HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1916, Page 7

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the above Board was held yesterday. Present:.— Messrs. F. C. J. Bellringer (chairman), A. E. Sykes, J. Brown, 13, Maxwell, M. J. Macßeynolds, J. R. Hill, G. V. Tate, D. H. McDonald, and'D. McAllum. REPORTS, The matron of the hospital reportna that Sister Campbell was away on annual leave, and Nurses Anderson and Nicoll were absent on sick leave. Nurses Jackson and Daplyn had passed the State examination. Six of tlic nurses are taking a course of cookery at tl'e Technical College. Miss Surry has resigned, and Miss Edwards is recommended to fill the vacancy. A donation of a handsome volume of Shakespeare for the nurses' library from Mr. W. W. Smith, and also gifts of flowers from Mr. Roberts, were acknowledged. The matron of the Old People's Home reported that the institution had progressed very favorably during the month. The. discipline wa 9 excellent, with the exception of three cases, which were dealt with by the chairman. There had been five admissions, and three departures. Remaining in the Home, 32 males and live females.

, The medical superintendent reported that during July 94 patients were admitted to the hospital and 107 were discharged. There had not been any deaths, and there were 80 patients remaining in the institution. Operations totalled 49. Dr. Walker remarked: A busy month, with annexe and isolation accommodation fully taxed, has to be reported. At tli'J latter, diphtheria, measles and scarlet fever are under treatment. Mr. P. de la Haye has kindly offered to give daily massage to one returned soldier, and Gunner Holswich is deriving definite benefit from the treatment.

The house steward and dispenser, Mr. O. P. Bastings, furnished his monthly report on various matters that had required attention during the period.

On the motion of Messrs. Brown and Macßeynolds the reports were received.

INSPECTOR'S REPORT During the past month 20 eases of infectious disease (three of scarlet fever, and 23 of diphtheria) were notified in the district. These cases were distributed as follows:—One case of diphtheria on the Albert road; throe on the Frankley road; and two on the Mangorei road; or a total of six in the Taranaki County. There was one case of scarlet fever and 17 cases of diphtheria in New Plymouth, and also two cases of scarlet fever in the Clifton County at Uruti. Of the 23 cases of diphtheria 7 were adults or very young children, and had no connection with any school. Of the patients who had been attending school there were four each from the Central, Courteney, and Frankley schools; two from the West End school, and one each from the Boys' High (preparatory) and Albert road schools. I should like to place on record tho valued assistance given by all school teachers and committees in {he efforts which have been made to cope with the visitation of diphtheria.

It is noteworthy that in only one, or at most, two eases of the disease at schools did the patients come from the same class or standaid. Owing to the thorough measures taken in the schools both generally and locally in the case of special disinfection and treatment of each drtk, books, and other school materials used by each patient I was hoping that the number of cases for this month would have been much reduced, and this would have been the case had it not been for the seven cases which were not connected with any school. Two of these latter were married women without school children, two others were youths of 17, and one was a young lady well past school age. Almost without exception all the cases'of infectious disease occurred in particularly clean homes. Special thorough and prompt measures for disinfection have been taken in all cases of infectious disease, and every case has been visited with the exception of the scarlet fever at Uruti which I am proposing to visit. During the month, and in accordance \yith instructions, thorough disinfection of the old hospital has been carried out by fumigation and.spraying with form" lin. . GENERAL.. It was resolved, on the motion of Messrs.. Brown and Sykes, that the House Committee visit the hospital at least once a month *o confer with the house steward and dispenser. It was decided that a bicycle he pleural for the native nurse in the Opunake district.

The Board agreed to'the rates fiwd by the Borough Council for the water supply to the hospital buildings and Old People's Home. With reference to the use of the old hospital building for the treatment of infectious disease, J)r. Valintine, Inspec-tor-General of Hospitals, acknowledged the report of the medical superintendent. He could understand the doctor's objections to the use of the old buildings, and agreed that it would bo better for the Board to erect a new infectious hospital. However, the Board no doubt considered the present time inopportune for incur ring the expense, and it would be as well to use the old buildings until more propitious times. He would discuss the matter with the Board when next he visited Taranaki. Mr. Harwell did not think that the whole of the building was required for the purpose, and t!'4 Board would have a big hurdle in maintaining it. The House Committee should copsult with the architect and Dr. Valintine, and have a clear idea as to the requirements. The matter was left to the House Committee to report on and deal with as occasion arises.

Messrs Wilson and Grey, solicitors, informed the Board that the late Mrs. 2 .Mil Hullce had made a bequest of £IOO to the Board. Members expressed their high appreciation of tho kindness of the deceased, and it was decided to write in suitable terms to the executors of the will. Circular letters were received from the Otago and Auckland Hospital Board* protesting against the amendment of regulations in the Nurses' Registration Act, and asking for the Taranaki Board' sr.pport. 'L" -.e District Health Officer asked wli./ .tCj.s were taken' to disinfect cabs Oi other vehicles that conveyed infections diseases to the hospital.—The secretary reported having replied that rigid disinsection of all vehicles wa s systematically carried out. A letter was received from the contract bread suppliers to tho hospital offering the Board a concesion in reducing the price per 41b loaf to Bd.—Resolved that the contractors (Messrs Farmer and C.pelaiid). be thankul for tlicir aeneroup nnnsideratioa.