HOSPITAL BOARD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3952, 8 January 1917, Page 4

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETVMG.

Tho monthly meeting of tho Ashburton Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held in tho new offices to-day. The members present were:—Messrs Hugo Fricdh-mder (chairman), C. J." Harper, H. J. Harrison, C. Reid, J. Cairns, H. Davis, and F. Watt. Chairman's Report. The Chairman's monthly report'read as follows: —

"Since my ]«*t report of December 4, 1916. there has been, an ■ outbreak. of infectious diseases—both within and outside the Borough—-rhiefly scarletfever and diphtheria. Two eases of diphtheria from Methven proved fatal. The children were reported to have been pupils at the Mothven School. I -understand rJiat tho children 'at this scliool\uso rain-water from a tank for drinking, and 1. believe tho inspectortook a sample of the water for analysis. Of< tho six scarlet, fever cases reported, three came from Highbank—two of these from the schoolhouse—one from Allenton, and two from.the Borough. Of''tho diphtheria- cases, two came from Methven, three from tho Bor- : ough, and one from Hampstead. One ■caso sent in from Staveley was suspected to be ehteriev and the -child died of , meningitis. 1 have ''drawn- thQ attention of tho District Health Officer to tho delay which has occurred' in notifying this oflico of infectious, cases., which prevents prompt action being taken by the inspector. A complaint having been recoived regarding, a nuisance at Crook Road, Allenton, the inspector ujas" advised, and, c,< will be seen from fcis loport, prompt action was'necessOT-y. On Christmas night,about 9 o'clock, some person or persons entered two rooms at the Norses' Home and stole sums of moneys from each. The matter is at present in the hands of the police."—The report was adopted. ■ Other Reports. Tho clerk reported that the , credit balance at the bank amounted to £1824 14s 7d. Tho receipts since last meeting aggregated £623 18s 7d, and included thejfollewing amounts:—-Trea-sury £847 14s fid, Ashburion County Council £190 3s 6d, Tinwald Town Board £3 12s 6d, Hampstead Town Board £3 Cs lOd/Ashburton v ßorough Council £17 17s 4d ; sa-Je of potatoes £1--7 d. donations £18 8s 6-d, patients' fees £41 7s Gd. The Medical Superintendent reported that there were 10 maJies and seven females in tho hospital on December 1. During December 24 males and 14 females had been admitted, and 21 males and 10 females discharged. Two males and one female had died. Twenty-one patients were in tho insti-tution-on December 31, including 11 males, and 10 females. Ten operations, two of a major nature, had been performed during the month. There- had been- ail outbreak of- irifectiotis cases 'in -the '•■,Methven diatrict^:d^rihg;the: last three months, inclildine:^ two : oas^s "'bf -cerobfo-spiiial'lnpnijigitis;. One of the patients 'had died. • -Thftre had also been «. virulent' form of and a good d;?al of senr'.'it.in.:}. The cases had severely taxed the actvimmodation in tho hifeci.iosts wartJs ai th^ hospital, and it would bo a great rc-Viaf \rhon the new infectious block \rrts nwdy.-.-It was decided to sond to th« H<?wkh Department the. iwrtion of tho t'(p.;>orv. rcla-fcing to tho need for • a.ccommodatJoH.-—Tlie report was tlioa r.dopted.

.. :-Tho matron reported thar.- 'Sister Gates had quits recovered from her serious^ illness, md had resumed duty on December 15. Nurse Withell bad passed her State examination, and was anxious to widen, her experience in a larger hospital whet* a suitable position offered. Daring the Christmas holidays some serious a.nd heavy cases had been dealt with at the hospital, and since then they had had some unusually sad deaths.' The remainder.of'the report dealt with the working of the domestic staff.—The report was adopted. Mr M. Kersbaw, Health Inspector, having received notifications of six cases of scarlet fevor, five of diphtheria, and two of enteric fever in the hoard's district during December. He had also made investigations regarding bad smells from birds' heads deposited at the County Council's yard. A nuisance was found to. exist, and the County Engineer had had a new well dug to deposit the heads in. Instructions had also been given to deposit limo with the heads. The premises *of a resident in Creek Road, were found to bo in an- insanitary state owing to the manner in which the pigs were kept. The resident in question received 48 hours' notice to clean up'the. premises, and complied with -the" request. Where- pigs aro kept' they must 'be housed? in proper stys, erected at least. two chains from a dwelling or public road. Instructions-had also-been given in regard to a rubbish-tip at Moth yon. —The report was received. 'The gardener's report, which was adopted, loalt with tho work carried out during tho month. Tbo cu'op of potatoes had been small owing to the prolonged ory feather. Correspondence and General. . Tho Friondly Societies' Association wrote asking for the renewal .of -the,, scheme now in .operation on the same terms as 'the present arrsingement.—■ Held over till r.ext meeting.

Dr. H. Chcsson, Disti'iet Health .Officer.' wrote pointing out that as the expenditure for' the new infectious diseases ward wa.; considerably higher than that for ;v?hich authority had already boon jpjfven, the d^pqfrtment would require the application to be resubmitted.—Tho chairman stated that tRb tenders could not be accepted for the.new, building until, tho necessary authority catno to hand.—lt was decided to' ;;ivo the chairman authority to accept..tho lowest tender on receipt of the authority.

T.ho Eighth (South Grjiterbury) Rogini^ntal Band wrote enclosing. £8 18s collected oil tho recent -;Hospita,l S'imday. It whs intimatodthat tho band hoped to,-jnako an annual effort to. raiso funds for?Uac hospital.—lt was decided ti>; scud a- 'letter,, of thajrik.^ toy the baud. ■" ■...*£' ■■\---;.;- , :

iVfr Harpi-r' reported having paid wn'ornl visits to the hospital during the ;ibs<Miei> of i!ic cljairman, and had found overyrliina; satisfactory. He said tlio gai'donc-r lia-d liad a, trj'iag time owing fe>v the dry AYtTithcr, but had done cx(-i'c(!in;ily woll, and had provided a 1.00.i ;;upp]y of vop;ot-«blf;s. 3

Tiio Clnhinan reported that so far the- board nnd not nxH'.ivod ;-. reoly from xhv Hninn^h Con.ucO rogarcSing ilic apnoiiifuh-it of a Ht';!.ltb Inspector.

£1. 'Addis'x u\:idor of £7 jos foe now Slitters in lilier-bed and patent i-ivtclies was fUrropiV:!.

fb was -li'i-ic!'':! to increiiso ilie wage,' of Mv T. Tor>|j; ni>; by 5s per wcto!;. Accounts iMHcmvtii)'l: U> .CMC •'> So 1 wore passed for payment-.