HOSPITAL BOARD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1718, 8 January 1920, Page 5

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING TO-DAY.

At the monthly meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital and Charitable Aid Board held to-day the members present wcr'o Sir James Wilson (chairman). Mrs Gill, Dr Whitakor, Meters M. A. Moody, D. Collis W. Murdoch, J. W. Bramwell, J. H. Vincent, F. Penn, W. G. Pearce, 11. W. Smart and A. E. Pearce. An apology for absence was received from Mr J. A. Nash. M.P.

SUPPLY OF DRUGS. The secretary of the Health Department forwarded a list of drugs which the Defence Department could supply, and stated that if .the Board desired to avail itself ol the- opportunity to purchase from this source it should send its orders to him. The writer added that tho Health Department was considering the question of importing direct from the manufacturers in regard to drugs and other supplies so as to ensure a continuous supply at bed rock prices to those boards which desired to avail themselves of such opportunity. —The matter was left in the hands of the staff to attend to.

RESIGNATION. ; Miss Adelaide C. Griffin wrote resigning her position on the hospital nursing staff. — The resignation was accepted with regret. j INCREASE IN SALARY. An application for an increase in salary ! was received from Mr John MacFerran, j cleric of works at the hospital. In reply to a question, tho secretary said tho writer was at present paid £5 per we k. —On Mr Bramwell's motion, it was decided to increase tho salary to £6 per week.

AMBULANCE AT OTAKI. I A lettor was received from the Defence Department stating thut the transfer to the Board of the ambulance sont to Otaki had beon made. The ambulance had boon in tho first place subscribed for by "the Otaki children, and after uso by the Defence Department had been returned to Otaki. Dr. Whitaker said ho considered the ambulance should bo brought >to Pnlmorxton North and housed at tho hospital ; grounds, so as to bo under tho direct control of tho Board Mr Penn said that the ambulance had recently been sent from Otaki to Palmerston North with an infectious disease case, i The secretary pointed out that the ambulance at Otaki would hold six patients, while tho Board's one at Palinerston North would only hold two. If an ambulance was needed at' Otaki, it would be better to have the larger one at Palmerston North and tho smaller one at Otaki. Mr Penn said the ambulance was given by the children of tho Otaki district. If an accident happened at Otaki, and the ambulance had to go 40 miles there, time would be wasted. Tho Otaki children naturally thought the ambulanco should remain in that district. Mr Murdoch said it was necessary to have an ambulanco at Levin or Otaki. Mr Penn moved that the Public Health Department be asked to house tho ambulance at its grounds at Otaki. This was seconded by Mrs Gill and was agreed to. The Woodvillo; Jockey Club forwarded a choquo for £l2 in payment for the use of tho ambulance at the Club's recent races, and thanked the Board for allowing the use of tho vehicle. The chairman said that tho arrangement to allow the use of the ambulance for race meetings at Awapuni and Aslthurst had been made by tho Board many years ago. When application was made for tho use of the ambulance for the Woodville races ho considered it was right to allow it to' be given. „«„„,«, HOSPITAL BOARDS' CONFERENCE. The secretary of the Public Health Department notified that a conference of delegates of Hospital Boards would be held at Wellington on March 23, before which elate Dr Valintine, Inspector-General, will have ! returned to New Zealand. i HOSPITAL BUILDINGS. : Messrs Crichton and McKay, architects, i wrote as follows: "Our attention has been ! drawn by the clerk of works to the unsatisi factory progress of the main building contract (at tho hospital). We were given to understand that the chief delay was caused I bv tho failure to make quick progress with tho ro-instailation of tho laundry machinery. As a result of the complaints, our Mr Crichton visited Palmerston North on December 17, and interviewed the matron and discussed tho matter with the contractor, clerk of works, and her. It was then suggested that a ready solution would bo to get tho washing and drying done at tho old • laundry, and ironing and distributing in the I new laundrv. By adopting this course it would be possible to break through the one side wall of tho existing laundry and erect | a temporary screen wall to prevent tho dust, etc., interfering with the laundry work. We could then proceed with the erection ol tho second large ward. We wish to point 1 out that if this is not done there is grave danger of losing the plasterers now working ion the job. If this occurs it will be almost impossible to get fresh men to take their i place. Wo think that some definite help I should be given to tho contractor to permit 'this to be done. We'regret to say that the I matron does not fall in with the suggestion, i and Mr Crichton asked the secretary to have the matter discussed by her with you ami !see if some workable scheme cannot bo dpvised to permit tho buildings to proceed. The secretary reported that tho matter had now been settled, and the new laundry was in use.

ADMISSIONS TO HOSPITALS. The secretary of tho North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote stating that lie would bo obliged if the Board would inform him what system it adopted with regard to the admission of patients to hospital, and what restrictions the Board had regarding the comparatively well-to-do person or, in other words, those who could afford to pay for treatment elsewhere than in the public hospital. In the case of the North Canterbury Board every applicant for admission was required to make a statement regarding financial means, and no matter what recommendation for admission accompanied the applicant he or she was referred elsewhere if, in th" opinion of the secretary of tho Board or his doputy, the circumstances disclosed ability to pay for medical and nursing attendance. This was necessary, the writer added, to prevent exclusion from the hospital of necessitous cases by those who have means, and also protected the members of the medical profession who, as honorary surgeons or physicians, would be called upon to treat, without fee. those who were in a position to pav. The secretary stated that, he had replied that the Roard relied on- medical practitioners not to send patients to the hospital who could pav for treatment outside TENDERS FOR SUPPLIES.

Tenders for supplies for the ensuing 12 months were accepted as follows:—Bread, Birch Bros; wines and spirits. \V. Devine; meat, Kairanga Meat Co.; groceries, J. Walker; drapery, C. M. Ross Go. (subject to matron's report); drugs, Leary's pharmacy; charitable aid funerals, T, Griggs and' Son (Palmerston North), J. 11. Williams (Otaki); charitable aid rations. W. I). Banckham (Foxton), J, W. Gibson (Levin). W. W. Alsop (Feilding), W. A. Longworth (Ashhurst), J. Walker (Palme rston North). MISCELLANEOUS.

A donation of £1 Is towards the funds of the hospital was received from the Massey-1 Harris Co., Ltd., and was received \yith thanks. A letter was received from Dr. ; Forrest (medical superintendent) regarding improvements necessary to be made to the morgue at the hosp;'ul, and the matter was referred to the chairman, ]>r, Whitaker, and J)r. Forrest. Accounts amounting to £2972 5s lid wore passed for payment. The matron of the Old People's Home •reported that the present number of 'inmates was 21 males and eight females. Donations for Christinas cheer had been received from Rev. H. G. Blackburne, St. Vincent do Paul Society, "Anonymous," Mr A. White. head, Mrs Rawlins, Longburn Freezing Works, Mrs P. Mcllardy, and Mr Walter Strang.