INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Evening Star, Issue 15899, 3 September 1915, Page 2

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

MORE'ACCOMMODATION WANTED. WAKARI Sn , E~TO BE USED. The. necessity _ for extra accommpdation for infectious diseases oases was brought under the notice of the Hospital Board : last evening by a deputation from the medical men of the City, i Dr Church said that the- medical men were at their wits' end just now to know, how to get their infectious cases treated at the Hospital. They felt that there was urgent need for a larger infectious diseases : hospital. : The one at Pelichet Bay was quite inadequate. There were many infectious disease cases in the City just now, chiefly among the poorer people, and it was important that the children so affected should have the very best treatment available. They asked the board to get an infectious diseases hospital built atWakari, because they considered it an urgent growing need. . Nearly every medical man in Duhedin had had cases of infectious diseases, and when they wished to get them into the Hospital they-had been told that there was no room for them. Dr Fitzgerald said that he had had cases that fihoTild have gone to the Hospital for proper treatment, but he had not been able to get them taken in owing to the institution being overcrowded. Dr Newlands said that they not only wanted proper nursing, but proper isolation. At the present time they were certainly in the midst of an unusual epidemic of infectious diseases. Dr Ritchie said that the extra accommodation was.not only required for scarlet fever cases, but for bronchial pneumonia, which was very prevalent. Dr North said that all the medical practitioners were having the same experiences as had already been mentioned. Isolation was necessary in the poorer homes. Dr Brown asked if the deputation considered that the circumstances warranted the board in erecting temporary buildings immediately. Dr Fitzgerald said that what was happening just now had happened before. In his opinion something temporary should be gone on with now, and something permanent gone on with later. The Chairman (Mr J. H. Walker) said he thought that every member of the board realised that the time had arrived when something must be done in regard to this matter. They had recognised within the last three or four years that the hospital at Pelichefc Bay was totally inadequate, during certain parts of the year to accommodate the patients that required admission. They realised that on occasions of this sort, when the question of public health was so important that it was necessary to provide adequate accommodation. He would now read the report of the sub-committee-appointed to consider the question, and'he might say that the temporary buildings that they proposed to erect were expected to last for 20 years. The report read as follows :

" A meeting of the sub-committee appointed to consider the report of the medical superintendent with reference to the necessity of increased accommodation with regard to infectious diseases was held on Wednesday, there being present Drs Ferguson, Brown, Champtaloup, Falconer, and Mr J. H. Walker. Tie various points raised in the report were considered, tho whole question being fully discussed, and the committee beg to submit the following for the board's approval :—(1) That it is absolutely necessary that provision should be made for accommodation of the large number of "patients who Tequire treatment. (2) That the erection of buildings should be proceeded with at the earliest possible date on the Wakari site. (3) That the buildings to be erected ishould be of such a nature that they can be completed at an early date, and that the architect be instructed to proceed with the work at once. (4) That the dwelling-house on the grounds should be .renovated and furnished to provide the necessary accommodation for the nurses. (5) That a portion of the district nurse's services be utilised in attending to the urgent cases outside the Hospital, and, if necessary, another nurse be engaged to assist in this work. (6) that the "Minister of Public Health (Hon. -Mr Russell) and Dr Valintin (Inspector-General) be asked to jvisit Dunedin in reference to the extra necessary accommodation required for our wounded soldiers. As these matters are of extreme urgency in the interests of public _ health, and the necessity is of grave importance to those who have contracted these troubles, the committee feel sure that the board will do their utmost to give effect to the recommendations here set forth."

The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the Teport, said that he wanted members to realise that it was an expenditure that could not be avoided. Dr Brown seconded the motion. Mr Driver asked what it was proposed to expend. The Chairman said he could not answer that. .They intended to have sufficient accommodation for 50 patients. The idea was to give the board's architect full power to proceed with the work, and the most economical way. of carrying it out would be for the architect to get someone to superintend the work. In answer to a question by Mr Quelch the Chairman said lie thought the cost would be about £2,000. They would get a subsidy from the Government. The report was then, adonted.