THE DEATH RATE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 251, 26 November 1914, Page 8

THE DEATH RATE.

CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL. IS IT TOO HIGH? COMPARISON WITH* OTHER HOSPITALS.

A very important discussion took place at' to-day's meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, on the question of the death rate in the Christchurch Hospital. The subject arose on the reading of the report of the medical superintendent (Dr F. C. Scott) for the month of October, to the effect that the patients remaining over from the'previous month were 207; admitted during October, 297; discharged, 275; died, 22; patients remaining in hospital on October 31, men 94, women S<S, children 25, total 207.

Mr Tanner said that he wished to refer to a matter which- had been ventilated in the newspapers recently —the niortality rate in the various hospitals of the Dominion. He had gone into the figures, and lie regretted to find that the Ghristchurch Hospital did not occupy a vei - y favourable position. As he went back through the figures for recent years he became more and more dissatisfied; so he had decided to tabulate the mortality figures for the four chief hospitals of the Dominion for the last seven years, and from them it appeared that the death-rate in the Christchurch Hospital was considerably higher than it was in any of the other institutions. Christcliureh came out worst of all. The death rate in the Christchurch Hospital was 9 per cent, of the in-patient treated. The rate in Wellington was something over 6 per cent., and in Auckland and Dunedin it was considerably under the Christchurch rate. ' During the last seven years the Christchurch Hospital had treated 14,465 in-patients, and had lost by death 1301 of these. He did not wish anyone to read into his remarks anything he did not say, as had been done at the board table on previous occasions. He was asking a question which he had every right to ask—why was this so? _ There was a reason for every tiling, if they knew it. Why was it that in Wellington, where they received exactly the same kin'd of patients as they did here, the death rate should be so much.lower? Again, it must be remembered that in Wellington thoy had the Royal Victoria Ward, which treated old and infirm people—hopeless cases-^—and the deaths of these patients were counted in with the other deaths. He was not making a charge against anyone, but he wanted to know why it was. • "

A member: You are taking Jn the Sanatorium.

Mr Tanner: No, I'm, not. Don't juggle with the figures in that way. If the Christchurch Hospital had the same class of patients as were treated at Wellington the death-rate would be higher. The figures were taken from the official hospital statistics only, and dealt with the main hospitals, not the subsidiary institutions. If these were included, "the figures would be useless. He hoped that members would not confuse the issue by dragging in a thousand irrelevant matters.

>lrs Wilson sajd. that. ;:ujitil Jrecently chronic consumptives were received into the Christchurch Hospital. This must have increased the death rate. Mr Tanner: They had them in Wellington also. Mr Cooper: Oh, had they? Mr Tanner: Yes, they had.

Mr Turnbull said that if the cases similar to those treated at the Bottle Lake Hospital were reckoned in 'with the Wellington' figures there would not be so much difference.

Mr Cooper congratulated Mr Tanner on going into the facts and figures so fully. On their face value they looked very bad for Christchurcli.' It .was quite possible, however, that the medical superintendent might be able to set out certain conditions in Christchurcli which did not rule in the other,centres. Mr Tanner*should have moved for a return.

Mr Tanner: But I'have made out the return myself. ' , : The chairman (Mr F. Horrell) said that lie had noticed the same thing as 'beeii;poiiite'd out l\y Mr Tanner. He could not give the ; answer himself. Dr Scott "should be asked if he had any explanation. ■. , Mr Otley said that perhaps there were certain conditions ruling in Canterbury, which, if taken into account, might more than explain the matter. He thought the board ought to have a return.

Mr Tanner: That is what I want

Mrs Wilson said that the Wellington Hospital treated infectious cases such as were treated at Bottle Lake. They had an infectious diseases hospital in the grounds, and until recently they were taken into the main building.

Mr Tanner: What wse want to know is the regulations governing other hospitals in taking in patients.

Mr Turnbull said that the board had no right to ask Dr Scott for a report on a matter extending over seven years. They should ask the chairman of the honorary staff. One circumstance that perhaps made a difference to the percentage of deaths was that in the other "centres the hospitals dealt with many minor accidents, such as } happened on the wharves. He -could say that the patients in the Christchurcli Hospital were better treated than in perhaps any other institutions in the Dominion. Possibly they got more serious cases in Christchurcli.

At the invitation of the chairman, the secretary (Mr Wharton) made a statement. He said that a few years ago there was an important change in the system of admitting patients into the hospital. They had previously refused to admit what are called "moribund eases" —cases in which there is no hope of recovery. He believed that other hospitals still refused to admit such cases, but Christchurch did. Other hospitals also did their best to persuade the relatives of dying patients to take them home. This Avas not done in Christchurch.

The question was referred to the Hospital Committee for a report. Mr Andrews said that it had been stated that patients admitted to the infectious wards for treatment had contracted erysipelas, through contact with other patients suffering from that complaint. Instances had happened in his own district. This matter was also referred to the Hospital Committee.