HOSPITAL BOARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 105, 13 February 1928, Page 8

HOSPITAL BOARD

REPORTS BY OFFICERS. The Ashburton Hospital Board met this morning, vvUen there were present;: Messrs F. v*. Watt (chairman), W. THill, W. Bryant, W. G. Gallagher, and J. Bruce. Reports by Officers. The Chairman of the Hospital Committee (Mr Bill) reported that the diathermy and violet ray plants had come to hand and Had been put into commission. Miss Harrington (Matron of the Meihven Home) nad tendered her resignation to date from February 22. This had' been accepted with regret and the Committee recommended, subject ,to the confirmation of the Minister, the appointment of Sister J. A. Tomlinson, of the County Hospital staff. The appointment of a third trainee for tne Malvern Home had been approved, and the' re-arrange-ment or accommodation to provide for the utilisation of the adjoining cottage as sleeping quarters for the ssaff nurse and trainees, had been approved, subject to the confirmation of the Direc-tor-General or Healtn. The alteration would provide for an establishment of 10 beds at j&alvern. The work of renovation of the cottage had been gone on with meantime, in accordance with the Matron's recommendation, authority Lad been given for the present style oi nurse’s uniform to be changed. Oevraiis will be used instead of aprons, and the Committee recommended that both these and uniform should be provided by the Board. The alteration would apply to new probationers and first anti second year nurses. The Committee also recommends that Nurse Caird, who recently passed her State examination, be given maternity training, and that Nurse Hart, who has Earfciaily passed her State examination, e given five months’ extra training. The Secretary and Treasurer (Mr A. Prentice) reported that the following were the notifications of infectious ■diseases: —County: Scarlet, fever, Allenton 3; Tinwald 3. Tuberculosis: Tinwald 1 ; Allenton 2. Pneumonic influenza, Meihven 1. Borough: Scarlet fever 2. The following was a statement of receipts and payments fer January: — Receipts:—-Patients’ fees, £289 16s sd, levy, £9OO 8s 6d, donation, £32 16s lOd, sundry sales, etc., £l6 19s 4d; total, £l24o'ls Id. Payments:—Hospital maintenance, £1152 3s 9d ; administration, £77 16s 3d'other Boards, £l3 19s; outdoor relief, £45 13s lid; X-ray, £65 Is 4d ; sundries, £33 14s 7d : capital expenditure, £316 Is 2d: total £1268 4s 9d. The credit balance was £715 ISs 6d.

The Medical Superintendent (Dr. D. A. Bathgate) reported that the hospital statistics for January were:—Patients remaining December 31: 24 males, 16 females, total 40; patients admitted January 1 to January 31: 40 males, ’3B females, total 78; total treated: 64 males, 54 females, total 118; discharged January 3-31: 33 males, 27 females, total 60: died, January 1-31: one female; remaining January 31: 31 males, 26 females, total 57. Operations performed during the month totalled 54, massage treatments 207. Violet Ray treatments 38, diathermy treatments 4, outpatient treatments .179, X-ray examinations 46, chemistry examiantions 24, bacteriology examinations 28.

Miss E. J. Watt (Matron at the County Hospital) reported that Sister Tomlinson, who applied for the Matronship of -Methven, had been appointed to that pest by the Hospital Committee with the approval of the Health Department. She commences duty there on February 21. Miss I. Munro (Matron at the Malvern Home) reported that 7 patients were admitted, 8 discharged and 6 remained.

Miss N. L. Harrington (Matron at the Methven Home) reported that one patient wa.s admitted, one discharged, and one remained.

Miss B. E. Hight (Matron at the Rakaia Home) reported that four patients were admitted, five discharged and none remained.

The reports were adopted. The chairman reported on the visit last week of Dr. T. A. Valentine (Direc-tor-General of Health), and stated that the plans for the new isolation block at the Methven Home liad been .altered 1 by the Department’s officers. < These alterations were explained by the chairman and were adopted.