HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1918, Page 3

HOSPITAL BOARD.

lIOXTIILY MEETIXa. , The monthly meeting of the Taranaki 'Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday. There were present: Messrs M. Eraser (chairman), A. E. Sykes, G. Capper, J. Young, C. Andrews, V. J- Hill, 3. Andrews, and R. W. McNeill. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs A. 11. Ilalcoiube and R. Morgan. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. The medical superintendent (Dr. E. A. Walker) reported that the patients admitted numbered 10S, discharged 121, deaths 4, remaining in hospital 97. The highest number for one day was 112, and daily average 101.7. The number of operations was 55. He stated that the highest daily average of the present yi ar had been reached during the month, which had been marked by steady work all round. Twenty-three soldiers were treated &a in-patients and 44 as outpatients. There is no diminution in the number of diphtheria admissions. During the first six months of HUG, there were 102 cases treated in the isolation ward, with one death, and in the second six months there were 07 cases and two deaths. In lfH'f the figures were 105 cases and all recovered. From January to June of the present year 103 cases were admitted, and there had been no deaths. Such results emphasise the paramount value of anti-toxin treatment promptly used. MATRON'S REPORT. The Matron ,Miss B. A- Campbell) reported that Nurses Lambert and Taylor had gone off duty on holiday leave, and Nurses Lansley and Austin returned from holiday. Nurse Hudson was off duty on account of having developed diphtheria. Nurses Humphrey and Groo' l, y commenced work as probationers on June 20. Nurse Hodge resigned at the beginning of the month, ami Nurse Lupine at the end of last month, the latter taking up nursing l in an Auckland private hospital. I HOUSE STEWARD'S REPORT. The House steward and dispenser (Mr. C. F. B. Perrin) reported on various matters that had engaged his attention in connection with the work of the hospital during the month, RANGIATEA HOME. The matron (Mrs A- Bagly) reported a satisfactory month Thero had been two admissions, two discharges, and one death, and there were forty-six inmates remaining in the home (40 men and 0 women). FARM MANAGER'S REPORT. The farm manager (Mr. W. C Noble) reported that for the month the dairy herd had produced 10,138 Ibs""of milk, though that was hardly sufficient for all departments. On account of the .very severe weather some of the cows had been stabled at night, and the result had been wonderful, and now 14 cows were being stabled. DISTRICT NURSE'S REPORT. The district nurse at Opunake (Miss J. D. Holdsworth) reported having attended 15 cases (12 Europeans and 3 Natives) and one maternity case. She had also assisted Dr. fiharpe at four operations. The Uruti nurse (Miss M. Quinn) reported attending one ca3e at Ahititi and one at Uruti. HEALTH INSPECTOR'S REPORT.

The health inspector (Mr. A. 11. Kendall) reported 27 cases of infectious diseases during the month, which was a considerable and satisfactory reduction compared with last month, when 58 cases were reported. One ea.se of scarlet, fever and 7 cases of diphtheria were reported from, the Taranaki County: seven cases of diptheria from the Borough of New Plymouth; one case of scarlet fever and seven of diphtheria from Inglewood; six cases of diphtheria from Egmont County and three from the Clifton County. Several of the schools had had a very thorough cleansing. The report suggested that more regular attention to such matters would do a "good deal towards eliminating much of the infection which must have been spread in the' past, by the use 'by children of varying degrees of cleanliness, of the same desks during the ■course of their' education. UNIFORMITY OF CHARGES The Department of Public. Health wrote drawing attention to the fact that for the past financial year the average cost per bed in the puWio hospitals was £IOO. It was therefore suggested that the boards should adopt the same uniform charge of Gs per day for patients. It would still be within the discretion of the 'boards to reduce the charge when considered desirable, but the Minister desired it to be clearly understood that it was both a legal and moral obligation for persons or their relatives, if able, to pay full hospital fees. Tn order to make for uniformity it was suggested that contracts with friendly societies should be revised, and that upon them undertaking to pay fees a reduction of one-half be" made to them provided that the maintenance fee was raised to £2 2s per v/:ek, in which case the charge to friendly societies would be '3s per day. It wa 3 considered that the Board had settled the master of general charges for maintenance, and it was resolved to refer the matter, so far as the charges to friendly societies were concerned, to the finance committee for a report. MASSAGE TRAINING. The Acting-Inspector-General of Hospitals (Dr. J. P. Frengley) wTote that in view of the great need of properly ! qualified masseurs and masseuses for the treatment of wounded soldiers and the call for masseuses to be sent to work in the Xew Zealand Hospitals in England, it is advisable that all possible means of training operators may be taken advantage of. There is established a massage school at, Dunedin in which instruction in anatomy, physiology and theory of massage and medical electricity is given at the University of Otago, and the twelve months' practical course at the Dunedin Hospital. At Auckland Hospital a special course has been arranged for the nurses who have completed their statutory term of training and are registered. The course is for twelve months, and in the proposed Bill for the Registration of Masseurs, pupils who arc already registered nurses will be eligible for examination and registration after twelve I months. The Auckland course is very

satisfactory. Lectures on anatomy and physiology are given by medical men, and practical teaching in massage and electricity by a qualified masseuse trained hy the members of theI.S.T.M. There is no reason why the other large hospitals in the Dominion should not establish such a course for their nurses in the fourth year. The practical part could he carried out in a properly equipped Massage Department, such as it is necessary every principal hospital must establish, and in the wards to which the nurses are attached, and must he under the constant supervision of a qualified masseur or masseuse. The theoretical part can be established by appointing lecturers belonging to the medical profession, and be attended by the nurses either in off-duty time or by arrangement. The letter further pointed out the superior usefulness of a trained nurse with massage qualifications in addition, was so great that a post-gradu-ate course for nurses in chief hospitals was greatly to bo desired. This was oven more essential for the proper training of nurses as. apart from the treatment of soldiers, the value of massage and allied,treatments has been.recently recognised for so many conditions of ordinary illness that without this training nurses will be much handicapped in their future work. It was hoped the board would consider the possibility of instituting a similar course at the local hospital. The chairman stated that as there was no qualified massuer in New Plymouth who could give the necessary lectures, and moreover the staff, as at present constituted, was not in a position to undertake such a course, it was felt that thottgh the object was a most worthy one the Yew Plymouth Hospital was not in a position at present to undertake the proposed scheme. It was therefore resolved to reply to the department accordingly. Accounts were passed as follows: Payments, £B7O 1 3 5d- accounts, £1360 Is Hi? 1 ... ''. . The Board then went Into committee.