HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 101, 19 October 1911, Page 3

HOSPITAL BOARD.

I m\THLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board was held yesterday. Present: Messrs. F. C. J. Bellringcr (chairman), G. W. Browne, E. Maxwell, M. J. Macßcynolds, J. R. Hill, J. Brown, G. V. Tate, C. O'Sullivan, and D. H. McDonald. OLD PEOPLE'S HOME. Mrs. Bayly, manager of the Old People's Home, reported that during the month the discipline had been good in the institution. There had been three admissions, two inmates had been discharged, and two had died, leaving in the home 2o males and S females. A report from the chairman stated that, owing to some complaints received from an inmate of the Home regarding the food' supply, he had arranged for Dr. Blackley, mt'dieal man in charge of the institution, to pay a surprise visit. Dr. Blackley had been of opinion that the Roard was giving the inmates exceptionally good fare, in fact, far better than need be supplied in such a case. The grumbler had since left.

j MEDICAL REPORT. The medical superintendent, Mr. D. S. Wylie, reported that for the month of September the number of patients admitted had been 43, discharged 4.'i, died 6, leaving in the hospital 37. Mr. Wylie reported that one of the cases that died in the annexe came from an outside district (Hawera). He was in a dying condition on admission and died within four ; days. He was an absolutely unsuitable case for admission to the annexe, and the attention of the Hawera Board should be drawn to the matter, in order' that such cases should not occur in future. THE NURSING STAFF. On the recommendation of the medical superintendent, three months' leave of absence was granted to Nurse Harris. The medical superintendent reported that the nurses should qualify for the certificate they must possess in invalid cookery, and he recommended that the Board should defray the cost of their attending a class in the subject at the Technical College. The recommendation was adopted. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Mr. A. H. Kendall, inspector, reported ' that during the past month he had regularly followed up all cases of infectious disease and disinfected the premises and clothing at the several places where infectious disease existed. During the month he visited Opunakc, made a general inspection, and made inquiries into a case of typhoid fever which had occurred there. At Rahotu he disinfected three whares and the wharepuni that had been occupied by tlie deceased typhoid patient Mohorangi. At Puniho he disinfected the whare that had been occupied by the typhoid patient Bella Rua. also Komene's whare thai had been occupied by typhoid patients Tarite and the Morgans. Tarite was moved to the hospital, against her will, from a house in Molesworth street. New Plymouth, on the 30th September, and the whole house where she had bqen living was thoroughly disinfected. The Maori typhoid patient at Bell Block was *lill isolated and making recovery, and disinfection had been carried out after a case of typhoid fever at Westown. At the request of the shipping company he had on two occasions disinfected cabins cm board the Rarawa after being occupied by persons suffering from infectious disease. Disinfection in phthisis cases had been carried out nt Westown and Egmont Village, and after scarlet fever at Tariki and ,Inglewood, The Hillsborough school had also been disinfected during the month. He had made inspection of several premises in which' the preparation or sale of food was carvied on in Inglewood, Waitara, and Now Plymouth.

•ERADICATION OF CONSUMPTION. Tlie secretary of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board forwarded a copy of the following resolution passed by his Board: "That the attention of the Government be drawn to the urgent necessity of an amount being placed upon the Estimates to cope with the eradication of consumption, and that the undermentioned resolution, which was unanimously passed by the hospital and charitable aid boards at the conference recently held in Wellington, be immediately given effect to, viz., that in the opinion of this conference it is imperative that the Government place such sum upon the Estimates and formulate such regulations as will enable the hospital boards of the Dominion to endeavor to effectively stamp out the spread of tuberculosis; and that this resolution be forwarded to the whole of the hospital and charitable aid boards throughout the Dominion asking their co-operation herein." The letter asked for the co-opera-tion of the Board in bringing pressure to bear upon the Government to give effect to the resolution.

The members doubted if anything could be done during thc t present session of Parliament, but it was unanimously agreed to support the Otago Board in its action. GENERAL. The action of Mr. McDonald in guaranteeing a month's rent of a cottage at Inglewood was confirmed. The owner had heen about to take extreme treasures owing to some months' rent being in arrear.—The inspector is to report upon the circumstances of the tenant, who is a recipient oif charitable aid. A letter was received from the New Plymouth Borough Council, conveying the resolution passed at Tuesday night's meeting of the Council re Tamar street. —The matter was left in the hands of the Chairman. Dr Leatham, honorary radiographer at the hospital, wrote that whilst in Sydney, recently he had ordered some goods to make the Board's X-ray apparatus more efficient.—Action confirmed. Accounts were passed for payment: Hospital, £525 lis; charitable aid, £152 J 6s lOd; total, .£077 17s lOd. I