THE FEVER HOSPITAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 592, 21 August 1909, Page 15

THE FEVER HOSPITAL.

< AMENDED PLAHS APPROVED. LOCAL BODIES SATISFIED. The adjourned-meeting of delegates from > various local bodies in reference- to tlio new fover hospital uas held in the Town Hall yesterday When the dolegates met three weeks ago, tbo matter of the contributions to be made by the local bodies interested was fully discussed, and the meeting adjourned to enable the Chief Health Officer to reconsider the matter with a view to making the contributing area co-torramus with tho Wellington Hospital district. Another resolution Was carried,, cipress.ng tho opinion that tho estimate of £19,000 for tho buildings should bo reconsidered by tlio Hospital Trustees This latter phase of tho question'was dealt with at a meeting of tho ' trusses ear'y tnls week, when modified plans of buildings, to cost approximately £10,910, wore approved - Dr. J. P Frenglej, Distiict Health Officer, presided at yesterday's meeting, and tlio representatives of local bodies present weie Messrs J W M'Emm (Potone), It Bo'O (Johnsonville Town Board), C J Crawford (Miramar), J/G. Harkness (onsl6w),'J. V Luko, lIP. (Wellington), O I VDasont (Karortt, and E P' Bunny (Lower Hutt) Mr C M Luke, Chairman ohtho Hospital Trustees, was also present! ■ ' -The chairman stated ,th»t ho had placed tho recommendation that local bodies should be included beforo the Chief Health Officer, who directed him to state that ho had fulh 'considered the- question o| the contributing area, and his decision was final that tho following should comprise the Infectious Diseases Hospital area —Wellington City Counoil, Miramar Borough Council, Karon Borough Council, Onslow Borough Council, Potone Borough Council, Lower ~ Hutt Borough Council, and Johnsonnllo 'lown Board , Dr. Frcnsley's Vfews. Dr. Frengley commented on past negotfations as his ales showed them sinco ho took ' up the plans by direction of the Chief Health Officer m June, 1908 First of all a fiitcof, roughly, nine acres was obtained fiom tho Mental Hospitals Department fby the transtor to them of properties owned by the trustees in Rev.ins Street, and valued at £7900 From what ono read in tho papers, and heard outside, one would imagine that a certain building, or set of buildings, called tho Infectious Diseases Hos- • pital, was originally to v cost £19,000, and that by a redesigning of the plans, tho cost c'f the same building, or set of buildings, had been reduced to about £10,010 Nothing so ridiculous had ever happened The ' trustees, with a view to tutting doiin cost, had hrst to abandon in toto provision for measles, and then that for diphtheria, and then, since the last meeting, to cut out the housing of tho infectious diseases , ambulance on tho infectious hospital, grounds and tho disinfecting of infected material on* the samo grounds. Hβ wished to make it quite clear that the mam result of the refaenchmont was that only on« infectious disease was catored for, and thit uib scarlet fovor. As health officer in chKrge of this district ho was npi at all proud of such a result, but ho must bow to the inevitable, and only hope that the other infections diseases, diphtheria and measles, would be provided for in tho future. ') But he hoped they would not throw odium on tho Hehtyh Department if, for instance, measles revisited the city and ro sufficient hospital accommodation was at hand Only threo cases of measles could bo accommodated in itho present plans, that being in the little observation cottage of three beds They must not * bo too indignant with tbo Hospital Trustees and the Health Department if, in tho future, they, like Oliver Twist, asked i for more After dealing with the established standards for air-space in Great Britain, the rh-urmaii referred to tho redesigning of the phns, and said that the Chief Health Oißoer (Dr. VJlmtino) W&tffirected b"im.tossfeto tint in this now plan tho Department was sanctioning a new dopartuio from j;he cintomaiy Tv;ird treatment of scarlet fever. Tho Department, however, was ready to, nnd did now, tako the full responsibility of approving tho plans, and he might add that such n depaituro met with suggestions from and the en tiro concurrence of Dr Hardvviik Smith, the medical superintendent of the hospital, wLo was directly responsible for the propei care and euro of his patients By the change of design A saving of £2580 Iml ' been obtained. As to other savings—the destructor block was reduced to £400 from £850 by eliminating-a boiler-house, steam dismfector, infectious diseases ambulance shed, nnd stables. ,'lt would bo necessary to carry or cart all articles lequiring steam disinfection down to the general hospital; and while hero, again, the Department must accept half a loaf as better than no bread, still this could be done without any danger to, the public or the mmatos of tho goneril hospital. The administration block existed tho same, and as long'as there remained, as there must remain, tlio contingency of having to make future provision for tho caro of ..diphtheria and measles, ho was of opinion the trustees were lUstined in adhering to the design of a block which would meet all future contingencies The alteration in tho design of the observation cottage iiad iesiiltcd in an increased cost. Ho trusted he had given all necessary information as tu the proposed hospital for scarlet fever, foi which local bodies are asked -to pay £13,000 (which included the Government subsidy of £6500), and whilo ho was ready to answer any questions that might be asked, lie couid not allow any discussion on tho plans Tlio districts were all represented m the tiustecs, and if.delegates were not satisfied with their efforts, they might perhaps seek ■some j remedy Tho business ot the meeting was to say if it agreed or disagreed with the- following shares allocated to the several districts, divided into two gioups — GROUP A. Share ProLocal Authority. en Population portion Wellington City Council 100 2 0 154 Miramar Borough » Council 120 18 0 186 Karon Borough Council 100 2 0 154 Onslow Borough Council . ~ 110 10 0 170 Potono Borough Counoil 367 18 0 SCC 'group b Loner Hutt Borough Council .. . 230 5 0 385 Johneonville Town - Board , 62 8 0 .96 The Discussion. In answer to a question by Mr. J P Luke, the chairman etatod that the building was to be built of buck, with a good deal of glass, lhc difference between brick and tvood was only 10 per cent. Mr Luke, continuing, sJud ho considered delegates had now something like a fair proposition beforo them From the start ho believed the Department and the Hospital Trustees liad erred on the side of extravagance As the representative of tho Citj Council he ivould cavil no further, but nonld accept tho pro position put fciward, which he considered would enable the nork to bo earned out just as th« moir extrvrgint scheme Tut Citj Council had a big enm to paj. and hi? trailed that the towci»l side- would be alien, ul to stand until Umc\i next «h moved tiuit the percental gat lorth in the schedule be approved of j'i J V Luke teoowled the motion M Crawford osJibd whe» it vtt intended to r ill tho "taoiitj up lic chauaaa That U a matt«r for the U0,,.ul Trustee \\i J P; Luku did not think the Hospila 1 Trustees should ctnbarwss any of tht foe.) bodies L'ne Hon. 0 If Luke said the trustees had not gone- fully into this nutter It would tako about four months to complete the building once it was started, but it must be remembered that building was _ at present chcapor than it had been for a iong time Tlio motion W4e earned unanimously Tho matter of tlio financial arrangements for the paymefit of the various shares was left to be arranged between the Hospital Tniitcts and tho delegates.