INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 690, 15 December 1909, Page 8

INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

the city council's protest^ .;''.:. '■'. :■; a timer accepted. ...;.>:. ■. The deputation appointed at the recent special meeting of the City Council for'tho purpose of protesting■"' against what was ; considered to be the excessively high levy'on the council towards, the cost of ,the ' Infectious Diseases Hospital waited upon the Hospital Trustees yesterday morning. . ■''.'. ■"" . .' : The City's Viewpoint ; The Mayor (Dr. Newman), after referring to tho cutting-down of'the-"qity contribu.tion from .£7400.' to 195., and dealing with the protests entered by the various cdntfibuting bodies, during the negotiations, went on to refer to the fact that the districts levied on had to take in patients from districts-which paid no levy. Dr. Newman'mentioned that he had had an interview with the chairman of the Hospital Trustees, and had'explained the position of the council, and he had been under the impression that the trustees would meet the council; Personally, he thought the Plague Hospital conld be. done tip to meet the necessities of the fever patients,' and he. was aSsa of opinion; that the present levy was excessive. Tho city had not the money to meet such a levy, and would have to raise a lo3n to pay itsVehare. He did not tiiink an ontsido body should be allowed to levy such a large amount without a protest. "It!was an extravagant demand altogether, and the conncil was justified in resisting it. A new Hospitals and Charitable Aid: Bill was going through the House,, and ho submitted that the matter should he postponed until the new.. controlling body was elected. It could do no harm postponing the matter until April, when probably things could ho done on a more reasonable scale. He trusted that the trustees would review the plans before accepting a tender, and cut down the exporiditure, and in addition shelvo the" matter until April. The council knew its legal position in.the matter, and if it could not get its way by protesting, it would seek legal means. 'Councillors Smith and Devine also suggested that the acceptance of a tender should be delayed until tho new Bill came.into force. ■:■.:■■'.■./■.:"■ Revolting Conditions. : ; ;; ' The chairman of Trustees, Hon. 0. M; Luke, pointed out that the trustees had had, this duty handed on to them". by ■ the Hospital Board. Mr., Luko went' on to refer at some length; to!, tho negotiations'as -to the' Bite,; and.the conferences. of local bbdies, and Pointed out the'urgent need for. an uprto-date ever Hospital.',. Previously, ■ th>,hospital had only, treated a. small- percentage' of the fever o* A , number of nurses had.been stricken with the disease when carrying'out their duties under conditions which were revoltinr-an'd a discredit to tlio city. Not only this, but two cases of death might bo attributable to the • noble service , rendered , :unde'r these conditions. In addition, the! same conditions led to a' great number of what were t. Coied relapse; cases. He had; noticed a,statement in-the press" to the eflect that a certain councillor had stated that a- cheap building that conld ,be burned down at the end of .say, ten years, woold be the best. Tho .trustees had consulted with the highest authorities on this phaso of the question, and ■ had; found expert opinion to be 'against this proposal. On the advice' of. their architects the Health Department a- type 'of building had been decided on, , which was eepnomical in its construction and would'meet the needs of the city for perhaps' 100.years, ilhei building was,such that additions could be made if necessary, and; he "could say 'that the board, desire ,to, ibe wasteful, tho : plans having; been reduced from stage to stago until ;: an absolute •.minimum • wa.s;.., reached. ■••; ';In : his•: : opinion it would be positively dangerous.io:delay further in: providing; a fever hospital'. '■■ .Having -done the best;to keep down' to the" minimum he; as chairman," would, not. care, to "hold office, for another.mpnth< if the new 'hospital was not gone on"with , .; (Hear, hear.),: As to , leaving the matter to;,the,, nejv;. board • he'- did riot"."see -, how anybody.of men new to the office could'poV-' sibly_ grasp the affaire-like t the men of long hospital administrative . experience how in; office. ,The, pressure for the;hospital was so ;great and the needs so many that there was no time to be lost. ;• . ; . ' : ■ ,ii:-.Mr,',B. v C. Kirk pointed out that there'was .no pressing need for ihe money, andthe' trustees did. not expect it beforo March 31. The City .Council was. empowered to raise a'loan;; and need hot disturb its finance in any way: If thecouncU should still disagree with the trustees and rest on their legal rights he was' afraid they- would, find that they .were 'resting ' on something, very frail. .'■'.'■' '■„■■'- '■: . London.;thought"the.city had'made its. protest: too late in: the- day. : .No reason had .been-, advanced , ,why.; the hospital: should not be .constructed, and failing : spme good rea-' spnvbeing : advanced ho thought the trustees should go on with tho scheme.- He himself had thought at one time that a more modest building would answer the purpose, but he had had evidence which made ,, him modify this iopinion. " . ..'■-■ .-. .- ■;;■', . : ,-/.■ Mr.,Jas.|Trevor. thought'the work should proceed! at once. Arrangements had been made for tho ;site, Excavations had been done, and. tenders had been' called for. ' Although it jinightbe against his 'personal'-inclinations', ho inlust'try to;carry out the behests of the council ;he: represented, on 1 the board. : ~v . -' .. M;. 'fA: Pistol;- to Heads." o ; '.:':. i Mr. C.'M.Lnke (to the deputation): "If'you put the pistol-to our heads we can't help it 'Wβ must stand the fire." ■!-." ."•-.■'■ :.; : Tho Mayor i"Do I understand that you will not ( call on us for anything until after March ;■ Mr.;Luke:."That is so." :: V -,:.:v , : .: ; i.: -Dr. Newman said it was satisfactory to know that the council would ■ not have to find tho money before March 31; but he still thought the-.trustees should hold their hands until the deputation had waited on the District Hospital Board. He. asked that a tender should not be ;aocepted until the board had been ; seen. Hβ dm iiot think the/ committee', should take a high hand and say this was the bedrock miniOTunu -In the.' present state of things-a reduction of JBIOOO would'be welcome.' Additions could be made to" the building later ifthe plans 'were,out down'.- :..-, ~,;■.',., ;. ■-.. ;!, ; ;.Heaith>Department View! .; ;■'.■ ;.-Dr.-Frengley, in'reviewing the position briefly, expressed the opinion that the whole matter w ?s, now_in the-handset the trustees, the '-'District Hospital Board having done their work He wished to take exception to a statement made recently. ■ that this ■ whole! business had been, carried out in an unbusinesslike manner 'As.-far-OS he'and'the Health Department wero concerned .every requirement '•■)','•' of the Act 'had been .carried ' out. If the council . had anything ,to say, against'the levy • it should have brought it forward at the conference \of local bodies. when .the . matter could have gone before" a magistrate for. decision. : The levy had been 'made out in > proiSortirin'vto population' and ; - accessibility, ' and was a fair'allocation on'the figures.' For tha ■three years .ended March 81, 1909, a total of ! 1014 fever: cases had been treated outside the hospital, and'only 428'ui the hospital; More/ had not been, ordered to the hospital ihecause of the accommodation there. Dr. Frengley added that, in: future when.the hospital'was ready he' would keep scarlet • fever down by making the order to go to the hospital much more emphatic.- It 'was. deplorable that 1 in small crowded houses it was unavoidable to have > fever -patients under treatment while 1 a wife had. to -attend to the. patient and cook her-husband's', dinner in the confined space of four, rooms. The Plague Hospital ,at Berhampore would not bo suitable for a, feV?T hospital, the positionbeing unsuitable, and the cost, of, maintenance great. As. to'relapse cases, there had been a lot of return cases because of the patients not being allowed to disinfect; The ; best;means of disinfection would-be provided at'." the new hospital by having three wards, one for acute cases, one for convalescent cases, and a third for disinfection. With'the latter there would be no more relapse cases., .' Dr. -Newman asked whether there-.was, any chance .of .the .£S4M 19s. being reduced; seeing that the .trustees already, knew what-the tenders were; '■■'..' •'.■ •.■'. ■ '.•■-.. ■•'-..■■'. Mr. Luke said he thought there would be a possibilifr.of a.redaction., . r , ' . When the : deputation had retired the chairman remarked that the matter, of economy had been -before the trustees ngiiin and- again, and had been discussed all round. He for one could see no-reason;, for any delay, and he, thought they should proceed at once and accept a -tender.-; Personally ho was satisfied that if an old friend; of' tho liospital like Dr. Newman had tho knowledge of the position that they (the trustees) had, he would not protest. ngainst tho hospital. He -moved that the work bo proceeded with os expcditiously as possible; and that tho trustees, go into: committee and accept a tender. '. . : ; '".- " ' .'■■.'■■ Mr. Trevor said he. would have to sink his individuality and move an amendment that consideration of the matter Be hrfd over, to some future; date. At the same time he thought the!trnstepe had received some very reasonable tenders.-. -'■.".•' ; -'.-' ; '■:'. '■ '■-.■'■' ".'.• "',', : ' •!.- Tho motion was'carried,' and tho .board decided to accept the lowest, of the! fifteen tenders received. The name; of, the; successful tenderer will.not bo annQunced until the contract has bean:signed. :..•■■ \ ; , '..... ;■'"'. -'