HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 105, 19 September 1912, Page 6

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board was held at New Ply. iti" 'th yesterday. Mr. F. C. .1. Bell ringer (Hi urman) presided, and. other members It resent were: Messrs. A. 11. Ilalcombe, -I. Brown, E. Maxwell, fi. W. Browne, W. Cut field, .1. R. Hill, M. J. Maeßeynolds, Q. V. Tate and I). 11. McDonald. URUTI NURSING SCHEME.

Dr. Valintine wrote regretting that complaints had been voiced by the secretary of the Uruti District Nurse Fund that the rules drawn up by the Department, under which the nurses were expected to work, detracted from the usefulness of the scheme in the district. The rules were drawn up on broad lines, and were subject io modification to suit the conditions ill different districts. Nurses in the Uruti district should attend to any case of illness, should stay in the house if not required at another case, and generally adapt themselves to the needs of the district to which they are placed. Rules might be drawn up by the local committee for special conditions of the district, which would be submitted to the Department for approval. providing they were consistent with the general rules which formed the basis of the district nurses scheme. The secretary (Mrs. H. Larsen) of the Uruti District Nurse Fund notified the Board that she was applying to the Department for sufficient funds to build a small cottage for the district nurse. The secretary also expressed the appre- | eiation of the Association of the present | nurse (Miss Kelly), who had been kept busv since her arrival.

Mr. Halcombe pointed out that, ac- I cording to the rules, a nurse could not I go into a house unless the householder was able to pay for her services. It was impossible for the nurse to discriminate. This being the case, the scheme was quite unworkable in the Uruti district. ] It was decided to apply to the Department for a copy of the rules, and to forward Dr. Valintines' letter to the Uruti Nursing Association. Mr. Halcombe's motion that the Board contribute a sum of, say, £25 per year ' towards the Uruti District Nurse's Fund was held over by the Board until next meeting. DUAL RESPONSIBILITY. A communication, was received from the Chief Health Officer (Dr. Valintine) in reference to the maintenance of some blind children, which has been the subjest of considerable correspondence. There was no doubt, lie remarked, that dual responsibility for their maintenance would never be satisfactory. He had been instructed by the Minister of PuVlic Health and Education to draw up a special report on the' subject, with a view to putting the whole question on a better basis. ' SUBSIDY. The Treasury Department forwarded the sum of £338 9s 4(1, representing a subsidy of 21s 3d in the £ on £313 9s 6d, and 24s in the £ on £4 10s. MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT'S ' REPORT.

In his monthly report, the medical superintendent (Dr. E. A. Walker) stated that 44 patients'were.' admitted to the hospital last month. Thirty-four were discharged, and three, had' died,. leaving 45 remaining in tlie institution. Twentyseven operations were performed. He had to report, hesaid, another busy month. The woman's ward lyid. been again constantly overcrowded, while the isolatjon ward, with its. limited resources, had been fully tsixed. OLD PEOPLE'S HOME. The, matron (Mrs. A. Bayly) reported that during the past' month evterything had been satisfactory at the Old' People's Home. The discipline had been excellent. One person (a male) had been admitted, leaving 24 males and seven females in the institution. INSPECTOR'S REPORT.

The inspector (Mr. A. H. Kendall) reported that during the past month four cases of scarlet fever, one case of diphtheria, and one case, of phthisis were notified in the district. The premises from which the two cases of diphtheria were notified at Tariki and Ratapiko had been visited, and at the proper time disinfection was carefully carried out. Eleven premises were disinfected in various parts of tlie district during the month, and very full enquiries had been made with a view to tracing, if possible, the origin of the outbreak of searlet fever. He had inspected bread, meat, and other food shops, in the places visited.