WAIRAU HOSPITAL BOARD.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 62, 14 March 1916, Page 2

WAIRAU HOSPITAL BOARD.

The montHy meeting of tlio "VS amui Hnsniial amf Charitable Aid Board was lield yesterday. There, were present: Messrs J. J. Cony (chairm:,n). C. Noes, A. Weaver, b. H. E«-ci:\«. H. Chccsnian, It. J. Bell, Lt. Mfiilm. D. Bishell. SUMMARY OF PATIENTS. The following is the summary o| the inmate ~ at the hospital during February : Number of patients at end oi previous montli, 23 males, 15 females, total "38; admitted during month, 22 mules '22 females, total 44: aggregate ~i r- -jialos ?' females, total 82: Jn"sehar«rd. 21 males, 19 females, total 40: died, 1 male, 1 female, total 2; numlfov remaining at end of month, 23 male-, 17 females, total 40. 11-lIC STERILISER BOILER, It was reported that the steriliser boiler at the hospital had tracked and become useless as a permanent fixture : and it appeared from the engineering advice received l.»y the Board through its architects that the. water supply had been found io be heavily charged with iimo and magnesia, and in consequence the boiler pipes and saiety giissrc became choked to such an exten f that they hurst. Mr P. J. Galliers. the Board's engineer, reported that lie got tho Iroken ructions patched, and the boiler worker satisfactorily until Saturday night, when it broke down again. He thought lie would be able to set it coins rmain for a time. Replying to the ch-iirman. he expressed dissatisfaction witli the inadequate nature of the boiler, the price of which was £28. Proba'ily tho boiler would now be worth not more than so much scrap iron. He recommended that a multi-tu'-.ular boiler of 14-horse-power be obt-.ine-l. , ~ • At tor discussion it was resolved that the Inspector-General of Hospitals be asked to allow Dr. Anderson, the Deparement\s consulting engineer, to inspect the boiler and advise the Board. THE XURSIXG STAFF. The complement of nurses at the hospital requiring strengthening. Miss Corry and Miss Cameron, whose names were" *-rst on the probationers' list, wore appointed to the staff. It was decided that the three young ladies next on the list be asked to hold themselves in readiness. Fire young ladies applied for enrolment as probationers, and their applications were granted, subject to the usual .conditions. The Matron recommended the appointment of Misses Jordan and AVat«».i to the permanent nursing staff, they having completed their terms of probationership training. Miss O. Peake wrote resigning her position as nurse in charge of the Havolock Cottage Hospital as from the end of the month. She was resigning to be married. The chairman moved that Miss Poake be granted two months' extended leave and be given commendatory references. He spoke in terms of praise of the manner in which Miss- Peake had served the Board for a nerio-'l of seven years, five of which had been soe.nt jit the Havelock hospital. * Mr Noes seconded the motion, winch was carried. The matter of appointing ai successor at Havelock was left in the hands of the chairman. Having filled the position for a term exceeding twelve, months, the sister at the Wjiirau Hospital was granted $ sum of £20, this being a, refund in part of the cost of' her passage from Pl«ondon. HEALTH OFFICER'S REPORT. Mr James Johnston, health officer, reported that only one notifiable case lof infectious disease had been notified since last meeting, this being a case of septicaemia which occurred at Haveloek. Measles, summer colic, and jaundice, due* principally to the excessive hca+ and continued drought, were prevalent in some parts of tho district. GENERAL,. The Building Committee was authorised to have the shelter sheds moved to a position closer to the new hospital. It was decided that the footway between the old hospital and the new institution be. tarred and sanded, the matter being placed in the hands of the borough foreman. The Visiting Committee was erapowererl to call for tenders*' for the painting of the old hospital buildings, including the nurses' quarters and the fever ward. It was resolved to procure the price of ventilators for the kitchen in accordance with a plan recommended^ by the architect. On the recommendation of the Visiting Committee it was decided to procure pot plants for tho entrance hall and corridors of the hospital. A nvmber of minor requirements were c i dered to bo provided. With regard to the effort to secure a bettor water-supply, Mr Galliers reported that Mr Gibbon, the »ellsinker, was now down 168 feet, and was working through rock formation, progressing slowly, at the rate of from one to two' inches a day. Tt was hoped that water would be struck when the lock had been pierced. Authority was given to Messrs Bell, Eccles. and Bishell to proceed with the work of grassing the grounds of tho new hospital.' Tho secretary of the Pieton Hospital Board wrote stating that his chairman had instructed him to notify that the Board was not likely to accept nnv liability in respect to a certain patient from the Pieton district who had been admitted to the Wairau institution. His Board had failed to obtain satisfaction from the patient's family for past indebtedness. —It was resolve! to forward the account for treatment with a request for payment. The "Wairan Road Board forwarded a- cheque for £864 10s. being the balance >">f the capital expenditure !evy made by the Hospital Board. Accounts amounting to £604 wore passed for payment. Two cases, those of women, were recommended to the Department for treatii"->nt at Rotorua. SALARIES. According to notice, the chairman moved that tho salary of the matron bo increased to £150, that of the sister to £100. and that of the assistant medical officer to £150 per annum. He. produced return.'; showing the marked growth of the institution in the last lew years the s/reat inc,vn=o in the number of patients treated there, and the larger responsibilities attaching to the Jieneral working of the hospital. Ho also compared tho local scale of salaries with the scales in force .;i other centres. ■\ftor considerable discussion the motion was carried unanimously.