TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1919, Page 2

TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. ■ i ■"' The. monthly meeting of the Taranakl Hospital'and Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday afternoon, there being present: Messrs M, Fraser (chairman), 3. Andrews, F. .T. HUI, C. Andrews, A. H. Halcombe, G. Young, 3. Young, and E.. Gilmour. .An apology for absence was received from Mr. G. Capper. MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. The medical superintendent (Dr. A. E. Walker) reported the number of admissions for the month as 86, discharged 75, died 4, remaining In hospital 102, highest for any one day,. 102, daily averago 90.3, number of pperatlons 50. Averago work In the departments had been the rule during the month. An Increased number of cases of diphtheria were recorded and two cases of scarlet fever were also isolated. Attention was drawn to tho noisiness of the main corridor, and tho superintendent advised the erection of two additional sliding doors as a likely means of combating tho defeet. "Massage treatment, which has been a heavy expenditure to the Board during the past year, is now likely to bo less so la thefuture,", wrote' Dr. Walkor. At present there-, were five sold!sr9 and three civilians receiving .treatment. Tho matter of the noise In the main corridor was referred to the House Committee. HOUSE STEWARD'S REPORT. The dispenser and house steward (Mr. C. F. B. Porrin) reported on various matters connected with the hospital. A quantity of drugs had been ordered from the Defense Department as a -precaution against a future epidemic. . • ■ The secretary stated that the order for the drugs had not been forwarded. He pointed out that the goods would be of use to the hospital for general purposes If not neeeed for an epidemic. The matter was referred to the House Committee. MATRON'S REPORT. The matron (Miss B. A. Campbell) reported on the staff as follows: Left on holiday leave: Bister Stanton, September 17, Nurse Mitchell en October 6; returned from holiday leave: Nurse Dew September 26, and Nurso Menon October 1; on sick leave: Nurse Lansley, September 27. Nurses McManns, Moore, McEldowney and Chapman hove completed Ul«r term of probation and been taken on to the permanent staff,. Misses McDonald and Lelghton commenced their training on the oth and 12th Inst, respectively.' Hiss Francis had discontinued her training and Nurse Corklll was- leaving to take up work in a private hospital. EANGIATEA HOME. The matron of the Ranglatea Home (Mrs. A. Bayly) reported a satisfactory month. There had been ono admission and there remained in the home 42 Inmates (35 men and 7 women). HEALTH INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Tho Health Inspector (Mr. A. H. Kendall) reported 23 cases of Infectious diseases as follows: Four cases of diphtheria at Kainiata, one at Okato, six in Now Plymouth, one at Warea and one at Urenul; one easo e«- scarlet fever in New Plymouth; one case of tuberculosis Was notified from Sentry Hill. The cases of inuenza were mostly of a mild type and were notified as follows: Smart road one case, Waltara three, Inglewood three and Awatuna one. The inspector said he had reported separately and especially on one case of diphtheria, and in ono case of scarlet fever ho had recommended tho District Health Officer to issue a certlfloa.a of condemnation of a building adjoining the patiem-d home. Mr. Gilmour explained that the house referred to was his property. Ho had purchased it about twelve months ago. Notice had been given to. the : tenant to quit but it had been impossible to get possession of the house. Ho admitted it wanted something considerable doing to It but said It was impossible to do the work while there was any one In the house. The matter had been in solicitors hands for some time, but the woman's husband was adictod to drink and she had been unable to get another house. ARCHITECT'S REPORT. 'The Board's architect reported on the progress of the work of the erection of the new Nurses' Home. Tho work generally during the month had been, concentrated upon -r.e Memorial Hall Block, and considering the very wet wea'lier satisfactory progress had been made. Dr Walker wrote suggesting that In the new nurses' home the architects should be instructed to have some Insulating material placed under floors .of the first fjat with a view to obviating the noise that would otherwise be conveyed to lower fiat. The question was referred to the House Committee, to confer with the architects. ADMISSIONS TO HOSPITAL. The secretary of tho Taranaki Workers' Council wrote complaining of the practice of the Board and the mo'Pcal stn" ! r ---■..•.,." ndmlsslon to patients unless on a local doctor's certificate, notwithstanding Hie p.it.en.. ..euig sent to tho institution by the medical person appointed by the Government. A case was cited of a child being refused admission without a certificate, which could not be obtained without paying a fee of 10s. A reply was sent by the secretary tn the effect that no trace of such a case could be found, and he was asked that full particulars Biiould be supplied to the Board. No action was taken pending the reply. FARM MANAGER'S REPORT. The farm manager (Mr. W. C. Noble) reported that tho herd had produced 18,2471b of milk lor tho month. There had been delivered to tho hospital 172 dozen fresh eggs, and four fat pigs had been disposed of. Mr. Noble made a complaint' as to the reception accorded his last report and asked that, someone else should say whether his report was satisfactory or otherwise. The chairman of the Farm Committee (Mr. John Andrews) reported having visited the farm and with the manager going over tho three properties under the Board's control Crops were making satisfactory progress at the home farm and preparations for succeeding work tvas well In hand. In regard to the grounds around the Home he thought it would require the services of an able-bodied man all the rear round to keep them in order and he doubted if the returns would justify the outlay. Re thought It might be worth while to consider utilising a portion of the grounds for (odder-growing purposes for tho cows. On tile Francis"' property he found everything going on satisfactorily On tho Holdsworth property preparations wcro being made for t. ~:ping, etc. He was satisfied that with the present staff it was impossible to keep up an all round yearly supply of milk ajid vegetables, and the milk should be the first consideration. He recciomer.ded confining operations to producing what could be grown around the home and in the field among the crop",, where at certain seasons a good supply would bo available. The fv.'X of the BoaTd's properties being in three different places made mailers somewhat, difficult for the staff and did not permit of such efficient work as would be the case If all tho land was In one piece. He was satisfied, however, that, good work was being done and the manager descrvM all the encouragement that the Board could give him. Ron?.: exception was taken in the tone of the concluding portion of Mr. Noble's report. Mr C. Andrews s-kl be supposed it was lie who wan to blarae but he still held that for the money spent the Board was not getting a fair return Mr. Halcombe reiterated what, be had said previously that. If the milk supply to the hospital and heme was malr.tnined.lt would be ivnrth while carrying on the farm even at a small loss. The ehainnan and other members spoke in eulogistic reference to the work of the farm manager, all agreeing that he was doing the >erv best that could possibly be done for the Board. DISTRICT NURSING. The Matron In Chief (Miss D. McLean) wrote stating me appointment of Nurse McFad[ran tn Opimalce, '.vas approved conditionally nil the iinilerstiiiidln!.' that as she was noa registered midwife she should not undertake confinement eases except with a doctor in attendance Regret was expressed that at present a suitable nurse could not be obtained for Unit'. After some discussion It was decided to offer the position at Uruti to Nurse Muir at. £IBO for the first year, with an Increment of £lO each year for two years.

HOSPITAL FOR OPUNAKE.

The Ommake Town Board submitted ine following resolution carried at a public meeting of ratepayers held at Opunake on September 19: That the (lino lias arrived when it is absolutely necessary In the interests of heal'b and well-being " f lite Inhabitants of the district that the Egrnon'. County lie constituted a separate Hosp'tal District, and that a hospital be erected wi'b tho lens; deViy. and that a copy of tile resolution ) v s .-. n ;, tn the Minister-of Public Health, the member for the district, and the Taranaki Hnsnilal Board. In speaking on the matter Mr. Fraser said h.c understood tlia meeting was not, a rei--esen-lativc one and the resolution could not be accepted as the opinion of ihe Opunake District. It was evident also from the remarks made hv the mover that ha had no practical .knowledge of where his proposal would land 'he ratepayers of Opunake Mr Mcßeynolds, who was an exceptionally able business man ami had had a long experience of hospital work, did not support the resolutions, but on the contrary nointed out that a cottnse hospt'al would be quite suitable for the district. The same opinion was also shared by the local District Nursing Association and had the strong approval of the Board Mr. Fraser said be concluded the resolution was the outcome of a mistaken idea on 'he part of some of the Opunake people that the Board had been doing nothing with a view to getting a nur3e for the 'district. That, of course, was explained by the winnlntw««< nt Nurse McFfi''-"<n to the #a-

trict. The matter would. However, come before the members at a later stage la the meeting. GENERAL, Further correspondence was received from the Health Department in regard to requirements of the Audit Department before epl-dt-mie accounts could be passed for payment. Notice .was received from the Department that the reimbursement of half the cost of the relief granted by boards to enemy aliens would now bo discontinued. Special provision was made for the dependents of aliens not released until the ratification' of the peace treaties. Th chairman remarked that the Board had oi'ly one such case to deal with. The Public Health Department submitted a scale of salaries for nursing staffs at various hospitals in the Dominion for the Board's consideration. Consideration of the mlttter was referred for' the time being to the Finance Committee. . The application of Miss M. Graham (AwaKhio) for a position on the probationers' staff was approved. Accounts and payments amounting to £2248 9s 4d were authorised. The Board then went into committee.