TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 June 1917, Page 6

TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly- meeting of the Taranaki 'Hospital and .Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday. Present: SJMrs. E. Dockrill, Messrs. E. Gilmour, W. J. Mcßeynolds, J. R. Hill, G. V. Tate, E. Maxwell, D. >H, Mac Donald and D. McAllum. In the absence of the chairman, Mr. C. M. Leppcr, through illness, Mr. E. Maxwell was voted to the chair. NORSES' HOME. Mr. McAllum moved the resolution brought forward by him at last meeting but deferred for a month, to the effect that the matter of erecting a nurses' home be deferred till after the war. Mr. Mac Donald said the motion had been held over as there was not then a full meeting of the Board. The same objection now held good, as three members were absent. ~ , Mr. McAllum offered no objection to a further adjournment of the question for another month and this course was agreed upon. MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT'S 'REPORT. Dr. A. Walker, medical superintendent reported as joUows:—"A month of steady work has to be .recorded. The annexe has been continuously open and the isolation and Tariki wards have been open for diphtheria and scarlatina respectively. Thirteen soldiers have been under treatment in the institution while nine have attended ao outpatients. I have to recommend that Nurse Kennedy be appointed to the vacancy on ■the sisters' staff. In view of the increase of hospital work of the staff, and of patients, I hpve to suggest that-the toy-laws and regulations for the management of the institution be revised and brought up tb date." The report was adopted, and the recommendation that Nurse Kennedy be promoted approved. In connection with the suggested revision of the byjaws the secretary stated that he had obtained copies of the by-laws at the hospitals in thf four centres, and had sent them to Dr. Walker for his consideration. ' On the suggestion of Mr. Maxwell the question of revising the by-laws was set down as special business for next meeting. MATRON'S REPORT, The matron, Miss -E. Browne, reported that Nurses Greatbatch and Lansley had returned from holidays and resumed duty, Nurses Austin and' Paget returning to ward duty. Nurse Patchett, who relieves the district nurse at Opunake for a month, had returned and taken up her usual duties. Having only one candidate for State examination, Nurse Anderson had to report at the Wanganui Hospital on June 12, returning to duty on June 15. Mrs. Lambert and Miss Salway had taken up the duties of pupil nurses. Great difficulty had been experienced during the month in obtaining bedroom accommodation for the nurses. The report was adopted and a recommendation that sick leave be granted to one of the nurses >was approved, HOUSE STEWARD'S REPORT, v Several recommendations in the report of the house steward, Mr. Perrin report as -to repairs to window fastenings and other small works were referred to the house committee with power to act. A recommendation by Mr. Perrin that the ward stewards receive Is for each night call 'was approved, while his application to be provided with an incinerator for the destruction of refuse was held over to enable members to inspect '.the premises and ascertain the requirements in this -connection. - INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The" health inspector, Mr. A. H. Kendall, reported that 21 cases of infectious disease had been notified in the district since the last meeting of the Board, the distribution of which was as follows: Two cases of diphtheria in Taranaki County, one being at Spotswood and one at Bell Block; six cases of scarlet fever, nine cases of diphtheria and two cases of enteric fever in New Plymouth; one caso'of scarlet fever in the Egmont County; and one case of tuberculosis at Pukearuhe in the Clifton County. The majority of the cases' notified were of a very mild character and precautions have -been taken in every case and disinfection carried out in all cases requiring such. During the month he had reported to"'the district health officer at Wellington on several matters including an alleged nuisance near New Plymouth. He had also inspected meat and food shops, marts, restaurants and other places, and had also visited and carefully inspected many places likely to have connection with any case of infectious disease arising in the district. The report was adopted. OLD-PEOPLE'S HOME. The matron, Mrs. E. Bayly, reported that .even-thing was progressing wry -favorably in the Old? People's Home. The supplies 'had been satisfactory. , The discipline had been excellent with the exception of one case which had been dealt with by the chairman. There had been five admissions to and two departures from the institution, the remaining inmates numbering 35 males and five females. HOUSE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. A recommendation from the House Committee that the salaries of the hospital be Tevised in accordance with a schedule submitted was, on the motion of Mr. Mcßeynolds, held over till next tneoting, in the meantime each member of the Board to be supplied with a ■statecmnt showing the present salaries and the proposed increases. The house committee recommended that the nurses' cottage be renovated, and Mr. Gilmour stated it was absolutely necessary that samething should be done' The committee had asked Mr. Messenger to inspect the building and had nstimated the cost of the necessary renairs at £6O or £7o.—lt was decided that the members should personally inspect the cottage on their visit to the iWnital during the afternoon. .the house committee recommended that the internal telephone arrangements at the hospital be improved and that the que'tioif of additional accommodation for soldi«s should receive attentlon.Held overspending personal inspection. ' jGENERAL. * - The Otago Hospital Board notified their intention' to charge 5s for tGejnamtenance of a resident of New PlyrmTutli admitted tqy,tlu3ir institution.—Approval. -1.-. ■»■ Tho miinMpel-elastafcal engineer, Mr. irthiiri mrr < rrf fl, T*" t "— "*■** ""^

factory to fix an annual fee for the maintenance and supervision of the electrical appliances at the hospital, owing to the fluctuations in the mice of material. Be was prepared, however, to undertake the work on payment by the Board of actual cost price, an arrangement he considered would prove the most satisfactory and prove a saving to the Board.—On the motion of Mr. Gilmour it was decided to accept Mr Bartley's offer. A letter was received from Messrs. Messenger and Griffiths, stating that in the .event of the Board not going oil with the erection of the nurses' home their fee for the plans and estimate would be H per cent, on the estimated cost of the building. If the Board's enquiry on tho subject was, however, only with a view to postponing the erection of tho building they would be prepared either tb allow the amount to stand over till the building is proceeded with and then to merge in the usual fees, or to accept payment now on condition that the amount will he deducted from the Usual fees when the building is proceeded with.—On the motion of Mr. Tate consideration was deferred till next meeting. The Red Post Furnishing Company asked for payment of balance due on their contract for the supply of bedsteads, stating,that the defects complained of had now been remedied.—The secretary stated that he had sent a copy of the letter to Dr. Walker for his report hut had received no reply, the doctor v being out of town. According to legal advice the Board would be fully within its- right if they returned the 'bedsteads —On the motion of Mr. Maxwell, seco*.ued by Mr. Gilmour, it was resolved that the company be informed that the bedsteads are quite unsuitable and that they be called upon to replace them with bedsteads in accordance with contract. \ The' Wellington Charitable Aid Board asked for co-operation in securing power for boards to takejover insurance policies on inmates of Old People's Homes in order to provide for their maintenance, instancing a case in which by refunding premiums to a person to whom a policy had been assigned they could secure an amount sufficient to pay a debt already incurred for maintenance and leaving a balance sufficient for two or three years to come.—lt was decided to make representations ,to the Minister in the direction ffidicated. The Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board notified the admission' of a female patient who was a nurse at the Hamilton Hospital and whose relatives resided in Taranaki.—Reply to foe sent 'suggesting that nurses from one hospital Bhould be treated gratuitously in any other. The Uruti Nursing Association asked if the board wefte still- endeavoring to get a nurse for their district. If a properly qualified nur3e was not available an elderly lady used to nursing work might be appointed to temporarily 411 the position.—Consideration deferred. The Red Cross Society notified that the furniture in the soldiers' room at the hospital was the Society's property, and had been insured by them. —Held over for consideration along with the matter of soldiers' accommodation. Accounts amounting to £2149 5s Cd were passed for payment and the Board adjourned till Tuenday enxt to complete tho business on the order paper.