SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL

Evening Star, Issue 19327, 13 August 1926, Page 11

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL

MEETING OF BOARD Mr J. ’ Gumming presided at the monthly meeting of the South Otago Hospital Board. The Medical Superintendent (Dr A. C. B. Biggs) reported for the month of July: The base hospital at Balclutha has continued to be busy, and the work has been quite satisfactory, particularly since tho nursing staff has been brought up to more normal requirements. A trained masseuse, however, is badly needed, and I would like one to be appointed as early as possible. The admissions for tho month numbered forty, whilst forty-one patients were discharged; the number remaining at the beginning of August was twentyfour; there were no deaths. Contrary to the usual experience, tho women’s ward has been busier than the men’s. At Kaitangata eight pationts_ wero admitted, five discharged, leaving seven at August 1. Ten cases wero treated as out patients. Of the total number of in patients the majority were cases of influenza. At Owaka the hospital has been kept rathhr busy. There wore fifteen new cases, sixteen were discharged, seven remaining on August 1; there 'were no deaths. Dr Stenhouso has unfortunately been ill during the month, but the work at the hospital was carried on very efficiently by Dr E. F. Thomson. At Milton work has been going on quietly and satisfactorily; twelve cases were admitted, eleven discharged, five remaining at tho end of the month; there wore two deaths. The total numbers for tho hospitals in the South Otago district for tho month of July were therefore: Admissions fovcnty-fivG, discharges seventy-three, deaths two, remaining in hospital on August 1 forty-three.—Received, the request for a masseuse to bo considered later. D. M. Mawson, clerk Milton Borough Council, wrote stating that it had been decided to increase the charge by the borough council for the removal of ashes and refuse from tho Milton Hospital from £3 to £G per annum, as the former charge was quite inadequate for the service rendered. —Decided that tho £6 rate be paid. In a further letter Mr Mawson stated that his council had received a petition from at tho north end of the borough asking that portion of Johnson street, from District road and leading past the back entrance of the hospital, be metalled. The road ran along tho boundary between Bruce County and Milton Borough. The estimated cost was about £IOO, and tho writer’s council suggested that the Bruce County Council, Milton Borough Council, and the South Otago Hospital Board hear one-third of the cost each. —Mr Fenton moved that the Milton Borough Council be informed that this board cannot legally spend money on public roads. —Second by Mr Clark and carried. E. B. Lothian, town clerk, Balclutba, wrote stating that it had been resolved that the account in respect of tho water supplied by the council to the board be rendered quarterly. With regard to tho use of the water meter installed by the council, arrangements would be the same as obtained within the borough under tho borough by-laws —i.o., a charge of 15 per cent, per annum of the cost of tho motor. Mr Mosley moved that tho matter be held over to enable inquiries to be made as to the cost of a meter for tho board, in order to have an independent chock, and also that the chairman and secretary wait upon tho borough council and report to next meeting.—Seconded by Mr Fenton and carried. Mr Fenton said ho had noticed that a deputation from the friendly societies had waited upon tho Otago Hospital Board at its last meeting with a request that where a family had paid up to £3O in hospital fees, at the half-rate allowed to members of friendly societies, the Hospital Board relieve the particular friendly society •concerned from tho collection of fees, tho Hospital Board to attend to that. The Otago Board had postponed consideration, but tho impression gained in Kaitangata from the Press report of the business was that the hospital boards were trying to penalise patients who remained in°a hospital for longer than three months. It was, however, tho other way about, and it seemed to him that the friendly societies were endeavoring to penalise their own patients. It did not matter to the hospital _ boards it patients remained in an institution for iil'tv weeks. If there were any penalising he was satisfied that was on the part of the friendly societies. In regard to Waipiata Sanatorium, the Chairman said that the waiting list was cleaned up, and now was the time to get patients in from South Otago u there were any requiring treatment in the sanatorium. Tho board then went into committee.