DISTRICT OF WAIKATO HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3129, 4 August 1892, Page 2

DISTRICT OF WAIKATO HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

» . Thk monthly meeting of the above Board was held in the Hamilton Bormigh Council Chambers at 11 a.m. yesterday. There were present: Messrs A. Primrose (chairman), S. T. Seddon, W. H. Herries, H. M. SahnOD, J. Anderson, V. W. Latis, J. 13. Teasdale, A. Heaney, J. S. Browne, J. S. Bond. C. A. Davis, and W. P. Chepmell. Hospital Fees.—A number of letters were received from ex-patients in reply to demands for payment of tees, stating their inability to pay in full at present. Relikc—Mrs Dmley, of Rangiriri, applied for relief. Her husband has been away for three months, and she U in illhealth, with a young child. The police reported that the applicant was a young warnan, about twonty-three or four years of age. with a child about two years old. Her husband had left her about three months ago, and she had laid an information against him for desertion, hut the police wero unable to find him. For some time she had been living with her father (Mr Patterson), who has a larf,e family, and where her husband used to often come to see her. She could not, the report stated, be considered in bad health.—The letter was received, the Board thinking it was not necessary to grant relief in this case. Fitzpatrick.—Mr J. S. Bond forwarded another application for relief from Fitzpatrick. Mr Bond said there was no doubt that this man was a fit subject for hospital treatment, but if he would not go to the Hospital, the Board should not do anything further.—Mr Seddon moved that relief to the extent of 5s per week be granted to Fitzpatrick.—Seconded by Mr Salmon. —Mr Bond moved, as an amendment, that Fitzpatrick be admitted to the Hospital, in accordance with the resolution passed by the Board on November 4th.— Seconded by Mr Teasdale.—The amendment, on being put, was carried unanimously. Complaint.—Alex. Ferguson who had been a patient in the Hospital for six months, wrote complaining that he was worse at the end of that time than when he entered. He entered t'> be treated for a dog bite on his hand which was cured, and a sore on his leg which at one time was nearly cuved, when Dr. Kenny changed the dressing, and the leg then got worse. When he called the doctor's attention to the stats of his leg the doctor had told him that he had been experimenting on it, but would not do so any more. He also complained that on Sunday July 10th, the doctor had uot examined his leg at all and that on t-vo days in the following week he had dressed it by candle light.—The chairman stated that Ferguson had been treated in the Auckland Hospital for the same sores on his leg for six months at the expense of this Board. —Ferguson's letter had been torwarded to Dr. Kenny, who sent a lengthy explanation as to his treatment of the legwhich

was by those methods recommended by the best authorities. The failure, he considered, was due to some virus circulating in his blond which aided the formation of the ulcer. Skin grafting waa tried but without avail. At Ferguson's request, another treatment, which the patient said had proved successful with him before, was tried, but it had to be discontinued and he was going to try another set of akin-grafts when Ferguson said he had had enough of this tinkering and le.ft. The doctor denied that the wound was larger when he left than when he entered. He reported that Ferguson during the time he was in the Hospital had showed a cantankerous disposition and on two occasions had been insolent to the staff. —Mr Lang pointed out that the doctor had not mentioned anything about not seeing Ferguson on July 10th.—It was the general opinion that the failure of the treatment was due to the bad state ot the man's blood, Mr Seddon statinp that he (Ferguson) had been in the Auckland Hospital where hn had been suffering from syphilis.—Mr Heaney moved that Dr. Kenny's letter be accepted as satisfactory.—Seconded by Mr Chepmell, and carried unanimously. Secretary's Report.—ln his monthly report the Secretary stated that there were 21 recipients of charitable aid and 14 male inmates in the Refuge, one of whom was paying for hia maintenance. Finance : To bank credit balance, £-103 153 lid ; contributions due, £1,119 9s 3d ; £ for £ subsidy on same, £1,119 !)s 3d ; hospital fees receivable, about £150 ; endowment rents, £30 ; total. £2,582 14s 5d ; less accounts to be paid, £277 8s ; leaving a balance of £2,605 Gs sd. Tha expenditure for the month includes the following amounts: Salaries, £74 13s 8d ; industrial schools, £19 53 ; out-door relief, £12 Is Gd ; new buildings £29 14a 4d ; fuel, £7 Qs (id ; drugs, £1515s 6d ; Auckland hospital, £3 8s ; and ordinary expenditure, £112 123 !)d. Since last meeting £429 2s had been paid into the bank, including Government subsidy £36G 4s, and hospital fees £52 16a. —The report was received and adopted. Voluntaby Donations.—Dr. Kenny forwarded subscription lists and a cheque for £27 15s, which had been subscribed towards the funds of the hospital as voluntary contributions. The Board will be entitled to £14a subsidy from the Government on each £1 of this, which will make tha amount up to over £60. —The Chairman moved that a vote of thanks be accorded to the subscribers through Dr. Kenny.—Seconded by Mr Chepmell and carried.—The Board decided to procure the necessary appliances for the instruction of the nurses which would cost about £20. Hkad Nurse.—Two applications for the position of head nurse were received, viz., Miss Tyfirs, Hamilton, and Miss M. Weston, Napier.—Mr Seddon moved that Miss Tyers be appointed to the position.— Seconded by Mr Davis and carried unanimously.—The position of second nurse being now vacant, Mr Seddon stated that Dr. Kenny had indicated that he would be able to carry on with the present nursing staff until after the probationers were able to go up for an examination, when he hoped applications would be then called for this position and the present probationers would be eligible. Male Attknoant,— The chairman stated that T. Svmthe, E. Rae and H. Doveton, had applied for the position of male attendant, but the House Committee did not consider any of the applicants were eligible. Dr. Kenny also reported to the samu effect. Mr Heaney moved that Munro be retained at £1 per week. Seconded by Mr Salmon and curried. Mr Teasdale dissenting. Honorary Staff, —In accordance with uotice given Mr Herries moved that the resolution passed on July' Gth, that all doctors in the Waikato Hospital District be asked to become honorary members of the Hospital Medical staff be rescinded. Seconded by Mr Chepmell and carried, Mr Lang then (rave notice to move at np.xt meeting that the Board ask swell dnctms as they they think fit to become members of the Honorary Staff of the Waikato Hospital subject to the following by-laws:—" No one shall be eligible to be elected an Honorary Phvsioian or Surgeon unless he ia a duly qualified and registered Medical Practitioner. The Honorary Staff shall be appointed by the trustees for a period of one year or at their pleasure. They shall have access to the Hospital at all times, it will be their duty to assist and advise the surgeon in charge and consult in all cases of importance and to conform to the rules, regulations and by-laws which may from time to time be made by the trustees." Rklibl' , .—The relief was ordered to be continued for the present month, with the exception of Fitzpatrick and Mrs Harper.