illness of a stafi nurse, and pay the full amount for their own. The motion was carried. In answer to Mr. O'Suliivan, it was stated that any subsidy earned by the district nurse fund would be paid into that special account. Mr. Musker, when leaving, said he was satisfied now that the Board was not hampering the nursing scheme, but he said that he and the settlers generally had held that opinion before he had come to the meeting. ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed for payment as follows:—Hospital. £430 7s 2d; Charitable Aid, £l9B 17s 2d.