HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14507, 26 April 1909, Page 2

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

DR VAUNT INK ,\.\l> THE TRUSTEES, PIiOI'ATIO.XEItS AND SCARLET fever. A SERIOUS SI'ATEMEN'T. The Uunedin Hospiial Trustees conferred oil Saturday ivilli Or Vulinliiie (hispectorgenerul oi Hospir.ils) lunching >e\eral 111 ant:r.-i oi Hospital c\t>>nsidii ami pvuposi-iI alterations. licpre.-vuiing tlm Hospital Iruslee.s were Messr.-, S. Solomon (chairman), .John Miil. ,J. M. (Inlla-way, K. A. Tapper. ;iiu 1 l)r liatchelor. lira I'aluui.T and .Maeilonahl and Mr Wales (architect) wore «ki pivsml. Addressing Dr \a)iniiiio. in? Chairman said lhal llie lime had now arrived fur the trustees tu malic improvements which iliey deemed lo be necessary. i lu and his colleagues had thought (hat before calling for tenders it would bo advisnblo tu' have I lit' benelit of Dr Valintine's advise ami us-iel-auce. Perhaps the ilocior would not ihinl; it out of place if lie entered on ii few explanations. Jn llie lirat place it must he understood that they had pledged Uiomselves that no money was to be spent that came out of the pockets of the ratepayers. Tin; X-ray department was inadequate, ami the doctor would understand that a. properly-equipped department was indispensable. On this the trustees proposed to spend £1000, which had been provided for them by i Icgacy from Scotland. The housing of the students was also quite inadequate, and "tho trustees proposed lo entirely alter this system at a Co6t of about £300, derived from funds provided by the students and the medical oilioers. _ lie would have no difficulty in recognising the necessity for a sccond operating theatre, and the trustees had set their hearts on giving the institution a suit-able outpatients' depiu'fmsnt, which was lo cost about £2000. This cost, and that of tlm second operating theatre, would he met by the means still in their hands. STUDENTS' DEPARTMENT. They had all this money in their posession. There was the laboratory fund, the legacy fund (including tho subsidy). There was another fund called tho Campbell Account, which provided for benefits to patients, so Dr Valintine could see that the trustees did not propose to call upon the ratepayers for a single shilling, l'he trustees realised that as a body they were a mere cypher in the history of tho making of this institution. They therefore wished to do nothing that might in any way tend to hamper its future. At present they had only one room iu the students' department, and that was quite inadequate The Architect having explained by plans the improvements, and stated the cost iu this department would bo £255, the Cliairman went on to say that the plan iu no way encroached on the room in the Hospital, so if in future it was desired to rearrange the Hospital the plan would not interfere with it.

Ur Valintine s-aid there was 110 doubt that increased accommodation was required for students, and lie perceived^tho trustees proposed remedying tlio difficulty in u cheap way. It had been distinctly a part of his own scheme that No. "1" ward should ho done away with. The Chairman: This, as yet, we have been unable to do, but wo hope to have it done shortly. Or Batchelor remarked I hat (lie present position might seem a little confused There had" been at least 20 different schemes put forward. Mr Mill: Yes, 1 think wc ought to have another tall; We seem to be rather " springingthese matters on vhe doctor, who has nut had an opportunity to examine the plans. Dr Valintine said he could take the pi tins away with him. TUB LAUNDRY. Speaking of the laundry, the Chairman said it was very much out, of date, and the trustees would like to see if if could not be converted so as to serve in connection with the extension of the out-patients' department. As regarded the laundry question, it was as far oil settlement as ever; it seemed hopeless, in fad. They did not propose spending any money on the laundry itself, at anyratc on that one, but tlicT proposed importing a mangle from New York at a cost of about £120. The trustees intended lo fall back on the original plan, that was the chief reason for their having asked Dr Valintine to meet them. Dr Ratchelor said the trustees all realised the necessity for a receiving room, which would be very useful in many ways. As it was, people who cams to the Hospital to see their friends had often to wait in I he colli. It, was also probable that they would mpiire a resident suvgrou here. The Inspector-general said Ihnt jf was unfortunate tluit the llenevolent I ruslees had been unable to see llmir way io the proposed solution of the laundry question. He would, however, think that matter out. DELIRIUM TREMENS PATIENTS. Mr Mill asked if Or Valintine was of opinion that the trustees should put up a place for delirium tremens patients from the gaol. The Inspector-general replied that he <Iw. and asked if the trustees did not remember a somewhat tragic occurrence in that connection. Such cases should not be sent to the gaol, but to some. place where they could be looked after, and where their temperature could 1)0 kept. up. Many men died from cold after a, drinking bout. Hospital authorities could, not confine themselves to the admission of pleasant cases, and he was convinced that the Hospital was the place for delirium tremens oases. Mr "Mill: If w" admit them, will a. policeman be in charge of them day and "'or Valintine.: Well, the Government, has practically agreed to that. The Chairman: We have 6et apart, a room for that purpose, and you have , on your estimates a certain sum for it, have you "Ijr Valintine: Yes, we may be able to rnve von about £500. Tli" Chairman eajd that l/hey would endeavour to come to a conclusion cn Moildav ui"ht (to-night). The trustees \youkl do their level best to fall in with his views. Meanwhile ha would mnko it his business to eee the architect in order to equip himself for the meeting. DISTURHINU FACTORS. _ Mr Gallaway: Supposing a hmatio is brought in, say from Central Otago, wheie is he to bo put'; Or Valintine: lie would have 10 go lo tho polite cells. . SI? Gallaway: That is simply barbarous. Dr Valintine: Well, I will Dr Ua> about this matter when I go back The Chairman: You know, doctoi, that patients often suffer front the .licence of delirium tremens cases m then wM eo there eM't a BB l wrat * p a< ' 6 , f ? r \ Dr Falconer pointed out; tlia- there weieonly two cells, and that mental cases might, have to bo k «P fc ulH ' pr observation for a week before being finally committed to the m said dying oases of heart disease often kept the other patients awake by groaning all night, fcuch cases ehoukt Valintine: Well, will £500 be sufftCl The Architeot replied that ho thought not, but lie would figure it out. Dr Valintine said lie thought that £500 would have covered it easily. Mr Wales pointed out that there was ako the cost of a corridor leading to the wards to bo considered. Tf they ,1k not have a corridor then a staircaso would be necessary. Tho Chairman: It comes to Ihie, 1 suppose • if wo put up accommodation for all mental cases, then the Government will give us £500. Is that so? "Yes," replied the Inspector general. "The matter is rather complicated by this corridor. The Government will pay for the two observation wards, and you do the rest. That is to say, you pay for the corridor, and we will pay for the two padded colls and t.ho two observation wards, it, being clearly understood that they are for mental ami delirium tremens cases." Mr Mill: What about tho police? Or Falconer: Perhaps tho police will not lake the opu« of bringing cases up. Or Valintine: Then you need not take them in, but if casej brought are, in tlio opinion of the superintendent, unfit for the nurses to deal with, they might be looked after by a suitable attendant. The Chairman: If we aro to liaYe a delirium tremens eases here we ought to have a policeman to look after them. We cannot ?eml out intr. the street and pick up anyone al; any time fit to look after a dangerous patient. Our difficulty is that wo must, have someone immediately in attendance diirajy he is required to look after such cases, and we look to the Government to let us have a poliecman when ■ want. one. Or Maodonald suggested giving an ohsirep.irciis patient in chaise. -V Trusrce: AMiat for? For being very drunk indeed,—(Lauabter.) Mr Gallaway .-aid he ihoujiit that the Minister of should be approached on the subject. If the matter were placed

properly before him, ho had not tho slightest doubt, hut that it would I*' adjusted. The Inspector-general suggested that they might get a warder here who might he put on to such cuse-s. Mr Mill asked Dr Valintine what hind X-ray inelruiiienls were in tho pow'e.-.-iiou of hospital." in other rentrts, and what was their price. Dr Valintine said ho would find out. He believed that the X-ray apparatus at the Wellington Hospital had cost £IGUO. Mr (iulhiv.ay: Is it understood that the liis|K v cior-general and Dr Hav will coufei uiih the Minisier of Justice about this quo-lion of delirium tremens cafes? |)r Valintine: Yet. There is trouble ahoul the same thing in other hospitals. KKVKR HOSPITAL NCRSES. The Chairman said that there was another thins the trcsices particularly wished to cousult Dr Viilintine. uhoitl. Last year the Uo»p!ial Board had asked them to supply nurses for use in the Fever Hospital. Tho trustees had agreed on iJie score of expense, for if the Hospital Hoard had to engage nurses of its own, the Fever Hospital would prove an expensive .institution. The trustees had done their part, Thero had bcon an epidemic of scarlet fever, and thore had been an undue call upon their nurses. The trutsU«s wished lo be advised as io how their duty lay. Dr Valintine said that it was through his suggestion that this arrangement had been made. Ho believed tho Hospital should supply these nurses, as by so doing the ratepayers would lx> saved it good deal of money. Ho could not fice why this work should " knock tho nurses out." Dr Falconer pointed out that it meant a fresh batch of nurse.? each time, bringing risks of infection into the Hospital. ]>r Valintine: 'l'liat, could he obviated easily enough. Is there any demurrage on their part to goiu'g down to tho Fever Hospilal? No? Then if they luid a spell [or the maximum period before they returned, surely that would be a safeguard. Dr Falconer explained that they could not always spare nurses who had had scarlet, fevor, and iihey were sending down fresh batches every two months. At Home the course for scarlet fever lasted for over three years. The trustees wore often only able to send down probationer.?. l>r liatchelor thought that the Hospital Hoard might make somo provision. The trustees would lie willing to meet them as long as the epidemic lasted. Dr Yalintnm said it would be perfect nonsense to keep nurses down thero at ihreo guineas a week all the time, whether they were wa.nteil or not. Dr Falconer pointed out that nurses were being sent to the Fever Hospital at an age at which the disease was much more likely to be fatal if they contracted it. The Chairman said that if this was to he part of these girls' curriculum there should I lx> no question of volunteers, but that tlioy should lie mado to understand that tlioy will be expected to go to the Fever Hospital. Mr Gallaway:'But they come hero to be trained as nurscs | , do tlioy not? Dr Yalintmc. But nurses have, to go through every branch of thoir curriculum. At this point the confnrenco was ad-

jcurned A ill 7.30 this evening.