THE DUNEDIN HOSPITAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1860, 2 March 1889, Page 4

THE DUNEDIN HOSPITAL.

Dunedin, February 27. At the meeting of the Hospital Trustees the question of Hosditul reforms came up in rather an unexpected way. Dr. Batchelor attended and read a report which he prepared after visiting Australia. Referring to the startling charges made in a letter in the Daily Times by a late patient, he said “ I have reason to believe that every statement in Mr Gay’s letter has a solid fonndation in fact, and further, I can, if need be, advance evidence in proof of bis statements. No arguments I have read have in the slightest degree controverted the facts he has brought forward as showing the necessity for trained nurses.” He says the male wardsmnn has generally drifted into the position, he receives no special training, and, worse than all, has no special supervision. The doctor then proceeds to urge the necessity for separate wards for diseases peculiar to women. He estimates that this can be met by an expenditure of £2OOO. He says “ To treat diseases peculiar to women in a general ward has a demoralising effect

upon the patients subjected to treatment and to the other occupants of the ward. Examinations such ns have to be be conducted cannot be carried out with even a modicum of decency in a large ward for general diseases. Young lads in thoir first and second years at the hospital, walk freely in and out of the wards, even while examinations are being conducted, and it is absolutely impossible, with the present accomodation, to check or mitiga (ho evil. The result .consequent on the absence of special wards for serious operations is positively terrible to contemplate. A woman suffering from ovarian dropsy, entering into a general ward, runs an unnecessary risk to her life, and a certain percentage of all cases operated upon here absolutely die for want of proper accommodation. Nothing can be more demoralising to the doctor or the nurse than to know while operating, and after the operation, that the patient has not that chance of recovery she should have, and that however skilfully the operation may have been conducted, however carefully and anxiously the case may have been watched, that case may fad for causes which are entirely prevontible with mere favorable surroundings. .During the years 1 have practised in this town I have been present at a great number of operations performed inside and outside this hospital. In private practice I can’t remember a single dealh tho result of blood-poisoning following an operation; in hospital practice I regretfully say I have seen several.” The doctor then i proceeded to show the injustice to the honorary medical staff, who give their . time and services for nothing, to be robbed perhaps of their reputation through the faulty system. To show how readily it can be remedied, he points out that within a week he has collected £SOO from twenty-four individual ladies. More can J bo got, and, with a Government subsidy, ] things could easily be done. He then ( proceeded to shew the importance of the medical school, and (hen instanced several • minor, but urgent, reforms needed. No 1 provision is uaade for a night nurse, heat- £ ing food or poultices, or getting hot water, * except by going to the kitchen in another i part of the building. Then ns to ventila- t tion and sanitary arrangements ho s#ys : “ I know of one case of typhoid which „ was actually bred and developed in the k ward while the patient was an inmate 1 undergoing treatment for somo other disease. This was solely due to the c . grossly inaanitury condition of the ward, r j and if that patient’s relations had brought f an action for damages against this com- a

mittee it might haye been mulcted in heavy damages, I say that the present arrangements ufe opposed to the most elementary principles of hygiene, and should bo at once rectified.” Ho points out the absurdity of attempting to gauge economy by expenditure per bed, and asks, “Is It economy to keep an unfortunate patient in the hospital eight weeks, when, with proper appliances and proper nursing,'that patient could have left at the end of four weeks in better health 1 Is it economy if a poor navvy or wharf laborer should happen to come in with a badly fractured leg, and iu consequence of want of efficient nursing, poor attention, defective ventilation, and an indifferent

dietary scale, he leaves your hospital at the end of six months with a stump and wooden leg, whereas the same man, if bis surroundings had been more favorable, he might have left jour ward sound in body and limb, and able to resume his ordinary occupation instead of leaving a cripple, and most probably becoming a permanent incubus on the State V’ He then dealt

with the cry often raised, “ beware of the ratepayers.” in which there was nothing, as the ratepayers would be quite content if the necessity for expenditure was shown, and concluding says—“ You have under-

taken onerous 1 duties, and have apparently hardly appreciated their gravity. By the absurd provisions o£ an Act ot Parliament you are appointed for a year to duties which it would take half a lifetime to master. You must remember that

in the acceptation of ycur post here you have most high and noble duties to perform ; you, have to provide means to teed to the wants of the sick, to soothe their pangs, and to ease the dying moments of those unfortunate follow men, who are compelled by the meed of this cold world; to end their existences without the soothing hand or sympathising voice of those near and dear ones who we all

hope may minister to us in our Jas

moments. Gentlemen, X appeal to you as man to fellow man, arid I shall not appeal in vain.”

On finishing several trustees remarked that the address was probably the roughest ever delivered to any body. The report was referred to the bon. medical staff.

An eight-roomed house at Tangihanga, twelve miles from Gisborne, was burnt down on Wednesday, The family were not residing in the house owing to To Kooti’s visit, but four men had slept there the previous night and had cooked breakfast, and left to go out on the run at nine. On returning at two they found the house burnt down. There Is no clue as to how the fire originated. Insurance—National £250 ; Colonial, £l6O on the furniture.

Four Chinese, charged wilh mutilating two cows, appeared at the Auckland Police Court on Thursday, «nd were remanded for a week, with bail of £IOO each. The police objected to bail on the ground of the difficulty of identifying the prisoners and the possibility of their tampering with witnesses. The bench said that Chinamen were entitled to the same chances as Europeans. j