ORTHOPÆDIC UNIT.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16273, 25 July 1918, Page 6

ORTHOPÆDIC UNIT.

establishment at hospital

attitude of minister of

PUBLIC HEALTH

A lengthy report of tho special committee to which was referred matters connected with the proposal to establish tho Orthopaedic Unit in tho Chalmers Ward at the Christehurcii Hospital was submitted at yesterday's meeting of the Board. The committee, in consultation witn Colonel T. H. A. Valintine, Director of Military Hospitals, axul Dr. W. Fox, decided to recommend: That tho Dofence Department snould have the use of tho Cn.il mei s block until arrangements aro made for carrying on tiic work of tho unit elsewhere; that the surgical, medical, and massage staif of the Unit be tho officers and staff of the Channel's block and any temporary extensions thereto; that Coionel Wyllio, senior officer of the Unit, be the officer in control of the portioii of the hospital used for the treatment of solUiers; that the Unit bo allowed tho use oi the -board's. operating theatre, ana X-rny department, tho X-ray operator to act for both soldier and civilian patients; that the Board be guaranteed by tiie Defence Department against financial loss, and that all capital expenditure in respect ot temporary buildings and equipment, be paid by tho Deionco Department; that all persons maintained bo paid for at the rate >f 5s per day; that tho bacteriologn.nl work of tho Unit be done in the Btoard's laboratory; and that if additional accommodation to that available in the Chalmers ward is required, a temporary ward, to contain from between 50 to GO patients, bo erected along tho tenaco to the north of tho old corridor. On the 11th inst. the Minister of Pubiic Health telegraphed asking whether the Minister of Defence, or the permanent head of tho Departnient of Defence, had committed the Defence Department to the proposals regarding the Orthopajdic Unit. Tho Minister added: "'1 have report from Actinglnspcctor General and am prepared to deal with same, but before doing so must know that Colonel Valintine was authorised to commit his Minister, or Department, to the proposals." On the 15th inst. the Minister of Defence, replying to the secretary of tho Board, telegraphed: "Am soirv thai I have not been able to send an early reply to your telegram of 12th, which was addressed to me at Rotorua. 1 lave not had an opportunity to-day of perusing tho file regarding tho Chalmers ward, but will let you have a reply to-morrow." On the 22nd inst. the Minister of Defence telegraphed: "I am quite in accord with the proposals to use tiif Chalmers ward for sick and wounded soldiers, and understand Miss Chalmers approves. My Department thinks It unnecessary at present to build other wards, and now proposes to mako provision for gymnasium, therapeutic, and baliuological rooms in the corridor adjoining your massage room, at a cost of, say, £1000; also new workshop on site by entrance to subway near the Chalmers ward, cost, say, £800; I'nr reapprqpriation of rooms in old residential wing £100; also, say, £500 for hoitsing of mcdical officer, being an extension of present junior resident officers' quarters: total £1900. These proposals are subject to your Board's approval. I have consulted Minister, of Public Health, and he concurs on understanding that Defence indicates how long Chalmers ward may be required and that Defenco pay rent of a building to house those civilians for whom accommodation cannot be found. I have informed Minister of Public Health that Chalmers ward may be required for three years after tlio war and that Defenco would pay rent of' building. Copy of letter to Minister Public Health will be posted to you. Regret inability to send earlier reply." The chairman (Mr F. Horrell) ,\nid that matters were now at a • standstill until the Minister of Public Hca?tli signified his agreement with the Defence Department's proposals. Reference was made b.Y. members lo the necessity for conserving matters in connexion with the site of the .ew No. .4 ward.

Mr W. H. Cooper said that as regards matters between the Minister ol Defence and the Minister of Public Health, they did not trouble him one iota. Mr liussell appeared to be "annoyed because his wings had been clipped} As to certain charges made by the Minister of Public Health against Colonel Valintine, in communications to tho Board, he (the speaker) could not understand how it came about that such communications should be sent to any public body. If Colonel Valintine had been present at the meeting lie would have challenged him about the reports made by Mr Russell regarding him. Mrs Wilson said that in view of tho Defence Department's undertaking to provide for any chronic casos (for which tho* Chalmers Ward is she was quite satisfied that the ward should be devoted to the Orthopaadic Unit-. Mr H. J. Otley said that if the Board was not prepared to do more for the soldiers tnan tno Minister of Public Hoalth, then the Board was in a bad way. He was greatly disgusted with tho attitude taken up by the Minister, and, reforring to ono of tho communications from the Minister to the Board, he did not think that the Minister could have thought what he was doing when ho sent it. . It was tho Board's duty to make every possible effort on behalf of the soldiers, and ho was suro that every member of tho Board, and every civilian in Christchurch. wortny of the namo of man, was prepared to do anything they could to get the soldiers back to good health. If the Ministor of Public Health had been as anxious as the Board to assist in this matter of tho Orthopredic Unit, the trouble woulu havo been over throe woeks ago, and the matter settled.

Dr. AV. Fox, Medical Superintendent, who was present oy invitation of tho chairman, and who spoke by request of the chairman, said that he dosircd the Board to realise that the schcme indicated by Sir James Allen was liable to bo Until the main mcmbors of the Unit arrived, the Defence Department did not know what was actually requirod. Tho previous day Lieutenant-Colonel Mill (a member of the Unit) had visited tho hospital unofficially, and gave him (Dr. Fox) certain information that lod him to believe that the details of the scheme, as outlined by Sir James Allen, would be subject to alteration. In view of the relationship between the two Ministers, Dr. Fox suggested that the Board should, in order to avoid possible complications. ascertain from the Minister of Public Health if his approval would be withdrawn in the event of the scheme being altered. The scheme, as outlined by Sir James Allen, was only a skeleton, and if' the Minister of Public Health insisted on it being rigidly adhered ta, thr>re would be trouble. Dr. Fox went into details respecting the Minister's scheme. Referring to the proposed workshop in connexion with the Orthopaedic Hospital, Dr. Fox said that there was «ime idea of teaching trades to soldier-patients; if that were so. he thought it was impossible to provide the required accommodation for workshops of that charactor in the hospital grounds, and ho suggested that the equipment boing brought out by the Unit for these workshops should be, with the consent of the authorities, distributed amongst the Technical Colleges, whore the soldiers could receive the necessary instruction. If the proposed workshops wore for tho purpose of making models, and

plastor casts, there was ample room for. such in the hospital grounds. In respect of the estimates of cost, Dr. For thought that in some instances the work could not bo done for the amounts mentioned. Tho chairman said that they could not proceed further with tho matter at present, and ho moved: —"That the report nnd communications be received, and the matter left in the hands or the Special Committee.'' Mr W. H. Cooper said, with respect to tho workshops, that tho Boara of Governors of the Technical Collect would be only too glad to place tno facilities they possessed at the disposal of tho soldiers. Dr. Fox said, that to allay any uneasiness in tho public mind, as to any detriment that chronic cases might be suffering from owing to the occupation of the Chalmers Ward by soldierpatients. ho might state that only one poison had applied to bo admitted to tho ward, and that this person was being dealt with in the hospital. Since the ward had been in existence there had been only three persons eligible for admission. Tho motion was adopted.