WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

Evening Star, Issue 19777, 30 January 1928, Page 12

WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

MEETING OF COMMITTEE MORE ACCOMMODATION NEEDED

At the meeting of the AVaipiata Sanatorium Committee there wore present Messrs J. Alathcson (chairman), E. Macdonald, A. Fraser, Jasper Clark, J. Ritchie, E. Morgan. J. Horrcll, and \V. Bryant. Dr Maclean represented tlio Department of Health. Mr R. Scott. M.L.C., Dr A. Kidd (medical superintendent), and Mr H. G. Naylor (secretary of Hie South Canterbury Board) were also present. Leave of absence was granted to Mr F. W. Watts (Ashburton), Air Bryinfc representing the Ashburton Board ; n his place. The Chairman extended to Air Bryant the sympathy of the committee in connection with a recent family bereavement, and welcomed Air Scott, a former member of flic committee, to the meeting. The Chairman also explained that on learning that the Alinister of Health (Mr J. A. Young) was visiting 'the south, he had extended an invitation to him to visit Waipiata at time as the committee. Air Young, however, was unable to do so, and wired thanking the chairman for his invitation.

Tlie Maniofcoto Hosiptal Board forwarded a resolution with reference to ex-patients of Waipiata Sanatorium who. after taking up their residence in Central Otago, were admitted to the hospitals of that district for treatment of complaints other than tuberculosis, suggesting that the associated boards should accept liability for these for a period of at least two .years, ns had already been agreed to as regards patients suffering from tuberculosis. After discussion tbc secretary_ was directed to notify the Maniototo Board that the committee could not see its way to ask the associated boards to accept this increased liability. Mr Morgan asked that his dissent to the resolution be recorded. The Hospital Boards’ Association and the Director-General of Health wrote with reference to the committee’s request to have the sections in the Hospitals Act referring to the residential qualifications amended, so as to ipreclndo from its provisions persons afflicted with tuberculosis. The Treasurer reported that the Government grant of £2,500 promised hr the Minister of Health for capital expendiure at Waipiata Sanatorium had been paid into the committee’s account.

With reference to procuring a billiard table for the use of the patients in tlie sanatorium, the Chairman reported what .had been done in the Southland and Ashburton hospital districts in the matter of voluntary contributions, ami the representatives of other boards present reported on what was being done in their respective districts to supplement the amount already in hand, which tlie chairman stated was in the vicinity of £29.—The matter of further contributions and of inquiries respecting a. suitable tabic was left in the bauds of the chairman and secretary, with power to act. The'Medical Superintendent (Dr A. Kidd) submitted statistical returns of patients admitted to and discharged from the sanatorium, and their condition at the end of each month. He reported that Nurses Pont, MTutosh, Aitken, and Pnrcell had been successful in passing their examinations for tuberculosis nursing, the papers being set and marked by Dr Blackmore, of Christchurch. —Received, the nurses mentioned to he complimented on their success, 1 and granted special certificates h- the committee.

Dr Kidd also reported that Mr Tannook, onrator of the Dunedin Gardens, had sent up a. man to supervise the lay-out of the grounds, and had submitted'two plans which would work in with the present and future buildings so far as roads and paths were concerned.—After .some consideration the committee adopted a scheme providing for one central roadway for the institution, and the details were left in the hands of the Farm Committee to confer with the medical superintendent and the'foreman in charge of the work, with power- to act in having th,e first portion of the work carried out. The Secretary (Mr T. Prydo) submitted the bed state report, showing that the different associated boards had patients in the sanatorium as follows; —South Santerbury 23, Southland 24. Ashburton 12, Waitaki 7, South Otago 7. AVallaco 3, Vincent 2, Mauiototo 2, and one private, patient—-a fetal of 81. Out of that number six had been iu the institution for more than 13 months, six for more than 12 months, and 70 for less than 12 months. Since the November meeting J 4 patients had

been discharged, eight with the disease arrested, four with Hie disease quiescent, one transfeircd to hospital for surgical treatment, and one much improved. Ho also submitted a list of 71 patients awaiting admission, ‘-’G from South Canterbury district, 28 from Southland, 4 from Ashburton, G from Waitaki. 0 from South Otago, and 1 from Vincent. —In view of this large waiting list and the urgent necessity of having more accommodation for patients, Hie medical superintendent was asked to submit a report to next meeting as to how many patients could be treated in Hie sanatorium over ami above the extra 30 that arc being provided for in the new shelters now in course of erection without the committee requiring add to the present kitchen and administrative blocks. The Secretary also reported that the Love Construction Company had now started its contract for Hie erection or extra patients’ shelters, which it was hoped would be completed in May. Ho reported further Hint for the supply and delivery of boiler and laundry machinery, Hie Health Department had invited tenders widely had been submitted since last meeting to Hie members of committee, and the chairman s action in instructing the department to accept the lowest, that of Anderson s, Ltd., Christchurch, of £834 18s 6d, was approved. The matter of the erection of the machinery when it arrives was held over in Hie meantime, it being suggested that the laundry engineer of the Ashburton Hospital would probably be available to advise on detail matters connected with same. Owing to the large number of patients in the sanatorium and Hie time required each month for the medical superintendent to visit the _ different centres in Hi j Committee’s district, it was decided to notify the department of the committee’s intention to appoint a full time assistant medical officer, and to request the consent ol the department in the matter of providing suitablo accommodation for him at the institution.

Tlie Treasurer submitted a state merit of the receipts and payments since the previous meeting, which showed that for the ten months ended January 31 the actual receipts were £321 less than the amount estimated for the period, while the maintenance expenditure was £B4B less than the estimate. Owing to the delay in getting departmental consent to the erection of the patients’ shelters the capital payments for the period were £3,SOU less than the amount estimated, and at present there was a credit balance at the bank of £0,380 15s. Accounts and salaries totalling £1,368 14s (id were passed for payment. It was decided to hold the next meeting in Dunedin on February 23.