HOSPITAL REFORMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9657, 14 July 1919, Page 4

HOSPITAL REFORMS

DR WELLS' SUGGESTIONS. Dr. Russell Wells, the newly-aj^/j pointed medical superintendent at tnu' hospital, waited on the board to-day in regard to various improvementsrequired at the instibution. Dr. Wolls stated that* a dispensary was required. The question of providing a. suitable room for the examination of out-patients should also be' I considered by the board. At the present time he had no proper placeIto examine these, patients. H© considered the time had arrived when the-' hospital should go ahead, and he 1 wished to lot the board know dTthese requirements. . Tho chairman nsked whether a suitable room could bo found to examine . the out-patients. ! Dr Wells replied that the Matron !had suggested that her sitting-nwm ! could be utilised, 'nnd a room provided ;in tho Nurses' Home. A laboratory at I the" hospital would also be very useful. 1 A good microscope should bo available. ' and also three to six stains for staining the different organisms. This ; would save the expense of sending ! specimens to Christchurch for exami--1 nation. Diphtheria swabs and speci- - 'men? of tubercular sputum could very well be examined locally. In answer to Mr T. Doherty, Lhe ! doctor stated that th" laboratory could i be accommodated in the same room as

a. dispensary. ' The chairman pointed out the difficulty of getting material for the dispensary at present. The doctor said he was prepared k> v ; wait until conditions wore more nor- V mal- as long as the suggested improve-,/' ments were undertaken within reason- : able time. Asked by Mr Dickie regarding the ■use of an X-Ilay appliance at the hospital, Dr. Wells stated that at presenthe had two cases he would like to hay placed under the X-Rays. A firstclass plate would be.required for'this examination. He . had thourfit 'of sending ono- of these patients to Timaru or Christchur,ch, but did not know whether he could get better results there than with'a local privatelyowned X-Rny appliance.' At present-" 1 he was holding the.matter in abeyance. ■"' Asked regarding the of im • '•' X-Ray applisinco, • Dr. Wolls stated" that three years ngo it would cost£l6o. ,

In, answer to Mr Doherty. Dr. Wells stated tlmt h<? hr.d dono X-Ray work, but ho did not I'think" he could V" get the best, results without reading \n> on tho matter.

Touching on the non-completion of the fever word, Dr. WMls stated that, the infectious disease^ ca^es at the hospital * v.'oro now in the convalescentstn'ge-, but in the event of an epidemic the accommodation without the newward was inadequate. Dr. Wells was then asked by fch* board to submit a list of his requirements in writing to the next meeting.