WAIAPU HOSPITAL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12869, 23 May 1936, Page 4

WAIAPU HOSPITAL

MONTHLY MEETING PROBLEM OF CRIPPLED children. ! Mr. A. J. Kirkham presided at the monthly meeting, others percent being Messrs. M. Hyland, \Y. Metcalfe, A- Kirk, W. Johnston, H. Williams, A. B. Williams, and C. Wood. The chairman welcomed Messrs. A. B. Williams and H. Williams who had been absent on account o'f illness. The medical officer of iho health, Gisborne, advised thp.t Nurse 9. A. Bradford was to act as relieving nurse in the absence of Nur. e Alangakahia. It- was'decided that the Department should be written to suggesting that better arrangements should b:- made for the comfort <>{ relieving nurses in future. Dr. JbicKay report :d that during April 37 patients had been admitted and 37 had been discharged. There had been 17 operations and 1 death. At the end of the month 24 patients remained in hospital. Sister A. Johnson, sister in charge of Toko-mum Bay Maternity Home, reported that there had been 8 admissions, 7 patients discharged and - •remained at the end of April. The Tikitiki District Nurse’s report stated' that during April she had attAided 29 Maori patients and 12 Maori infants. Whooping cough was very prevalent in tho eastern pot. lion oi tire district as well as an epidemic of mumps. ’ The Te Arar’oa Distinct Nurse iepoted 22 Maoris laid been attended to and 3 maternity cases. An epidemic of gastric influenza- was repelled.

A '-suggestion.that t-re s si.—ld no planted found the To Pu.a Lake to beautify the surrounding's o_ the hospital will he discussed tit- a later meeting-

The m:etiiig discussed the question of the private winds in th: hospital with reierenee to the fees of med.cal moil attending patients in the. private. Opinion; were exnr.s ed tor and against the. principle, hut no decision was readied, c.;copt it was decided to obtain information as to the practice in other hospitals. Mr. H. Williams brought up the matter of crippled children and stated that he had a list of crippled X.tt'.ve children to whom something might he done to help to cure them and wished to know wlmt steps would he taken.

D r - Mae Kay said that generally nothing could be done unless the complaints w:ro treated in cariy infancy. He suggested eoncenti ating on the younger one. His experience w»* that parents vdy oft n failed in tlie'r duty to take children into hospital at the right time. Members expressed concern ati the position and it was resolved, to write to tho authorities asking if something cc-uld he done to compel parents tti take children in for treatment, in their infancy, otherwise! the unfortunate sufferers were likely to he crippled for lift and be a, burden on the State. Meetings in future- were fixed to commence; at 1 p.m.; until October.