NAPIER HOSPITAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3024, 5 March 1881, Page 3

NAPIER HOSPITAL.

The monthly meeting of the Committee of the Hospital was held in the Council Chamber yesterday afternoon at 2.30. Present: His Worship tbe Mayor (in the chair), Messrs Tiffen, McKay, Banner, Winter, Cotterill, J. N. Williams, M. K. Miller, and Dr. de Lisle. In the absence of Mr J. A. Smith, Mr Banner acted as secretary. CORHESPONDENCE. From the secretary of the Waipukurau Hospital, asking for the remittance of the expenses of a patient who had been sent from Napier. Mr Banner said he believed there was a contra account, but in tbe absence of Mr Smith he could not give any information in reference to it. The consideration of the matter was postponed. From Dr. Menzies as follows : —

With reperence to the letter appearing in the Hawke's Bay Herald of this dato, signed " Common Humanity," I have to lay before the committee the following facts:— About 4 p.m. on Saturday, 26th February, whilst engaged in an operation, a cab drove up to the door, and a lady entered the hospital and requested that I would immediately admit a female servant of hers, accompanying her, who required the service of a midwife. I pointed out that by the bye-laws admission into the hospital was not allowed, and suggested that she should be taken back from whence she came. Observing, however, that she appeared very anxious about the case I sent Miss Stenson over to the barrocks with her in the cab with a request tbat Sergeant Fox would admit her into the Benevolent Asylum. With them also went, at my request, Mrs Poollington, whom I knew to be a recognised midwife, and mother of the little girl I was operating upon, to undertake the case, I telling her at the same time that I would see she was paid. About 5 p.m. she returned, stating that the confinement had resulted in the birth of a living male child, but the accouchment had not been completed. Shortly after two Scandinavian women came and asked me to go over, as they were alarmed, which I accordingly did, and the accouehment was finally accomplished by myself at half-past 6 p.m. The room in which the woman was confined is a small room off the one occupied by Mrs Macnamee, and the child was born fully half an hour (not five minutes as stated in the letter) after admission into the Refuge.—l have, &c, E. Menzies, Surgeon-Superintendent. March 2nd, 1881.

Mr M. R. Miller wished to give an account of bis connection with the matter. On Saturday afternoon last, about two or three o'clock, Mr Price rushed into his office and asked for an order for the admission of his servant girl into the Hospital. He asked Mr Price what was the matter with the girl, but Mr Price Couldn't say ; he had had a note from his wife that the girl bad been taken suddenly ill. He (Mr Miller) gave an order. If he had known what was the matter with the girl he would have acted in a different manner. There was the Charitable Aid Society to meet such cases. familiar cases had frequently been attended to by the society. Dr de Lisle had been in Napier for five years, and had never come across the society or its operations.

The following letter was then read : — Napier, March 4,1881. To the Chairman of the Hospital Committee. Dkab Sir, —I have the honor to inform you that the letter in yesterday's Herald, signed "Humanity and Common Sense," is totally untrue, and from that and the article in this morning's paper I have to request that the Hospital Committee hold an enquiry into the case, and have the evidence of the lady who took the girl, and of the other witnesses taken, both as regards the first and the after treatment of the girl, when fuller and further information will be given.—l am, _c, E. Price. Several suggestions were made in reference to taking evidence in the matter. Mr Banner then read the following letter from Dr. Menzies :— Hawke's Bay Hospital, 27th February, 1881.

J. A. Smith, Esq., Hon. Secretary, Napier Hospital, Napier.

Sir, —I have the honor to notify that on Saturday afternoon, 261b. inst., an unmarried Scandinavian was brought to this Hospital in labour, and as the bye-laws of the institution precluded the admission of such cases I sent her over to the Benevolent Asylum Refuge, and she was there delivered of a living male infant. I _OW beg to suggest to your Committee, in view of similar cases occurring from time to time amongst single girls who have permitted seduction, that the room adjoining that occupied by tho Scandinavian in question should he furnished with two beds and bedding complete, two chairs and a table ; any other necessaries could be temporarily supplied from the Hospital. lam quite willing, in case of necessity, to give my professional services gratis, as I have done on this occasion, but I request the sanction of your Committee to employ one of the recognised midwives of the town for ordinary confinements, as there is no Femme Sage in this establishment. I have the honor to be, Sir, . -: Your Obedient Fervant, E. Menzies, Surgeon-Superintendent.

Dr. de Lisle thought it was a pity the girl could not have been admitted into the hospital. Dr. Menzies had certainly only acted in the discharge of his duty, as the bye-law precluded him from giving admission to the girl. It was the byelaw that was wrong, and it ought to he recinded.

Mr Miller did not think that cases of the kind should bo treated in the hospital, although he quite agreed that some provision should be made for them. He thought the best thing the committee could do would be to adopt tbe suggestion of Dr. Menzies. He would therefore move, "That in accordance with Dr Menzies' suggestion the room adjoining that occupied by the Scandinavian woman be furnished at a cost not exceeding £20, such room to be used for purposes of confinement, and that the doctor be authorised to employ one of the recognised town mid wives in all such cases."

Mr McKay seconded the motion. He was decidedly of opinion that a general hospital was not a proper place for treating such cases. In Melbourne this view was so well recognised that a hospital specially devoted to the lying-in cases had been built, and when it was found that theinstituiion was very much used by a class for whom it was not intended, those cases were sent to a House of Refuge. It was exceedingly objectionable to have such cases in a hospital where there were patients suffering from various maladies. And if they once began doing so there was no knowing where it would end. He was informed that there were some half dozen female servants similarly circumstanced as the one who was taken to the barracks, and he scarcely thought they should encourage such a development of morals in Napier. Mr Winter could not see why such cases should not be admitted into the hospital. When '.be old hospital was in existence lying-incases were admitted into it. The bye-Jaw had done all the mischief. It had been passed along with the others, and he was actually unaware of its existence until the matter now under coneideration had occurred, Originally, he

was sure, it was not intended to exclude such cases, as there were small rooms in the building that were expressly planned for that purpose, a fact that was shown by there being no rooms of the same kind on the male side. The fact was that the present nurse was not a midwife, and so the doctor would have to do her work in such cases. The best course to adopt would be to appoint a nurse, nnd then the matron would have more time to attend to her domestic duties. He would move, as an amendment, " That casea of confinement be admitted into the hospital, and that necessary changes in the staff be made for the purpose." Dr de Lisle seconded the amendment. There was room enough in the hospital for treating lying-in cases, and he could not see why the trouble and inconvenience should be incurred of treating them in the barracks. In a hospital where he had practised lying-in cases were admitted, and so also they were in Guy's Hospital, London. There was an institution where all kinds of surgical cases were treated, and yet there was a lying-in ward in it. As to the objection that the matron was not a midwife, the work of washing and dressing a baby was very easy, and the sooner she learned it the better.

Mr Banner : It is hardly the work of a matron of a hospital to wash and dress babies,

Mr Cotterill had no doubt there was plenty of room in the hospital for such cases, but he did not consider it was the right place for tbem. It was obvious, however, that some arrangement should be made for lying-in cases, and the one proposed had the advantage tbat the place was so near the hospital that the assistance of the doctor could be obtained at any moment it was required. Mr M'Kay said the proposal was only an experiment, and if it was" found necessary a new wing could be built to the hospital for lying-in cases. To admit them as tbe hospital was now would, he was sure, prove injurious to the institution. As to the case that bad brought on the present discas.ion he considered that Mr Price deserved censure for having the woman removed from his place in the conditioa in which she was. (Hear, hear.) It might have endangered her life. He did not think there would be any difficulty in carrying out tbe proposed arrangement. The place was quite handy to the hospital, and it would be no trouble to send from there to the barracks what was required for any lying-in patient. The rooms in the hospital spoken of by Mr Winter were not adapted for the purpose, as they had no fire-places in them.

Mr Winter said the committee should not look at the matter as likely to sanction immorality, as it was not at all improbable that poor married women might apply for admission.

' Dr. de Lisle: Yes, wives of men out of work.

The amendment was then put and negatived, Dr de Lisle, Mr Winter, and Mr Williams alone voting for it. The resolution moved by Mr Miller was carrried by 5 to 3.

The consideration of Mr Price's letter was postponed until next meeting, when a thorough investigation iuto the matter is to be made and the evidence of all concerned will be received. BALANCE AT BANK. Mr Banner stated that the balance at the bank to the credit of the hospital was £577 6s 4d. SA-AHIES AND ACCOUNTS. There was a good deal of disscussion respecting the payment of salaries for the month. Mr Winter pointed out that in some instances the rate of salary was increased without any sanction from the committee, and that while the total amount for February was £56 2d, the amount paid in January was only £46 5s 7d. Ultimately it was decided that the salaries be paid at the old rate, and that the Surgeon-Superintendent be asked for an explanation respecting the large increase of the February amount.

An account from Mr H. Williams amounting to £142 7s 5d it was decided should be held over until the return of Mr J. A. Smith. The following accounts were passed and ordered to be paid : —W. A. Dugleby £47 10s; H. Stevens, £64 16s; Nealand Close, £55 18s 7d and £16 2s lid. The committee then adjourned.