Thames Goldfields Hospital.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4300, 12 October 1882, Page 2

Thames Goldfields Hospital.

The monthly meeting of the Hospital Committee was held yesterday afternoon. Present: Beys O'Eeilly (President), Neill, and Calder; Messrs Mennie, Marshall, McGowan, Renshaw, Ahier, Comer, Brodie, Deeble, Noonan, Home, Ehrenfried, Mulligan, and Kilgour.

HOT7BE COMMITTEE

The House Committee reported:— "The old man Purcell, who was recommended for; admission to the Old Men's Home, was admitted on the 21st ult. In order to make the duties of the night and day wardsmen more equitable the hours of the night wardsman were altered so as to commence at 9 p m. and finish at 7 a.m., but upon putting this plan into operation it was found not to answer satisfactorily, and we now recommend that three wardsmen be employed .instead of two, the aggregate salaries not to exceed that paid now to the two wardsmen. With reference to the increase of accommodation at the ward for females we have instructed Mr Hollis to,prepare plans and specifications, and tenders have been called foir which we now beg to submit for your approral. A patient, Neil, who is an old man, and appears to have no means of support, but is no longer fit to be called an Hospital patient; we recommend him for admission to the Old Men's Home.— L. Ehbenfried.

Mr Ehrenfried said he bad seen a letter from Dt Philson to'Dr Payne in which it was stated that the wages of wardsmen in the Auckland Hospttal were £60 a year, and they were accommodated on the premises. The Committee therefore saw their way to reduce the wages, and divide the sum now disbursed during the year between three men, by which arrangement tke salary would be £65 a year, or £5 more than those given in Auckland.

In connection with this subject a letter was read from Smith the day wardsman, complaining of the long hours of labor, which prevented him from having any opportunity of even attending church. Considerable discussion ensued upon this subject. ; Mr McGowan did notsee any necessity for employing a third wardsman for such a small number of patients. Jn Auckland, in addition to their salaries, the men were provided with sleeping accommodation. He moved an amendment to the clause, that the House Committee and the Surgeon so arrange that the wardsmen hare day and night duty alternately. The inmates of the Old Men's Home could be made of some use in the Hospital occasionally, when the work was not rety heavy, and so allow the wardsmen a Sunday out.

Mr Abier seconded theamendment

I 1 Rev. Mr Calder remarked that in the : Auckland Hospital the convalescent patients were kept for va much longer , period than in this institution, and were made use of in nursing patients.

Mr Mennie asked whether .the. House Committee had -ascertained whether the .present wardsmen would acquiesce in the arrangement for employing a third. Mr Ehrenfried said they had not sounded the wardsmen, and did not consider it necessary. They went on the principle that if in Auckland men, who satisfied Dt Fhilson, could be supplied to work 10 hours a day for £60 a year, they should be able to get equally good men to work B.hours for.£6s.

The Surgeon and dispenser both strongly recommended the engagement of a third wardsman. , t , „ , 'Mr Brodie said the comparison with Auckland was an unfair one, inasmuch as

there were a large number of nurses employed there, with different grades. They would find that the highest nurses there were paid more than £60 a year. Here there was only one at a time who was required to do^he work of both the chief and ordinary nurses. He had been in conversation with a man who had served as nurse in the Dunedin Hospital, and received £150 a year, nnd had been found in everything. He supported Mr McGowan's suggestion. Mr Calder saw no reason why they should not give a little more in salaries. In Auckland the head nurses received £100, two others £60, and others lower rates. The percentage of accidents at the Thames was much larger than elsewhere, which increased tlie work of; attendance.* ""'"He" thought they should have three men, and as their expenditure for maintenance was below the average of the hospitals in the colony they were entitled to spend a little money. Mr Had ford proposed an amendment that three men be employed at 30s a week each.

Mr Noonan seconded,

After some further discussion this proposition was put, and carried by 7 to 6. Mr McGowan's amendment received 7 for and 7 against, and the Chairman gave his casting rote in the negative.

TENDERS.

Tenders for the additions to the female ward and the fence _ were received as follows: —Female ward: Coombes and Thorn son, £56 ; Ladner, £56 6s; Twentyman, £63. Fence: Coombes and Thomson, £18; Ladner, £20; Twentyman, £16. The lowest tenders were accepted in each case—Coombes and Thomson for altera^ tions, and Twentyman for the fence.

Otß MEN

The matter of Veil's admission was referred to the House Committee to make the usual inquiries and admit if they chose. Dr Kilgour suggested that it was not necessary to deprive the old man Purcell of the whole of liis pension. They should require a fixed sum per week, leaving him a few pence for tobacco and pocket money. Mr Eenshaw objected to this as being wrong in principle. The Home was for destitute persons, and it would be a bad precedent to allow any man an opportunity above the others of accumulating money, if only in a small way.—Dr Kilgour moved that the old man's contribution be 2s 6d per week.—Mr Ehrenfried seconded the resolution, which was carried.—'The report was then adopted subject to the amendments.

HOUSE SUBGEON'S REPORT

Dr Payne reported that on the 31st of August, 1882, there remained 21 patients ; that during the past month, from the Ist to 30th September, 19 patients have been admitted, while 16 have been discharged. There have been two deaths during the past month, viz.: William Phillip's^ifrom inflammatory disease of lungs; Mary Ann Charnock, of. exhaustion attendant on malignant disease of uterus, j There were remaining in the Hospital for'further treatment on 30th September, 22 patients. Forty patients have been treated during the past month. The average daily sick during the month has been 23; the number of attendances in the out-patients' room has been 153, while the actual number of out-patients has been 53.

RECEIPTS AND BXPENDITTTBE.

The Treasurer's monthly statement was as follows: —Receipts: Subscriptions, £10 6s ; patients' charges ,£8 3s ; garden, £1 14s; Government, £468' Ms 7d.~ Expenditure: Salaries, £69 6s 8d; maintenance, £75 4$ 7d; medical comforts, £11 Os (3d ; drugs and appliances, £7 16s 9d ,*; garden, 10s ; furniture, £4 lls 3d ; repairs, £2 13s 5d ; beddiog, £18 Ids 6d; funerals, £1 19s 6d ; miscellaneous expenses, £32 2s sd.—Assets : S,ubjii(jy at £ for [£ for past quarter due—deficiency due from Gorernment, £23 12s;—Liabilities .- Bank of New Zealand, £300 17s lOd ; salaries, £50 5s 8d ; trades'accounts for month, £89 6s sd—£44o 9s lid.

KESIGNATION

Mr T. L. Murray forwarded his resignation of membership of the Committee, his duties preventing him from attending the meetings. .

cook's beer,

The cook, William Swindells, applied f■ r an allowance of a pint of beer per day, urging that the fatigue of cooking for so large a number of patients was so great that he could not eat his dinner until he had partaken of a pint of beer.

After some discussion on the matter, it was referred to the House Committee to use their discretion. . \ ! ;,.

HOUSE COMMITTEE.

Messrs Ehrenfried, Kilgour, Mennie, and Mulligan were appointed House Com* mittee for the current month.