CARING FOR THE SICK

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6837, 19 April 1932, Page 5

CARING FOR THE SICK

Year’s Work at Palmerston North Hospital An interesting report on the work carried out at tho Palmerston North hospital, for the twelve months ended March 31 last, was presented to yesterday’s meeting of the Board by the medical superintendent, Dr. Frank AVard. Ho reported as follows: Patients in hospital April 1, 1931, 203. Patients admitted during year, 2315. Patients discharged during year, 2225. Patients died during year, 139. Remaining in hospital Afarch 31, 1932, 154.

Daily averago number of beds occupied, 171.6. Individual averago days’ stay, 27.13. “It will be seen that the individual average day's’ stay is unusually high, but analy'sis of the cases treated shows a definite causo for this high figure,” stated Dr. Ward. “Of tho total 2315 patients treated, 119 remained in the hospital for 90 days or over. The collective days’ stay of these 119 patients was 20,956 day's, giving an individual average day's’ stay, of the same class, of 176.1. All of these were cases necessitating pyolonge'd treat.mjonit, which could not be obtained elsewhere, and consist of tuberculosis of tho lungs, tuberculosis of the bones and joints, cancer cases, inmates of the Old People’s Homo requiring hospital treatment, fractures and certain chronic medical and surgical diseases requiring constant nursing. Tho balanco of the patients treated (2196) comprised ordinary medical and surgical cases, giving a collective days’ stay' of 41,852 days, and an individual days’ stay of 19.05 days. This figure, I think, can be taken as representing tbo average days stay in hospital, were there other institutions in which our chronic cases could bo treated. It w'ill bo noticed that the number of cases treated during tlic year is some 285 less than last year, which is rather surprising in view of tho times of stress we are passing through. Infectious Diseases

“Scarlet fever 16 (37), diphtheria 23 (33), phthisis 13 (15), puerperal sepsis 5 (8), undulant fever 2 (nil), typhoid fever 1 (nil). It will be noted that the number of infectious diseases cases is considerably fewer than last year, but the present'indications are for a slight increase in the ensuing year. “Deaths: Ono hundred and thirty-nine deaths otcurred during the year. Of these 23 occurred within 24 hours of admission. The general death rate was 6.004, and after making allowance for deaths occurring within 24 hours of admission, the adjusted death rate was 4.05. Maternity Home

“Total admissions to tho maternity home during tho year were 3.18, an increase of 36 over the previous year. The attendance at tho ante-natal clinic numbered 617. The averago number of occupied beds was 10.7. General

“During November I found it possible to close both tho Wilson wards and the infectious diseases block. This has enabled a great saving to be carried out in the administration of tho hospital, and it has not been necessary to reopen these wards up to tho time of writing. In view of the proposed alterations to tho Prince of Wales ward, however, the Wilson wards will again be opened when this work is put in hand. The operating theatre was opened during tho year and has proved most satisfactory. Alinor alterations have been necessary', but the general lay-out and equipment have enabled tho surgical work of the hospital to be carried out under the best possiblo circumstances. The total number of operations performed during the y'car was 1190, comprised as follows: General operations, including minor operations, tooth extractions, etc., 574; operations for tonsils and adenoids, 296; gynocological operations, 130; hernia operations, 40; appendix operations, 129; cancer operations, 12; goitre operations, 9. "Dispensary: Every attempt was made during the year to economise in tho use of surgical and medical supplies, and there have been great reductions in tho issuing of the main lines in the dispensary items. “X-ray department: The new X-ray plant was put into commission in June, and has fulfilled all that was expected of it. It is now possible to get more standardised films of better quality than the old machino was capable of producing. Towards the end of last year it was agreed that the old theatre should be converted into a massage department, and that the present massage department should be used as a V.D. clinic. "With, regard to the proposal that the old massage department be converted into a V.D. clinic, I am still of the opinion that the necessity for such a clinic lias not yet arisen. It would be more desirable to convert this block into a separate unit of four beds, which could then bo used for the isolation of special cases, including any cases of venereal disease that require inpatient treatment.”

Dr. Ward placed on record his appreciation of the work done by the resident medical officers, matron, bacteriologist and all connected with the internal administration of the hospital, and of the help and co-operation of the honorary staff in all matters. The chairman congratulated Dr. Ward on the comprehensive nature of the report.