THE HOSPITAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 50, 10 December 1928, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL

REPORTS TO THE BOARD. PATIENTS AND FINANCE. The chairman, of the Hospital Committee (Mr Vv. T. Lill) reported that as Dr. Moir would be leaving tov/crd the- end of January, the Medical Superintendent had been authorised to fill the position at a salary of £2OO per annum. Owing; to the lack of shelter from the morning sum the Committee recommended that provision for a verandah bo made in next year's estimates. A valuation of £679 on the old offices had been made and the County Conned ad\ ised that settlement on this basis would bo acceptable to the Board. As a result of the Committee's application the Customs Department had notified that a refund of £l7 18s duty on the ambulance- chassis would be made on the undertaking that the ambulance was to be used solely for this class of work, and that it would not be disposed of without payment of duty unless sanctioned by the Department. Airs M. Keeley had kindly agreed to organise* the Hospital street collection on Friday. The secretary and treasurer (Mr A. Prentice) reported that infectious diseases notifications Avere: —Borough : Scarlet fever 1, tuberculosis 1, acute lobar pneumonia 1. County: Scarlet fever/Lagmhov, 1; tuberculosis, Lauriston 1, Hinds 1, Rakaia 1, Winchmoro 1; hydatids, Tinwald, 1. Regarding finance, the secretary reported as follows:—Receipts for November had totalled £2894 18s Bd, and payments £2840 16s 2d. There was a credit balance of £797 Is. Patients tieated at the County Hospital had been as follow, the figures for 1927 being in parentheses:—April, 5b.l (61.17); May, 62.4 (71.36); June, 67.3 (63.47); July, 69.4 (71.84); August, 75.0 (74.03); September, 68.9 (56.23); October, 64.2 (60.97); November, 50.8 (64.95); average, 64.9 (64.90). Receipts were in excess of the estimate, the figures for 1927 being in parentheses:— Fees: County Hospital, £2757 14s 8d (£2204 Is 4d); outpatients, x-lov os oa £269 3s 8d); X-ray, £45 Is 6d (£sl 4s 6d); laboratory, £23 6s (£2O 4s 6d); other boards, £255 16s 2d (£4Bl 19s 3d); bad debts, £79 16s od (£l3B 14s •2d Malvern, £538 19s 6d (£470 16s); Methven, £159 Is 6d (£146 ss) ; Rakaia, £157 lis lid (£l6B 2s); ambulance, £l6 4s. The estimate for fees reecipts for the year was £oooo which would probably be slightly exceeded. Hospitals maintenance was £lUiy i'S Ei-eater than the estimate. Details <? payments were:—County Hospital, 1928 £10,145 14s 9d (1927 £9603 Os 7d); Malvern, £655 10s 5d (£SBB 16s 7d) Methven, £467 2s 2s (£432' 8s lid -Rakaia, £4lB 3s (£459 9s 1 Id); totals, £11,686 10s 4d (£11,083 16s).

The Increases Explained. " It would bo seen that the increases as compared with last year: County Hospital £542, Malvern £67 Methven £35 and that Rakaia was £4l less. So far as the County Hospital was concerned, the increase of £o9 in the surgical account was probably due to heavier purchases of drugs on indent. The main increase was in the domestic establishment account, amounting to £421 more than last year. Ihis was accounted for by a payment of £209 on account of fever ward renovation, an increase of £240 in the pur; chase of drapery supplies. Nurses uniforms had cost £162., and there had been large payments on account of overhaul of radiator service (£6B), overhaul of steam services, £37, etc Expenditure under this heading, while more than last year, was less than in 1926. It was hoped this year to reduce maintenance costs, hence the lower estimate. However, it was fairly obvious that the Board was not going to be able to work within maintenance estimates. Capital expenditure: Allocation was £5393, and £261)1 was spent. Present commitments were: Balanco of office, £1365 : balance of Ward 3 balcony, £272; balance ot isolation, £169; balance of matrons office window, £32 7s; balance of Waipiata Sanatorium, £530 ; —total, £2368 7s. . ' The following table shows levies and subsidies paid to date and due to the end of the financial year-.—Levies: Maintenance, £8063 2s 7d; paid to date, £5922 19s 7d—£2090 3s. Subsidies : Maintenance, £6161 16s 6d ; paid to date, £2577 7s 6d—£3584 9s. Levies: Capital, £1933 6s 6d ; paid to date £784 13s 6d—£ll4B 13s. Subsidies: Capital, £1933 6s 6d; paid to date, £784 13s total, £7971 18s: less refund to Government, £658 6s Id. Balance for remainder of year, £7313 lis lid. Although there would probably lie a credit balance at March 31, 1929. it would be small.

The Superintendent's Report. The Medical Superintendent (Dr. D. A. Bathgate) reported the following hospital statistics for November: — Number of patients October 31 —male 38, female 21—59; admitted November 1-30—male 45, female 33—78; total treated—male 83, female 54 —137. Died November 1-30 —male 1. female 3—4 ; discharged November 1-30 —male 41, female 20 —07 ; —totals —male 41, female 25—00. Outpatients during the month had totalled 90, outpatients' treatments 290, ultra violet rav treatments 30, X-ray examinations 83, chemical examinations during month 39, bacteriolotrv examinations 27, massage treatments during month 330, diathermy treatments 14, plaster cases during month 15, operations performed during month 38. Miss E. J. Watt (matron at the County Hospital) reported that Miss Nellie Harrington commenced duty as ward sister on November 20. Miss Florence Barker commenced dutv as temporary theatre sister on (December 1. When Staff Nurse Caird arrived after her maternity examination on December 0 they would have a full staff of sisters. Sister Small and Sister Armstrong left on November 30. Nurse Quealy would sit for her final State examination. Nurses Carney, Mowat and Eaden passed the anatomy and physiology examination in November. She was very anxious that the street collection be a very substantial one this year, as she was in need of funds for the upkeep of the wireless set. So many patients handle the pillow 'phones that the upkeep was much mor© than she anticipated. Apart from the expense of repairs, she was anxious to install more pillow 'phones so that more patients may get the benefit of the wireless concerts. Miss I. Munro (matron at Malvern Home) reported that 13 patients were admitted, 14 discharged and four remained. Miss J. A. Tomlinson (matron at,

Methven Home) reported that 10 patients were admitted, six discharged and four remained. Miss B. E. Hieht (matron at Rakaia Home) reported that seven patients were admitted, six discharged and four remained.