INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1146, 12 February 1903, Page 2

INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

CONFERENCE OF LOCAL BODIES. On Tuesday last a meeting of delegates representing the various contributing bodies under the Southland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board met in Invercargill at the invitation of the Mayor of that Borough for the purpose of discussing the question of the erection of an infectious diseases hospital. The following delegates attended :-Inveroar?,'m „ C - S - L °nguet; Southland County, Mr T. Green; Gore Borough Council, Mr D. L. Poppelwell; Winton, Mr C. Moore; Gladstone, Mr F Hawke; South Inderoargill, Mr I.Rose. The Borough of Avenal was also represented. An apology from the Wyndham Town Board was reoeived. The Mayor of Invercargill (who presided) intimated that notice had been received from the Health Department that each borough whioh was the Board of Health within its own distriot woula require to make provision the proper isolation of cases of infectious diseases wbioh might happen in the respective districts. In order to avoid the expense of separate institutions for each looal body, it was suggested that one oentral infectious disease hospital be established in Inveroargill to meet the requirements of all boroughs or other distriots near at hand. It would probably also be necessary that some provision should be made to meet the circumstances of places at a distance from Gore, but no doubt this matter could be arranged by the Charitable Aid Board, whioh had power to rate all the contributing bodies to the extent neceesaryto provide the required funds. A conversational dißOUssion took place among the delegates, who were practically unanimous concerning the advisability of the Charitable Aid Board taking the matter in hand, and it was decided that the whole of the delegates present form a deputation to wait on the Board in order to nut the matter before it.

Subsequently the deputation waited upon the Board, and the Mayor of Invercargill explained the views of the delegates. He pointed out the advantages to all contributing bodies of having one oentral authority attending to this matter instead of having several institutions. It might be possible to make arrangements with the Invercargill Hospital Trust to get tho use of the fever ward of the hospital for infectious diseases. Very little addition to this ward would enable it to meet the requirements for some time to come and if arrangements of that nature could be made, and the fever ward declared an infectious disease hospital, it would be a great advantage and saving to a large number of bodies interested. He pointed out the difference between an ordinary hospital and an infectious disease hospital. In the latter institution proper authority would exist not only to give control over the patients, but if necessary, to allow clothing or other goods belonging to infected persons to be destroyed in order to stop the spread of infection. He recognised that places at a distance, such as Gore, would probably require separate treatment in the matter of a hospital, but he thought their needs would probably require to be supplied by the erection of a local hospital which, of course, the Charitable Aid Board could undertake.

Mr Green endorsed the views expressed by Mr Longuet, and stated that as representing the body which contributed the largest share of the funds of the Charitable Aid Board, he had deemed it advantageous to have the Charitable Aid Board take this mattor up, as it would save a_ multiplication of expenses; all the necessary authorities were vested in the Board.

Mr Poppelwell pointed out that so far as the Gove Borough was ooncerned, that Borough would be perfectly agreeable to the Charitable Aid Board taking the matter up, as the advantage to all parties coneemed of having one central authority was evident. Gore, however, was so far from Invercargill, that he thought a separate institution should be erected there. He had reason to believe that the Health Department would iDsist upon a separate hospital for Gore, more particularly as it was a centre of a very large district, which extended fifty or 6ixty miles in some directions. Gore ought to be the centre for the district extending beyond Lumsden and Waikaia, and including a very large area of country. Naturally, if the Gore Borough was to fall in with the course now proposed, it would have to be on th« understanding that the Charitable Aid Board would stand between the Gore Borough and the Health Department in case the latter should require a separate hospital for Gore. It would, of course, be unreasonable to expect the outlying boroughs to contribute towards the central hospital, and then perhaps afterwards to be called upon to build hospitals of their own. If, however, the Charitable Aid Board took up the whole matter that body could erect such branch hospitals as might be required by the Health Department. After one or two of the other delegates had also spoken, the Chairman (Mr Bain) said that the Board was fully alive to the advantages of this question being taken up by them as a central authority, but did not think that the one central hospital would meet the requirements of an outlying borough such as Gore, or perhaps some others. He thought not more than three would be required in the whole of Southland district, 000 as a contral hospital in Invercargill, and perhaps two others. The best course for the Board to take would be to consult the Health Department, so as to come to an understanding with them what was actually required, and the Board could then oonsider the whole question. He could assure the deputation that the fullest consideration would be given to the matter by the Charitable Aid Board, as they were impressed by the necessity of some such scheme as that suggested by the deputation being carried into effect. The deputation thanked the Board, and then withdrew. Subsequently the Board decided that steps be taken to ascertain the requirements of the Health Department, with a view of giving effect to them.