HOSPITAL BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17881, 29 August 1918, Page 3

HOSPITAL BOARD.

NORTH CANTERBURY DISTRICT.

The North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board met yesterday, Mr F. Morrell presiding. The Hospital Committee reported • that patients’ fees for the month were .dibit), as against £449 for the same month last year. The average numi ber of patients in hospital during Julywas 279, the actual number at July 31 being 284, of whom 141 were men, 81 1 women and 62 children.- ! Correspondence was read regarding ilia proposed asphalting of the footpath ongside the hospital, Mr W. J-

natter maintaining that the expense mould be borne by tho board and not >y the City Council or Waimairi County. It was decided to appoint a deputation to wait ■on the Waimairi Council on the subject. A letter was received from Mr H Tutsum, who, in protesting against tli ward’s refusal to accept a deputation on the subject of funerals, stated that there was a great necessity for an alteration of the present system. The matter was referred to the Charitable Aid Committee.

The Hospital Committee reported that it was considering the request that provision should be made for dealing with maternity cases at Akaroa hospital. The plans of 'the hospital to bo erected at Oxford had been approved. Tlie medical superintendent of the hospital had called attention to the serious inroads on the accommodation in the main hospital being made by having to treat many 1 cases of tuberculosis or senile ailments, which could bo more economically dealt with elsewhere. The question of dealing with these classes of patients must be considered by the board in the near future. The report, was adopted. The Public Health Committee reported on the number of applications for admission to the sanatorium received from residents of other hospital districts. During the past week there had been four. Two of these had to be declined altogether. Of the other two, one was a nurse who contracted tuberculosis in the discharge of her duty, and whose friends had offered to pay for her maintenance in the institution and also to erect a shelter for her accommodation. A case such as this the committee regarded as exceptional, and asked the board’s approval to her admission. Another case from Southland was being admitted with the concurrence of the Wairau Board to occupy the Wairau shelter.. It seemed to be essential that attention should be called to the fact that hospital boards elsewhere were seriously neglecting their duty so far as patients suffering from tuberculosis, were concerned. The report was adopted. Tlie Charitable Aid Committeo reported that out of 286 applications relief had been granted in eighty cases. A special winter allowance, varying from 10s to 20s, was made in eighty different cases at a cost of £7l 13s 6d.

The Grey Hospital Board wrote, stating that it was prepared to fall in with the pronosals made by the board at the recent conference on tuberculosis.

It was reported that the Minister had declined to bear the expense of Dr Hlackmore’s proposed visit to the West Const and the northern districts of the South Island, for the purpose of advising hospital boards. The Finance Committee reported that the Minister had asked the board to appoint a district nurse for the Chatham Islands, but as the board had difficulty in obtaining payments of contributions from that part of tho district the Minister had agreed to endeavour to arrange for the establishment of a nurse by other means. A legacy of £9B 9s 4d had been received from the trustees of the estate of ihe late Mr William Cook (Lyttelton) for Lie benefit of the hospital. The question of providing a water supply for the Kaikoura Hospital was under consideration. At present the institution had to depend entirely upon rain water, and this at times was quite inadequate- Tho report was adopted.