HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 272, 23 April 1914, Page 2

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. A! thi> .monthly meeting of the TaraBiiki Hospital Board there were present: "Messrs. K C. J. Bellringer (chairman), \l. ,T. ileße. nolds, D. McAllum, G. W. Browne, E. Maxwell, R. .T. Hill, J. Brown, D. IT. McDonald, G. V. Tate, and Mrs. E. Doekrill.

INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Tlie Inspector (Mr. T. G. Fielder) reporlv I that during the period March 18 to April 20 inclusive he had visited Waitara, Waiongona, Opuuakc, Oeo, Miro, Egrnont Village, Inglewood, Puniho anil Tariki. Twenty-three cases of infectious diseases had been not'fied, details of which were: Scarlet fever, four; diphtheria, one; enteric fever, five; tuberculosis, three; chicken pox, two; anterior poliomyelitis,-eight. He had made eighteen investigations, twentyfour disinfections, and forty-two sanitary inspections, including house to bouse inspection of that portion of the West End district, New Plymouth, where enteric fever was prevalent. He had also disinfected one house after the removal of a 'uoerculosis patient. Samples of the Borough of Waitara water supply taken from the intake and the Borough reticulation had been forwarded to the Analyst. Three cases of fish had been destroyed under the provisions of The Salo of Food and Drugs Act.

NATIVE NURSE'S REPORT.

Nurse Muir, native nurse, reported that during the past month she had attended eight cases, including one maternity case. OLD PEOPLE'S HOME. The matron of the Old People's Home reported two admissions, one departure, and two deaths, leaving in the institution 24 males and 7 females. Supplies had been good. Discipline ihad been good, with the exception of four cases, which had been reported.

HOSPITAL REPORT,

The medical superintendent of the New Plymouth Hospital (Dr. E. A. Walker) reported 45 admissions, 31 dis- : charges, and 4 deaths, leaving no\v in tie institution 59 patients, which was the highest number in residence for the month. Thirty operations had been performed. Ten eases of enteric fever thad been admitted, of which five had been discharged as cured, and of the five who remained two were convalescent. The month had been exceedingly busy in all ' departments.

THE NEW HOSPITAL.

§ Mr. A. H. Kendall, clerk of works, ref ported .that continued progress had been j made with the work at the new liosI pital as far as the late unsettled weather had allowed. The laundry and ward No. 1 portions were about up to roof level, and roof timbers for these portions were being prepared. The plumbers were busy fixing hot and cold water mains under the corridors before the floors were put down. The Waitara Borough Council forwarded a cheque for £9B, being the first instalment of its levy of £4i)S towards the cost of the new hospital. The Egmont County Council forwarded its first instalment of £56 18s 2d.

A NURSE FOE. AWAKINO,

Mr. J. B. .Carr, lion, secretary of the Awakino Nursing Association, wrote that the settlers in that district had decided to form a nuriing association on somewhat similar lines to that at Uruti. A committee had been formed. The settlers were prepared to guarantee £7O per annum towards the nursing fund, most of this sum being now in the hands of the treasurer. Two suitable rooma had been secured for the nurse, and it waa hoped that a cottage might be built for her in the future. Their boundaries were, as near as possible, the north bank of the Tongaporutu river on the south, and the Stoney creek, about four miies south of Mahoenui on the north. These boundaries were likely to make matters somewhat difficult unless they had the Board's assistance, as the greater portion of l the proposed area was in the Waikato Hospital Board's area. The Board no doubt was aware that in no case had any of the patients in this portion of the King Country been treated by the latter Board, the Taranaki Hospital being far more convenient. Could the Board facilitate matters in the direction of allocation of subsidies in order that they could work under the. Board, as was t general wish of the district t ' Dr. Valintine had advised them to approach the Board. They were very anxious to have the nurse stationed in the district as soon as possible, and asked the Board to expedite tho matter. The completion of the area before mentioned would link up that portion of the -backblocks which had .been in sad nfied of | medical comforts. I

A copy of the letter will be forwarded to tlio Minister.

A HOME THRUST.

Mr. F. W. Sutton, Inspector of Dairies, drew attention to the fact that the provisions of the Dairy Industrv Act were not being complied with at the Old People's Home, in that tin l pigsty was placed witliin 50 yards of the milking shed, whilst the same cart that conveyed the milk to the 'hospital was used for carrying brewers' grains and kitchen refuse. He also complained that .the manure liad been allowed" to accumulate outside the pigsty, and that the drain leading from the sty was dirty. The secretary reported that ,the manure had already been removed. The other matters will be attended to immediately.

GENERAL.

lhc Hon. A. L. Herdman, Minister for Justice, wrote with 'referflnee to the Board's application that a portion of the police reserve at Opunake should be handed over to the Board, as a site for a nurse's (home, regretting that as the reserve would be required for Departmental purposes as a reserve paddock for trooj> horses it could not be parted with.

The Treasury forwarded subsidy amounting .to £6O 17s 9d.

Accounts amounting to £364 were passed for payment.