HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Evening Star, Issue 14118, 22 July 1909, Page 7

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

The ordinary meeting of the Trustees of the Dunedin Hospital, held yesterday afternoon, was attended by Me-nsrs S. Solomon (chairman). J. Mill, J. London, E. A. Tapper, J. M. Gallaway, J. M'Donakl, and D.r Batchelor, sen. —Correspondence.— Dr Valintine, having written in. reference to a delirium tremens ward, it was reported that the architect had been instructed to prepare plans and an estimate for the Inspector-General. llr Bi.irt was granted leave of absence, Dr Hall b?ing appointed to fulfil the duties meanwhile. A letter was received from Dr Will in reference to a case of war let fever sent to *he Hospital by him. In it he stated that iio had coed reason for concluding that the patient had not scarlet fever. The Honorary Medical Staff wrote- ask : ins the Trustees to appoint an assistant pathologist.—Mr Mill assumed that applications would be Killed for in the papers in the usual way.—The Chairman said that they would have to alter tho by-laws be- : fore they could appoint another officer. I .'lO by-laws provided for a certain staff.—Dr Batchelor thought that it would lie best J met by appointing a temporary assistant. , Dr Roberts was overworked, and a temporary assistant would moot the case.—Mr ! Mill moved, and Mr Tapper seconded, that ! a temporary assistant be appointed.—Carried.—On Mr Loudon's motion it was , further decided that applications be called -ior the position by ;idvertisement. The i question of altering the by-laws was rcj terred to the chairman and Mr Gall away. J The .Houee Committee recommended, "on j an application from tho honorary medical I staff, that their resolution regarding the j signing of the attendance book bv memj bcrs of the medical staff on their" arrival | and departure be adhered to.—The Ckair- | man explained that tho Trustees intended ; no reflection on the staff, but wished to have a record of what doctors had attended the hospital on any particular day. —I ho House Committee's recommendation ; was confirmed. j Mr A. A. Finch notified that the late j Mw Ma.c.Neil had bequeathed £SO to the j hospital.—Acknowledged, and to bo placed | to the credit of the 'building fund. —Reports.— ! Tho House Committee reported that 1 after having fully inquired into the mutter of Mr W. J. Has-tie's complaint, Mr Todd accepted the explanations made. The case against A. F. Miller, baker, for supplying ehort-weight bread resulted in a conviction anil fine of £1 and costs. The nurses' home extension had been insured for £3,250. a::d the furniture for £4OO with the following companies in equal shares: . Standard. South British, New Zealand, ; Norwich Union, Government and National Companies. At a conference between the chairman, Dr Batchelor, and several members of the honorary surgical staff, a list of furniture" ;uid requisites for the new theatre was drawn up. The citation to appoint assessors for enginedrivers' award has been handed to Mr Scott, with power to act. Messrs Mason and Wales wrote reporting progress of outpatients' department, also that the work in connection with the nurses' home extension . had been completed.—The Chairman ex- | plained that the complaint made by Mr Hustle was that a female patient who had died had been neglected. Her friends had been given every facility for investigation, and they were fully satisfied with the explanations offered, and quite exonerated the nurses. —Mr Solomon also submitted details of the equipment of the new operating theatre, which he mentioned was now nearly ready for use. He and Dr Bachelor had been authorised to spend £250 on its equipment, ancU after conference with the medical staff had decided on the purchase of the articles contained in the list submitted, at a cost of £2s2.—The Trus- ! tees approved of the list, and the report was adopted. The Finance Committee recommended that application be made to District Hospital Board for £853 6s 3d, for maintenance ' due in July. The deposit for £316 19s Id sub.-idy on Ann Brown's bequest falls due on 26th July. The District Hospital Board have not yet paid the first instalment i (£250) of overdraft, which was duo last month. The following tenders have been ! accepted : —Alex. Gillies's tender for papering and painting secretary's room (£9 12s); Herbert, Havncs for linoleum (No. 1 ward £ls 0s 6d. sun room of do £2 12s Bd, kitchen of Nurses' Home £2 16g) ; Herbert, Hayr.es, for blinds (thirty-seven plain green blinds for Nurece' Home £7 10s 7d); J. and \V. Faulkner's tender for eighteen new bedsteads (to be black enamel, at £3 3s , each); 11. Meikle's tender for linen cupi boards (£6 10s); Stone and Co.. for printj ir.g 5.000 case forms (£5 10s). The following donations have been received:—Mis [Nichols, per Dalgety and Co., £5; Mrs | Finch, one invalid chair, one back rest, I one adjustable table; Miss Gowerdy, religious tracts; Miss A. Hunter, books, etc., | for children's ward; Wain's Hotel, illus- | trated papers; Citlins-Tnhakopa Railway ' League, 4s 6d ; Mrs J. C. Stephens. 12., 6d. 1 —'the report was adopted, and the donations acknowledged with thanks. I The resident medical officer reported : Dr j Johnston, assistant house .surgeon, being ill. ; Mr Woodhouce (senior student) was an' ! pointed to act for him. On application to, , a- further leave of absence of one month for Dr Johnston, Dr M'Kce was appointed ] to act for him on a salary of £2 10s pci j week. Admission was refused to a patieiu | suffering from mental aberration. He re- . commended alterations 1o ward 1 as I'o 1 - ! lows:'—Ventilating shaft to be obtained, u, j allow for cross-ventilation : windows in I sun room to be made to open at bottom, I similar to other sun rooms; provision ci i external recesses for accommodating bucki eta.—Adopted. j The Matron reported that Nurses Herd- ; man and .Murray had resigned their posi-' ; tior.s. The following applicants have been , appointed probationers :—Margaret Dew;:: j and Elizabeth M'Millan. The followinsr applicants have been placed on the list of ; probationers seeking appointment: Jcannie Shand, Alice May Re id, Mar<;nift Burnett, ],. Gihson, and Maime Clark. Dr Williams iwi appoint«l lecturer to nurses. All the nurses who sat for the examination in invalid cookery at the Technical School parsed.—Adopted. NOTICES OF MOTION. In accordance with notice of motion, D Batchelor moved—"That with the peimis sion of the Hospital Trustees, attending by their nui.jvs in any of the institutim:.-- | controlled by the local Board be counts! i in their four years' course of training, pro vided that s-ich attendance shall not exceed six months m the Maternity Hospital oi three months in any other of the institutions."'—Agreed to. Mr Loudo.i moved—"That notwithstanding thut nurses undertake to servo four yeans in (he Uiincdin Hospital, it shall lie competent for the Trustees, on the recommendation of tho resident medical officer and the matron, to grant a ceitiJicatc of efficiency at any time after (hi-ri years' service." " Mr Loudon said that he moved this lecausc of a question which recently cropped up, where a nurse, aflci serving three years and nino months, was granted a certificate. This, he thought, was irrcinilav. and he wished to validate it' and also to provide for future caccs. He j understood that three years was the statutory time for the nurses, and he doubted whether the Trustees could withhold "a i nuree her certificate after she bad served j three years. j Dr Batchelor explained that the nurses ' could go up for examination after three years. j The Chairman said that the nurse r^- ■ ferred to ny Mr Loudon had served her full time, having only entered for three years. She had applied to him for a testimonial f o > the extra nine months. ; A long <v.d slightiy personal discussion , was carried on, in tho conversational stvle i customary at these meetings. ; Mr Tapper pointed out that if the time were reduced tho nurses would apply for j their certificates at tho cud of three years, I and would leave directly afterwards." The | by-law should remain 'as at present, or there would be a difficulty in obtaining exj pe-rienced nurses. Xha resolution, was lost, I