HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1916, Page 8

HOSPITAL BOARD.

RECORD YEAR AT HOSPITAL. A BUSY DECEMBER. The Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board met yesterday. 'Present: Alessrs l'\ 0. J. Bellringer (chairman), D. H. McDonald, G. V Tate, J. Brown,' J. R. Hill, D. McAllum, M. J. Macßeynolds, E. Maxwell, A. E. Sykes, A. H. Ilalcombe and Mrs. Dockrill.

The medical superintendent of the hospital (Dr, E. A. Walker) reported that the number of patients admitted to thes hospital during the month'of December was 7'2, and (>4 had been discharged The number of operations performed ivas 30. The month had seen the stall' fully employed, and the number of admissions constituted a record. The operations performed in 101S numbered 400, with a total mortality from all cause of 8. The steady increase of surgical work had been previously noted The past year's figures were 55 ahead of 1914 (the previous highest) and more than double the number for 1911.

Mrs. A. Bayly, matron of the Old People's Home, reported that everything had been progressing very favorably during the past mouth, The discipline had been excellent, with the exception of one case. There had been five admissions and two departures, leaving in the Home 34 (30 males and four females).

GENERAL. The -Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) wrote asking the Board to allow medical boards the use of a room or rooms in the hospital for the purpose of examining sick and wounded soldiers. He suggested that the local hospital would be a most convenient place for such meetings.—The chairman reported that the request had been granted.

Messrs Goldwater Bros. wrote that owing to the largely increased cost of wines, spirits and cordials, they were compelled to cancel their present contract, and would be pleased to submit a new list of prices.—The lo*i«r was received and agreed to, and the chairman was empowered to make month to month arrangements. Captain A. MacDiarmid wrote resigning his position as lion, dental surgeon at the hospital. In doing so, he suggested that the Board consider the advisability of instructing the medical staff to the effect that dental work in connection with the institution should be done by the dental surgeon or surgeons, and not by the modical staff as at present. The former, being specialists, were better qualified to perform dental operations, and the latter, In performing operations, verge closely on a breach of professional etiquette.—The resignation was accepted The following were placed on the probationers' list at the hospital:—Misses Muriel F. Harrison (London), Dorothy G. Farley (New Plymouth), Phoebe Waite (Tarata) and Fanny Sim (Waiiotara).

A motion to rescind a resolution increasing the salary of the health inspector was lost by six votes to five.