Thames Goldfields Hospital.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2880, 9 May 1878, Page 2

Thames Goldfields Hospital.

We continue our report of the meeting held yesterday afternoon, a portion of which appeared in our last night's issue.

The Bey. V. Lush seconded the amendment, and in doing so laid special comment on the loss of Mr Aitken, which would be a very gi-eat loss indeed. He flatly contradicted the statement that Dr Payne had refused to attend the Hospital. The President said in-explanation that Dr Payne had called on him in the morning with reference to a paragraph in the paper stating that he had refused' to attend a man in the Hospital.- He stated he had refused to go until officially re-

quested. ;• Mr McCullough said that they need not dispense with Mr Aitken's services. After what he himself had said, and the President's statement, he would leave the Committee to judge if Mr Lush had any right to contradict him as he had done. Mr-Power said he would support the .resolution. At the hospital in Dunstan, Otago, a resident surgeon had been appointed,' and it had worked very well. He got £400 per annum, and the Hospital was one of the best worked on the diggings.

Mr Mcllhone moved the amendment of the rule so tha tone or more surgeons might have charge of the Hospital, one of whom would be responsible to the Committee. The rule would then read as follows:— " The general committee may appoint one or more duly-qualified medical practitioners to have charge of the hospital, and who shall not be absent for any lengthened period without the consent of the committee. They shall be allowed to engage in private practice provided such practice does not interfere with their duties. One of the eleclrd medical gentlemen to be responsible to the committee for the efficiency of the hospital." . . . Mr Murray questioned if that was an amendment on the resolution. He thought that Mr Mcllhone's amendment was better suited to the finances of the institution than the resolution.

Father Ghastagndn supported Mr McGullough's resolution. He thought they might easily get a good man for £350 or £4(X) per annum. He bore testimony to the efficiency of Mr Aitken, the dispenser, but said he was not us good as a resident surgeon, who they should always have at hand in case, of accident..

The ttev. J. T. Hinton seconded Mr Mcllhone's amendment. He said he was decidedly in favor of duality of surgrons, and though en all sides they heard encomiums on Mr Atken's ability, they could not expect him to be as good as a duly qualified practitioner, nor could a doctor ba expected to do the work that Mr Aitken did. If they dispensed with Mr Aitkea, and had a resident surgeon, they would have to have some one to do part of Mr Aitken's work. He suggested that an arrangement might be made, making Mr Aittei manager of the Hospital, with. two. Burgeoas in perfect equality to make suggestions to Committee. -

Mr Renshaw spoke in support; of the amendment fof Mr Mcllhone. He had been informed that a plurality of surgeons worked very well at Belfast in Ireland. Mr McCullough reminded the Committee that the subscribers at tha annual meeting lv d decided against such,a p:m-

ciple in the management as that proposed by Mr Mcllhone. Mr Mcllhone: No. ,

Mr Power said that he w.ould support the amendment. They might appoint the two, and carry on till the next annual meeting, which was not far distant.

Mr Hicks said at the Eoyal Hospital, Bel fast, there was a house surgeon something like Mr Aitken, who managed it', and four doctors, each of whom had control every, four months, while the other three acted as honorary surgeons. He would support tbe amendment. The Eev. Father CJaastagnon spoke on the danger of having two surgeons, who would- each have a different system, and would between them kill the patient. (Laughter.) Mr McGowan said that ho was glad this discussion took place, as it seemed to show that the changes were to be made to make positions for men rather than for the £ood of the Hospital. (Hear, hear.) At the meeting of subscribers the opinion of the meeting . was p.^ainst the , duality of surgeons.

The Key. R. S. Bunn said that he repudiated anything like personal insinuations, and suggested that they should defer bringing things to a head until they found out what the local bodies were going to do. Mr Davies said he did not see what they would gain by a plurality of doctors, and thought such an arrangement would be farcical*. One doctor would hare the hospital, for a month, and then another would come in and change some patient's die j. Mr Mcllhone : You should rather give them credit for working harmoniously. The Hey. S. J. Neill supported the first amendment.

The President said he did not think it would be well to increase the expenditure of the Hospital by having a resident surgeon pending the change in the management, nor did he think Mr Mcllhooe's amendment was advisable either, as the sams petty jealousies between the surgeons at present would be carried inside, if more than one were appointed. He thought it would be well to leave the rules as they v.ere. Mr McCullough said thai the only argurrent raised against, his resolution was that they could not a (ford it. If it was advisable that they should have a resident surgeon tliey should have one, irrespective of the cost. If they adopted, the plurality of surgeons it would be necessary to have everj surgeon who came to the place,on the Hospital staff. Mr Murray supported Mr Mcllhone's amendment. Mr Mcllhone's amendment was then put and 5 voted for it, 10 voting against, and it was declared lost. Mr McCullough's motion had 4 supporters, and it likewise was lost. Mr Davies' amend* ment was put, arid 13 voted for it. It was declared carried. Mr Hicks threw out the suggestion that something should be done to decrease the number of the Hospital Committee. Mr Miller remarked it was sometimes difficult to have a quorum. Mr Renshaw said that having such a large committee was having so many collectors for the Hospital. Mr Davies moved that Rule 2 be altered, so that .the two local bodies might be represented on the Committee. Mr Benshaw seconded. Mr' McCullough moved, that the first vacancies on the Committee be filled up by members of the" Borough and County Councils. ■ Mr Power moved as a further amendment, that the Mayor and County Chairman be, ex officio, members of the Committee. On being put the two amendments wore.! lost, and the motion wps declared carried., , , _„.' ' . ... : .. t ... „'\: '„ ' .■ ■■ TE'S concluded the business. ' J