NAPIER HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6151, 23 January 1882, Page 3

NAPIER HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

The annual meeting of the Hospital Committee was held on Friday laßt. . No intimation of the meeting was forwarded to the Press, but the secretary forwards a report from which we make the following extracts :— Present : His Worship the Mayor (chairman), Dr Spencer, and Messrs J. A. Smith, A. M'Kay, M. R. Millor, J. N. Williams, and C. B. Winter. ELECTION OP OFFICERS. Mr J. H. Vautier was unanimously re-elected Chairman for the ensuing year ; Mr H. A. Banner, treasurer ; and Messrs E. Lyndon and J. J. Williams, auditor* (re-elected). Messrs Winter and Smith were appointed Visiting Committee for January and February ; Dr Spencer and Messrs Miller and M'Kay were appointed as the Charitable Aid Committee. APPOINTMENT OF MATROK. The Board proceeded to consider the applications for the position of matron. Miss Mary Stewart, of Napier, was finally selected, her duties to commence on the 3rd February, and her salary to be £75 a year. FINANCE. The Secretary stated that the hospital boxes had yielded £24. On the motion of Mr Williams, the chairman was requested to obtain from official sources the revenue, and whence obtained, of the chief hospitals ia the • colony. SURGEON-3UPERINTENDENT's BEPORT. Dr Menzies presented a very lengthy report, in which he reviewed the history of the hospital for the past five years. He mentioned that five years ago, chiefly through the representations of the Rev. De ;Berdt Hovell, Dr Hitchings, Dr Spencer, and several other humanitarians, the inhabitants of the town and district were aroused to a sense of the insufficiency of the old hospital building, and that the task of collecting funds and superintending the building of a new hospital was £^F~undertaken by Mr J. A. Smith, the outcome of whose almost Herculean labors was the present commodious establishment. The elevation of the building (aome3oofeet) above malarious influences, and the mental gladness and contentment which could not fail to be induced by the views of the surrounding scenery obtained from the site, had undoubtedly a beneficial effect on the treatment of Biekness and convalescence. The architect, Mr Dugleby, and the builder, Mr M'Kay, wej c complimented upon the result of their labors, and Dr Menzies added that, for elgauce of design, including the newest scientific improvements and solidity of structure, the hospital could stand corn-pari-ion with any other of its size in the colony. About two years ago Mr Smith organised ** planting bees " to plant the ground and convert .it from a wilderness into a garden, and the gardener, J. M'Bean, had steadily carried out the original intention; and in a short time the

grounds of the hospital would form an attractive promenade. A portion of the ground had also been set aside for growing vegetables, the supply of which would eventually be a source of saving to the institution. Thanks to the large underground tank, the hospital had hitherto been independent in the matter of water supply, but an American wind-mill pump, at first used to raise the water, had been destroyed by the force of the wind. There was accommodation for 21 male patients, allowing 1000 cubic feet of space for each, and for 10 female patients, besides two comfortable rooms for four private paiients. The upper parts of the windows were at first fixtures, but they had recently been fitted with sashes and cords at the instance of the Visiting Committee. The Tobin ventilators acted very well, but did not accomplish the desideratum of giving an exit to the foul heated atmosphere at night, though this might easily be remedied. Candles were at present used, the risk attending the manufacture of gas from gasoline having been declined by the insurance companiea. The dry earth closet system had been adopted, and was found to answer admirably; and certain defectg in the drainage under the building were about to be remedied. Owing to the small size of the hospital, and the moderate number of patients, it had been found more convenient and economical to have the dietary conducted on the system of a large family or hotel, instead of using several diet scales, involving complicated returns and accounts beyond the capacity of the housekeeper or matron to undertake and keep. When patients were well enough to enjoy food, they got as much substantial plain roast or boiled meat and vegetables as they could eat, with soup or pudding twice a week ; but when too ill to partake of ordinary diet nourishment adapted to each caso was given. The Leamington range had only one fault — it was too small. The Btatf consisted of surgeon, matron, two female nurses, two housemaids, a cook and scullery maid, a gardener and porter. It was now universally accepted as a fact that hospital nurses should be always, if possible, of the female sex, and as it was not possible to find a sufficient number of women of mature age (say 40) to j undertake the duties, in most public hospitals young women were permitted , and encouraged to undergo a training for the charitable and humane calling of nursing; and although there were many , details of the work which were repugnant to sensitive women, he was bound to admit, from long experience, that when i there Tras an innate sense of propriety in young women, and when they were carefully selected and trained, those personal objections were spcedliy overcome and women always became at the bedside of "pain and anguish ministering angels." He had much pleasnre in testifying to the j kindness and attention of the two young women who were now training as nurses. Dr Menzies then proceeded to the more purely medical part of his report, remarking that though this part of New Zealand was not yet sufficiently populated to attract largely zymotic diseases, yet there had bean a sufficient sprinkling of gastro-enteric fevers, and other cases of zymotic type, to enable a foreoast to be made if the strictest attention is not paid to sanitary matters by the municipal authorities ; and now that small-pox, the most loathsome of all zymotic diseases, had forced an entrance into the parent colony of the Australasian group, and was clamoring for admittance into others, it behoved those to whom the public weal was entrusted to Rtudy carefully the subject of sanitation for the multitude in all it« branches, and act on it. A total of 208 cases had been treated during the year, the average daily sick having been slightly over 23. The per centage of death, (15) to patients treated appeared large, but deducting 6 violent deaths (i.e., deaths due to accident, and one suicide) the average fell to 4^ per cent., and of the number of deaths remaining he regretted to state that four were due to disease contracted from exposure under the direct influence of drink. Without these, the deaths were reduced to the small per centage of 2£. The out-patients' department had been largely used during the year — 1000 cases was under the mark. He trusted the committee would record their acknowledgment of the services of Mr E. Quayle, an English medical student, who, visiting Napier for the benefit of his health, had given his services gratuitously in dispensing and medical and surgical work in the hospital for the past six months. He (Dr Menzies) had also to record his thanks to his professional confreres of the town, one and all, for the assistance bo readily accorded during the year. In conclusion, he had the pleasure to state his conviction that the Napier Hospital had quietly and steadily, without ostentation, under good and evil repute, carried out the objects for which it was erected ; and his earnest recommendation was that a separate building for women and children should be erected in the grounds, leaving the present hospital for male patients only. The committee ordered the report to be printed and circulated amongst the subscribers. CHARITi.B£E AID COMMITTEE'S REPORT. Mr M. It. Miller, as chairman of the Charitable Aid Committee, presented the following report : — During the year ending the 31st December. 1881, tke Refuge has been occupied by an average of thirteen men and two women. Of the men four occupy the infirm ward, attended by two of the old inmates, who receive 2s 6d per weak each for cooking and nursing. Four thousand seven hundred and ninety-three rations have been supplied to the inmates of the Refuge during the year at a cost of 7d per ration, vrkich amounted to £130 15» lid, to which miiflt be added extras at a halfpenny per day each for matohes, pipe», tobacco, candles, &0., at a coit of £9 19* B^d. -P. « rJ

Average per h«ad for the year ... £11 1 0 For outdoor relief 5139 rations were issued to families, representing a daily average of two men, nine women, and twenty-threa children, at a cost of 7d per ration, amounting to £149 16a lid. To thii must be added £7 3s 4d, cost of firewood dolivered to poor families during tlio winter months. The sura of £11 3 i wa» paid for the support and medical attendance »f a young woman at Clive for confinement. The expenses of one invalid to Taupo, for the benefit of his health, was incurred, and also the steamer fares of one man, two women, and throe children to other parts of the colony in search of employment. Three destitute persons during the year, for whom burial and funeral expenses were provided. The fai*es by railway to other parts of the district were provided for five men seeking employment. The committee, in presenting this report, have again to acknowledge the valuable aid they hive received from Sergeant Mahon, who has gratuitously and kindly performed the office of inspector for the committee. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr M. R. Miller gave notice of the following important motion: — "That Hi© Government be again reminded that this hospital is not endowed with land ; and that they be urged to at once set aside a fair endowment of the Crown lauds of this provincial district whilst there is land unalienated; and further, to grant such portion of the Crown lands in the Wairoa district, until such time as that district may require a separate hospital, such grant then to revort to the separate use of such district. And that, failing favorable consideration by the Government of this resolution, the committee shall hand over the entire charge of the hospital to the General Government." ; Mr Winter gave notice of .motion altering the day q£ meeting.

The Secretary was instructed to drawup for approval a testimonial to Miss Stenson, the retiring matron. The Committee then adjourned.

For Kalian* 139 15 11 Tor Extra* 9 19 8k £149 15 7i Attendance „, ... „, 16 0 0 Total ... £165 15 7*