ISOLATION DISCIPLINE AT THE HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2981, 19 January 1917, Page 4

ISOLATION DISCIPLINE AT THE HOSPITAL

TROUBLE OVER- A - BREACH OP ' THE RULES.

A recent incident at the Wellington Hospital, where a returned soldier who desired to have a talk with his wife— who was a- scarlet fovor patient in the isolation ward —climbed tho fenco in deh'anco of the rules and also contracted the disease, evoked some discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Hospital Board. Several members voiced! their protest against this sort of thing, and it.was also complained that tho man's wife bad been allowed to leavo the in- . stitution before tho lapse of the proper time in order to nurse her husband.

Dr.' Barclay (tho Medical Superintendent) said he hoped that- some notico would be taken of the case. If it was difficult to control infectious disease cases in an ordinary way, it was ten times more difficult outside. A groat deal of stress had been laid upon tho statement that the woman- had been released a week before hor proper time. The proper time ordinarily was six weeks/ but there really was no fixed period, and! in light cases he had allowed patients to-,loave after five weeks on many occasions. There was no hard and fast rule. But he must regard the trouble of the man- getting over the fenco as extremely serious. If that were allowed to go on the isolation ward would bo no isolation at all. They had to harden their hearts all the time, and) simply not admit anyone. Mothers at times wanted to come in to assure themselves that their children were not dying, and so on. But they must face the plain facts—the isolation at a hospital must be thorough- Hβ had admitted parents- and near relatives to people who were dying, but he always saw that proper precautions were taken. against infection. When tho caso was a bad one "they were not allowed too near, and when it was not so severe they were allowed to go a. little closer. They were always told the risk they ran, but usually they took the risk. In the caso o'f the man, he had been allowed to stand down below and speak to his wife, who was on the verandah. That • was a proper precaution, as thoro was I good air space between them to pre--1 vent infection, but the man had broken the rules and climbed over tho fence, and had , had more than one interview with his wife. If was pretty evident iihat tho man was. ill before he loft the hospital. . . "J do nob think that any visitors should bo allowed in tho isolation ward, otherwise- there, will be trouble, said Dr. Barclay in conclusion.