THE HOSPITAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 144, 22 May 1925, Page 9

THE HOSPITAL

SL PER INTEND ENT’S ANNUAL REPORT. WORK STEADILY INCREASING. The annual report of the medical superintendent of the Palmerston North :Hospital (Dr. G. A. Forrest) presented ■to the meeting yesterday reveals a material increase in the work <if that institution during the past twelve months. Tho report is as follows :

“There lias been a considerable increase in the work of the hospital as compared with the previous year, the daily average number of patients having risen from 102.6 to 124.8. In the liter months the increase in the numbers admitted was largely due to the epidemic of infantile paralysis. One one occasion there was as many as 180 patients in hospital. All the isolation block had to be used tor the accon modation of the cases of infantile paralysis, and even this proved inadequate and had to be increased by two marquees for convalescents. The general wards have also been fully, occupied during the year. Ihe men’s surgical ward, which was intended to accommodate 24 patients, has hid 35 for some considerable time, extra beds being placed on the verandahs. This entails a great burden on tie nursing staff. The ward sisters cannot adequately supervise the nursing of so many patients, anu there is no accommodation for more nurses, so that the board will have to consider a building programme in conjunction with the contemplated addition to the nurses’ home. _ The old nurses’ home, which is being refitted will not relieve the congestion, as there are enough nurses living outside the home to fill it when it is completed. Several ladies during the past few months have volunteered to help in the wards, and their services have been of very great assistance. The bacteriologist has been fully employed during the past year. The epidemic of diphtheria last winter entailed the examination of a very large number of swabs, and Mr Hobson was often obliged to work till midnight to overtake the work, which at that time he was doing without any assistance. The number of examinations of specimens in the laboratory was (103, compared with 3308 for the previous year. The work of the massage department has more than doubled owing to the epidemic ol infantile paralysis, and extra assistance has been engaged. Two full-time masseurs and one part-time masseur are at present fully employed. Fortyfive patients are now receiving massage. it is probable that this stute of things will continue for the greater part of this year. FIGURES FOR YEAR. The following figures give some indication of the, work done in the past year: —In hospital Ist April, 11124, 113; admitted during year, 2148;' total number treated, 22G1; discharged, 1989; died, 10G; remaining March 31, 1925, IGG. The daily average number of occupied beds was 124.8 and for the previous year 102. G. The average number of days in hospital per patient was 20.1 and for previous year 19. G. LOW DEATH RATE. “The general death rate was 4.G, but if the 24 deaths which occurred within "24 hours of admission are deducted the death ruto is only 3.0. The number of operations performed was 572 major and 328 minor, a total of 900. Deaths following operation numbered 16 —1.7 per cent. The principal operations were for appendicitis 144, 1 death; hernia 43, nil; cancer 30, 2 deaths; goitre, 9, 1 death; trachiotomy 7, 1 death. Infectious diseases were diphtheria 144, 2 deaths; infantile paralysis 98, 5 deaths; pneumonia 24, 8 deaths; phthisis 41, G deaths; puerperal sepsis, 10, 4 deaths; typhoid fever 2, nil; cerebro-spinal fever 1, 1 death; ophthalmia neonatorum 1, nil.” The report concluded with a reference to the infantile paralysis cases, mention of which is made elsewhere.

The report was adopted, the chairman (>Sir James AA’ilson) congratulating the medical superintendent on the work of the institution.