HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1918, Page 2

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING, The monthly meeting of (,'iie Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was !)eld yesterday; Air. M- Frascr (chairman) presided ami there were also present: Messrs. A. K. Sykcs, 0. Capper, J. Young, R. W- McNeill, A. Halcoinbe, C. Andrews, F. J. Hill, and J. Andrews. An apology was received lor tlie absence of Mr. R- Morgan. SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT. The medical.superintendent (Br. E. A. Walker) reported a month of steady work in all departments. On 13 days tbere were over one hundred patients under treainient. Diphtheria and scarlet fever cases were under treatment :in the isolation ward, there being an increase in the number of diphtheria cases. Two deaths from enteric fever had taken plaice. Though the cases were •few, they were of a severe type. Sixteen soldiers had been treated as inpatients, and 32 as out-patients. The .provision of a new and efficient incinerator was a matter of urgency. The number of admissions for the month was 88, discharges 108, deaths 5; remaining iin the hospital 85; liigkest number for one day 110, daily average 98 ; number of operations 55. ACTING-MATRON'S REPORT. The acting-matron (Miss Gladys Gill) reported that the matron ('Miss Campihett) returned from holiday leave on 'April' 15. Nurse Laneley went on leave on March 23 and returned on April 12. |Nurse Wilson returned to duty on April 4, and Nurse Cart-wright went on holi:day leave on April 5- Nurse Farley went off duty on April 5, ill with diphtheria. The laundress went on holiday .leave on March 29.

HOUSE STEWARD'S REPORT. ■ The- dispenser and house-steward (Mr. C. P. B. Pcrrin) reported on various matters that had engaged his attention about the hospital premises during themonth.. The recent gale did a jw I ', tjai. of damage to windows and fan!) js& R.ANGIA.TEA HOMEThe Matron (.Mrs. A. Bayly) reported everything to be .in a satisfactory state. There had been one admission during the month, and there were remaining in the home 44 inmates. FARM MANAGER'-S REPORT. The farm manager (Mr. W. C. Nable) reported that matters were working smoothly. He was at present holding 35 pigs in the styes. Sixteen cows were being milked and had produced 10,7701bs of niilk during the month. He stated lie could do with one or two more cows to replace those going out. He was finding it hard to get .grazing for the cows going dry, and desired to conserve the supply of prepared food.

HEALTH INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The health inspector (Mr. A. H. Kendall) reported 15 coses of infectious disease during the month as follows:—One case of scarlet fever and seven cases of diphtheria in the Taranaki County; two cases of diphtheria and two of enteric fever in the Borough of New ¥f f mouth;-one case of diphtheria at Ing> wood, one at Oaonui, in the Eginont County, and one at Uruti in the Clifton County. Two deaths from infectious diseases occurred during the month—one in Taranaki County and one in New [.Plymouth. Several of the cases of infectious diseases occurred at places a long distance from each other. Prompt attention had been given as far as possible to all cases notified, and all the necessary precautions taken. Inspection of food supplies had' been carried out.as usual. Ten sampleß of milk had been sent forward for analysis and all had been found to comply with, regulations.

DISTRICT NURSE'S REPORT. Tho district nurse at Opunake (Miss I. D. Holdsworth) reported having attended and advised in seven European cases of sickness and seven Maori cases. There were no epidemic illnesses to report. The general health of the corninunity appeared to be nojroal. Messrs Young and McNeill reported ■on the satisfactory re-organisation of the Opunake Nursing Association.

CORRESPONDENCE. The secretary of the Tariki Patriotic Committee wrote asking for particulars of the case of the German mentioned at the last meeting of the board as receiving aid board. The society considered it a gross misuse of ratepayers' money, and also strongly resented the suggestion that such assistance should come out of patriotic funds. The letter further stated that there were a, number of well-to-do German settlers in the district whoso sons in some cases were earning up to 25s per day and who could doubtless find work for and support their needy fellow-countrymen. A reply had been sent to the society setting out the full details of the case and pointing out that while the board did not consider the case one for charitable aid or patriotic relief, the necessitous state of the family of the man made it imperativo that immediate assistance should bo given, and seeing that a great part of the Hospital Board's funds were provided by the Government the Board could not very well have taken any other course at the time on the advice received from the Government. The Board considered the matter should be taken up by the general public and pressed home by the member for the district.

The chairman stated that he did not think anything further could be done in the matter. The Minister of Public Health would probably ba visiting the district soon and the matter could them be brought under his notice again. In the meantime relief was still being afforded, thougli by far the greater' proportion came out of Government money and not that of the ratepayers.

GENERAL. The chairman explained that the House Committee hud considered the question of new office accommodation and in view of difficulties presented, reported in favor of building offices on tne board's own property in Dawson street instead of leasing offices. Plans had been prepared by the board's archiWt, and an estimate of the cost, of the proposed offices submitted. Mr. Sykes moved that the question of ofik'e accommodation and other matters connected therewith be one of the urgent matters to be brought under the notice of the Minister on his visit to >iw Plymouth. The motion was sec-

onded by Mr. Halcoinbe and carried unanimously. ' In reply to a telegram from the board to the Minister of Public Health asking him .iether he would visit New Plymouth or receive a deputation from the board on the question of financing the proposed new nurses' home, the Hon. G. W. Russell stated he would be pleased to visit Now Plymouth and meet the board at as early a date as possible. Accounts amounting to £27K 18s Gd Were passed for payment. The board then went into committee.