HOSPITAL MORTALITY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16742, 24 December 1914, Page 5

HOSPITAL MORTALITY.

MORE REASSURING REPORT. PERCENTAGE LOWER THAN DUNEDIN OR AUCKLAND. At the last meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, Mr W. W. Tanner brought up the question of mortality in the Christchurch Hospital and produced figures showing that the death rate in Christchurch was higher than that at any of the hospitals in other centres. Ho asked for an explanation of the fact, and as a result a report from the Public Health Committee was asked for. The report which was lain before the Board at its meeting yesterday, stated that the Inspector-General’s return for the years 11)13-14 showed that the death rate at the Christchurch Hospital although higher than Wellington, was lower than at Dunedin and Auckland Hospitals. The return was as follows :

Forty-eight of tho 234 in the Christchurch return were over sixty years of age. The following figures showed that many patients were practically dying when they were admitted to the Hospital:—ln the Hospital, one day, 44; two days, 13; three days, 11; four days, 6; five days, 15; six days, 16; seven days, 7; total 112, nearly onehalf dying within one week of admission. It would soem that the mortality figures could be cousiderably reduced if the moribund cases were refused admission. There were 193' operations during the year (including about 600 outpatients), and of these sixty-four died, or 3.3 per cent. In making comparisons between the various districts, the conditions had to be taken into account. For instance, the Wellington Hospital figures were affected by the starlet fever cases. Christchurch housed . these cases elsewhere than at the general Hospital; and if they were included then the Christchurch mortality was reduced to 8.24 per cent. The average of deaths for all general hospitals in the Dominion was i. 35. It must be remembered that where facilities existed many of the small hospitals transferred their difficult cases to the base hospitals for treatment. It might fairly be claimed that the figures did not ‘disclose any lack of skill _or attention at Christchurch Hospital, but rather that the hospital was performing its functions in tho widest sense/ Mr Tanner objected to the report, which, he stated, only referred to the year 1913-14. The figures he had given at tho last Board meeting went back over seven years, and he considered that the resolution asking for the report intended that it should go back for the last four years. It seemed to him that the matter was being sidetracked. Mr H. J. Otley objected to that statement. He considered that there was no use in the discussion at all. He felt sure that whatever Mr Tanner might say, the Board was perfectly satisfied that the amount of attention being given to the patients at the Hospital was beyond question. Mr Tanner: That is not the question at all. , .. Mr Otley: I should like to know, then, what the question is that is being raised. ' Mr H. B. Sorensen said that it was a pity that there should be someone on the Board who would endeavour to belittle the work of the officials of the Hospital. Air Tanner explained that he did not wish to throw any reflection upon the work of the Hospital medical officers. All he wanted to know was why the Christchurch Hospital should have so high a death-rate, and for that reason ho considered that the report should go back over a longer period. After some further discussion, the report was received.

Patients Percentage to total treated. Deaths. Patients. Wellington . 423(5 200 G.13 Christchurch 2714 234 8.62 Dunedin . 2576 22a 8.88 Auckland . 3G30 344 9.47