TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1917, Page 7

TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board met yesterday. Present: Mr. F, C. J, Bellritiger (chairman), Mrs. Dockrill, Messrs. J. Macßeynolds, J. R. Hill, A. H. Halcorabe, D. H. McDonald, D. MeAllum and S. V. Tate. Apologies were received from Messrs E. Maxwell and A. E. Sykes. MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT'S EEPORT. Dr. E. A. Walker reported: —February has been a busy month and in addition to a well-occupied main building, the annexe and isolation blocks have been continuously open. I regret to have to report that a nurse on dutj in the isolation ward lias contracted scarlet fever from a patient, and there can be no doubt that the conditions of the building in which work is carried on are largely responsible for the occurrence. I see no alternative to opening the old briilding as a temporary measure for the treatment of infectious disease.

Patients admitted dur.ng the month were S2; discharged 81; died 7. Re-maining-in hospital, 81. Highest number for one day 95. Daily average 86.4. Number of operations 37. Miss E. Brown reported that Nurses Farley and Clark had resumed duty after their" annual leave. Sister Campbell was taking part of her statutory holiday and Nurse Austin was away on sick leave. Sister Wallace had resigned her position as ward sister, and Nurses Jackson, Daplvn and Mettam had also tendered their resignations. The health of the staff generally was good.

OLD PEOPLE'S HOME. . ■ ! Mr. Samuel Adams, at present 5n charge of the Old People's Home, reported:—The supplies have been satisfactory and discipline very good. Admissions ( have been three, departure one, death s one. Remaining in the Home, males s 33, females four; total 37. i The matron, Mrs. Bayly, left on an- i nual leave on Friday, the 23rd, 1 INSPECTOR'S REPORT. >1 Mr. A. H. Kendall (health inspector) reported as follows: Since my last report 17 eases of infectious disease were notified in the district as follows: Two cases of scarlet fever in the Taranaki County; five cases ! of diphtheria in New Plymouth, and four in Waitara; two cases of enteric fever at Moturoa, and one in the Clifton County; one case of tuberculosis in the Taranaki County, one in New Plymouth, and one in the Egmont County. The cases of diphtheria, I understand, were generally of a mild nature. One oi the cases of scarlet fever was at Oakura, and the other at Mangorei. The two cases of typhoid fever at Moturoa were both Maoris, whose premises, along with others in that locality, I have visited very frequently. In one of the patient's cases the sanitary condition of the premises was very bad, the convenience being situated within, and effectually enclosed by the outer walls of the basement of the dwelling, and the emanations were distinctly noticeable in the rooms above. The other case was probably a contact —as both the patients were friends—but this case was from reasonably clean premises. In the first case improvement was effected immediately in accordance with verbal directions, and the insanitary fixture removed at once. The third case was of a Maori child in the Urerrai district. Here the premises were fairly clean, and no contact with the cases at Moturoa has yet been traced. I have visited the premises of the latter patient on two occasions, and am continuing my investigations with a view, if possible, to tracing the origin of the case. One of the cases of phthisis was that of a returned soldier at Koru who had Buffered great hardships at the Sommc and other places in France; one was a working man in New Plymouth, and the other a native at Pmigarelui. AH cases have been visited immediately on receipt of notification, premises disinfected, and reports forwarded to th<; Public Health Department in Wellington. During the month a visit was paid to the district by the District Health Officer (Dr. Watt), who went into the matters of Waitara water supply and also a proposed site for a rubbish depot at Waitara. The proposed site of the depot did not meet with the approval of the District Health Officer, and in con-' nection with the water supply, the District Health Officer made a careful and thorough examination of the head-works and all possible sources of pollution, with the result that certain requisitions for improvement or alteration are pending. Dr. Watt also went into the matter of certain old buildings in New Plymouth, and several other matters requiring attention.

• EGMONT NURSING DISTRICT. The Revs. Gosnell and Stent waited on the Board and asked that another nurse be appointed to assist Nurse Elliott in th© Egmont County. The county was without a resident doctor, the last having been taken for Government work. There were at present two visiting doctors. The chairman sMC'd liat great difficulty was ex/.u-hed in obtaining nurses at the presu.-t tine. He thought the responsibility for olt i_i..j a nurse should rest with the Go\"niu"r.t. Mr. Macßeynolds said there was ample accommodation for two nurses. The chairman add 1 there nas no question thn-t Nurse Eili./t h./> far too much work and was greatly ii need of assistance. The Rev. Goonel! thought fh_ Gsvetnment ought to come f"r rard (.'.id help, seeing that their doctor had lean by the Government. It was resolved thi-t the position U: existing at Opunake he placed before Dr. Valintinc, Chief Health Officer. WAITARA SANITATION. f Reference was made by the chairman to the frequent outbreaks of disease in Waitara which seemed to indicate that eomething was wrong with the water supply which might be obtained from some other source than it was at present. Mr. Halcombe thought that the sanitory part of the Borough and not the water . supply was the cause ■of the frequent outbreaks. Samples of water had been taken, and, on analysis, the water was found to be perfectly good. Tlio matter was left in the hands of the inspector (Mr. Kendall) to report upon.

HOSPITAL REPRESENTATION. A letter from the Inspector Geneva i (Dr Valintine) stated that census figures now being available opportunity had been taken to review representation on Hospital and Charitable Aid Boaiis, with the result, tha*- it is fcurd

tative before the next county Therefore the appointment would have to be altered to give Taranaki County three representatives instead of four. This would reduce the number on the Board from eleven to len.

SUPPLIES OF COTTON DRESSINGS. Also that owing to the rise in the price of cotton and the extent to which such a rise is likely to influence the cost of dressings for the hospitals of the Dominion he would lie glaa to know the amount of dressings required before the price of cotton increased much higher. The chairman stated that the hospita' had in hand supplies of cotton dressings to last for three years. INCREASE IN NURSES' SALARIES. Mr. Halcombe moved that from April 1 the salaries of the first, second, mil third year nurses be increased to £24, £3G and £4B a year respectively, and thereafter £lO rises; also that- nurses remaining in the Eoard's employment for four years receive an additional certificate. The motion was carried unanimously. HOUSE STEWARD AND DISPENSER'S REPORT.

Mr. C. F. R. Perrm furnished his first report, in which he dealt fully with the matters which had occupied his attention during the month. He also pointed out that numerous improvements were required at the isolation block unless a new building was immediately contemplated. TENDERS ACCEPTED. At. the last meeting of the Board tenders were called for supplies to the Hospital and the following were accepted:— )3read, May and Arrowsmith; meat, City Meat Stores; wood and coal, W. E. Bendall; vegetables, E. J. Gwillim; groceries, J. McNeill. NURSES' HOME. Mr. McAllum moved that the building of the nurses' home be deferred till after the war. He thought the nurses should put up with the present conditions and that the calling up of the money for building purposes from the ratepayers would be hard on them. There was no seconder, and the matter ■lapsed. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £1778 10s 7d were passed for payment