NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1915, Page 7

NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL.

MEKXINjG OF THE BOARD. The Taranaki Hospital and Charitftbla Aid Board met yesterday. Present: Mr. P. O. J. Bellringer (chairman;, Mrs. Dockrill, and Messrs A. E. Sykes, E. Maxwell, M. J. Macßeynolds, D. McAllum, J. 11. Hill, D. 11. McDonald, A. H. HaJcombo, G. V. Tate and J. Brown. THE HOSPITAL. , Dr. E, A. Walker, medical superintend* ent of the hospital, reported that 69 patients were admitted during the past month, while 08 had been discharged and one had died. There remained in the (lospital 61 patients. The highest number in the institution on one day was 63. Forty-two operations were performed. OLD iEEOiPLE'e HOME. Mrs. ißayly, matron of the Old People's Home, reported that everything had progressing favorably, during the past month. The supplies had been very good and the discipline excellent. There had been two admissions and one death. There remained in the institution 31 males and three females. PUBLIC HEALTH. The inspector reported that during the .past month 18 oases of diphtheria were notified in the district as follows: Taranaki couaiy l f New IPlymouth 3, Waitara 0, Clifton county 3. There were two vases of scarlet fever in the Taranaki county and one in New Plymouth, and also one case of {Musis in the Ollfton county. The inspector hoped the severity of the outbreak of diphtheria wets aknst at an end. A NEW DEPARTURE. Mr. Sykes brought up the question of the increase in the cost of drugs, etc., whidh, he said, was going to be a very serious matter. He suggested that a dispenser should be' appointed at the hospital and that drugs should be bought wholesale. A system could be established wihich would be better than the present one, and which would be a saving to the hospital, The chairman said that a trial purchase of drugs was to be made on the lines suggested by Mr. Sykes. , Mr. Sykes gave notice that the whole question of appointing a dispenser and the supply of drugs should be considered at the next meeting of the Board.

GENERAL. Letters were received from nine Hospital Boards -Tew Zealand agreeing with the Taranaki Board's opinion that the new system of keeping accounts was unnecessary and entailed extra labor. A letter was received from the town clerk stating that the Borough Council regretted that owing to financial reasons the Council could not alter its previous decision not to undertake the approach to the new hospital.

Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P.,'wrote stating that he \yould, with other members, Interview the Minister for Hospitals in regard to the question of securing a suitable site for a hospital at Opunake. The resignations oV Nurse Moore and Nurse Miller were accepted. The following were placed on the probationers' list:—Misses Mary E. Dollimorc (Aria), Gertrude L. Greatbatch (New Plymouth), Hilda Edwards (Ohaupo, Auckland), Eileen McGahev (New Plymouth), Violet R. Redmond (Auckland),-and Daphne Jessop (Otaki).