Thames Hospital Committee.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4240, 3 August 1882, Page 2

Thames Hospital Committee.

The Hospital Committee metye'sterdai?^^ afternoon at 3.30 to consider.thepropoij^ * to "alter the date of the monthly meetin'gV ~* to the second instead of the first Wednesday in the month; Present: Revs. P. O'Eeilly (Chairman), Neill;- Calder and Davies; Messrs Hume, Brodie, Fraser, Deeble, BadTofdi and Murray. The Secretary' said he had, called, the^ meeting for the purpose iej .forth* id' t^e ' circular,' in accordance with the request of several members of the Committee, lhe object was not only to enable the County^representatives to attend; but also. to suit the., convenience of '- the" Borough members, whose Committee',meetings fell in the same week as ihe Hospital Committee had formerly met. ' v " On the motion of the Ber. Mr Calder seconded by the Her. Mr Davies the alteration as proposed was carried. Mr Brodie, on behalf of the County Council, warmly thanked the Committee for altering the 'rules so as to enable thai body to be represented. „ , - " The business of the monthly meeting was then proceeded witb; ( 'Messrs Murray, Marshall, Ehrenfriedj, r and Dt Kilgour haying in..tbe meantimearrived. house committee's bepobt. - The House Committee reported: that they had considered the application of Wardsman Smith for an increase of Salary, and recommended that he receive an additional 2s 6d per week. The fever hospital had been'^ken over, and the paddock for feeding purpoaea^jit 10s per week.—The report was adbptear ". • subgeon's bbp'obt-. The House (Surgeon * reported on the 30th June, 1882, there remained in '14 patients ; that during the past month, from Ist to 31st of July, fifteen patients have been admitted, while eight have been discharged.''•There has been one death'in the Hospital during the past monthWilliam. Savage, who was brought; dn, suffering from concussion of the brain; he was speechless when admitted,.and re* msined so to the- last. There were remaining for further treatment on the 31st of July, twenty patients. - 29 rpatierits have been treated during the month. The average daily sick during" the "month has been 18 9.3. The number of attendances in the out-patient's .room: hasl been 88, while the actual' number treated was 40 The amount of the different stimuli administered during the past year is: 1008 pint bottles of beer, 158 bottles IIJTOs of wine, 26 botHes 19ozs of gin, and 113 bottles ]sozs o(<,brandy. In order to show the nature .of" the'eases for which such an apparently large,amount has been consumed, I < have tabled the names (and diseases, with quantities after names) of 34 cases.- ,SomeTof these cases have been in the Hospital {he whole year. I thus; account for the great bulk of the total, leaving a much smaller average for the remainder. If. B.—Two ounces go to one wine glass. I have, &c, M. H. , PaYne." A. detailed list of the stimuli ants administered to the patienfa was appended. ; STATEMENT Of ACCOUNTS. „ ; The Treasurer's statement was adopted. Assets: Amount due from Government for pasiquarter, 30th June, £4/8$ 14a 74.; subsidy for month of July balance feom "' Government, £7 19s.—Liabilities : Bank of New Zealand, £454 14s 4d ; salaries, £58 18s 8d; other accounts, £65!1959d; Total, £579 12s 9d. , „, STIMULANTS. " ' The Secretary's return of stimulants was laid on the table. N . f •. Mr Ahier said be was informed that on""'"; the morning, after their lag£> meeting- the ' Surgeon had notified the patients that he v " would not in future prescribe intoxicants. The institution had, therefore, been eon- "\ ducted on temperance principles during"-,^ the month. 4-

Dr Kilftour considered it a 'moat-exttei' '- ordinary thing that the doctor should be obliged to knock off prescribing the stimu* lants he had been in the habit of administering as remedial meads, at the instigation, of the committee. Rethought they £ were poing quite beyond their province "! in dictating to the Surgeon. ■"' » .f . ' j Mr Neill said the reason he had moved/ 1 in the matter was because it seemed tonperson not a doctor that a larger quantity was consumed than the patients -wer«. capable of taking. - „ / , . Mr Ahier though^ if the Ifqaog. had. been dispensed with for 30 day? without any evil effects resulting, it was ewjdrat ' the quantity could be reduced.—After some conversation the subject dropped. •-■

WABDSMAN SMITH ; ,jf' v"7/ Mr Ehrenfried moved,that WardJnwn Smith's salary be increased from 37stf 6d to £2. His reason for moving Ha the 1 matter was his knowledge of the man's extra efficiency. He had often heard the Surgeon commend Smith's ability in high' terms, and if the man were to leave their «. service! they-might .hwe vafmc4lty In-re-r . placing him with a person of equal skill. At present the wages .were not as,much as_ those.of a common laborer,'and he had to work 12 hours a day and seven days in each week., . !.,-_.„■>;; Mr.'Ahierfseconded the motion." '.'_'"' 'V ] '' Rev. Mr Calder objected to voting away - , Government money so readily. Mr Murraj said Government .would expect them to be just in their dealing/,, ' __, Rev. Mr Davies declared his intention to c vote against ,the increase, as the second wardsman would probably make a similar application; besides, they bad adopted the T House Committee's recommendation. , Mr Deeble had had special opportunity of witnessing Mr Smith's efficiency, and thought the man should be paid according to his worth. The resolution was carried by 7 toteg against 6. HOUSE COMMITTEE. The following gentlemen compose the Honse Committee for the current month V ' —Messrs Comer, ? Davies; r Murray, and T j^eill, ' ■-■•-- -■■ --!-■