HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6998, 22 April 1884, Page 3

HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

A hebuno of the Hospital Committee vn held yesterday afternoon. Present :—Hie Worship the Mayor in the chair (Mr. X 7. E. Waddel), Messrs." E. A. Macktcbnie, 8. Dando, Colonel Haultain, T. Peacock, and J. {M. Clark. Dr. Bond (House Surgeon) and Dr. Haines were present. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed, .

.': Medical Staff.—lq regard to the appointment of the medical staff, Dr. flaines was present and suggested that they should divide the Hospital into medical and surgical sides,. and appoint two more medical men. At present it was too great a tax on-their time. Two gentlemen had been spoken to. Dr. Coom and Dr. McMullan. It would be to the interest of the Hospital, and the work would be more efficiently done.' These would take the medical duties, and' the others the surgical duties, whioh took a great deal more time. Dr. Haines «lao drew attention to the want of accommodation for their horses. He spoke feelingly, having already lost a valuable horse through exposure. What was wanted was a shed with gates at each end. Winter was now coming on, and the necessity for shelter arose.—The Mayor undertook to see l Mr. Hales and make the best arrangements possible. ' An application had, it appeared, already been Bent to Mr. Hales, and it was now agreed to inform him that the Chairman would wait on him with regard to it—Letters were received from Dr. Richardson and Dr. Knight, accepting appointment as members of the Hospital staff for the ensuing year. There was a propesal from Dr. Bond that' he should take wees: about with the medical staff, the patients received during hi» week to be entirely under his care. The letter was.referred to the medical staff for their opinion. -" 'House Committee's com* mittee reported the acceptance of Messrs. Hewin Brothers' tenders for groceries for the Hospital and Refuge. Mr. Gardner's tender .for vegetables and fowls; and,, for the post of engineer, Mr. George Cuthbertoa was selected.at a salary of £8 per month.-* The report was adopted. Impbovejiknts;—The Colonial Secretary informed the committee that, in accordance with the request of- the committee, instructions aro sent to the District Engineer to have the rooms occupied by the House Surgeon and Lady Superintendent repaired and papered. This authority, the Secretary pointed oat, had been granted in December, but nothing had been done.—The. Mayor undertook to bring this matter under the District Engineer's notice.

Recovery of Fees.— In reference to the application of Mr. Graham for authority to recover fees due by hospital patients, and to employ legal assistance, Mr. G. S. Cooper, Under-Secretary, referred tho committee to section 7 of the Financial Arrangements Act, which empowers the Secretary, Chairman, or manager of any hospital to sue in bib own name, by direction of the committee, for maintenance, &c, and which will meet the case.—Mr. Mackechnia pointed oat that they could only recover nnder this clause when there was a contract, and it was agreed that .the Chairman and Mr.. Mackechnie should draw up a form to be signed by each patient on admission. -

Death of Maroabet Kain.—The Under. Secretary forwarded extract from verdict of the jury at the Coroner's inquest on the body of Margaret Eain, also copies of documents referred to therein, and to request; that the'c6mnaittee~will be good enough to furnish him with a report on, the case. The extract was as follows:—"That a copy of the letter from, and. reply thereto to the governor of the Gaol, from the Chairman of the.Bospital Committee be sent to the Government for the purpose of making a full inquiry into tbe matter." The correspondence and memorandum from the gaoler; Anokland, included memo, from the Gaoler to the Chairman of the Hospital applying for admission to the Hospital for this woman, as she was abont to be discharged, and had no home or friends. To this a reply was lent by the committee, that there was np vacancy at the time in the Old Women's Refuge. Mr. Reston subsequently wrote to the Visit* ing Justices, who again applied for her admission to the Hospital.—To this the Chairman replied that there was no room, and that the admission of patiente was in the hands of the medical'staff.—Mr. Mackechnie said -when the Justices applied to him, :he undoretood the woman was era extremis. —The' letter was referred to Mr. Maokechnie, tbe late Chairman of the Com. mittee, for his remarks.

Ambulance.—The question of procuring the ambulance was left in the hands of Mr. Mackecbnie and Colonel Haultain. The latter said he thought it would have been built by this time. The committee were requested to urge on the work on the contractors, Cousins and Atkin.

Mb. Graham's Complaint. —• Mr. J. Graham, Relieving Officer, complained that Government had stopped out of commission due to him for patients' fees collected for tbe Lunatic Asylum —£5 4s — stating on voucher 657 "less-overcharged in respect of 10 per cent, commission charged on amount collected by Captain Breton, £5 45." Under these circumstances he tendered his resignaas Collector of Hospital Fees.—lt was agreed to ask Mr. Graham to withhold hie resignation until a reply had been received from the Government to a recommendation already sent by the committee.

Drugs.—Messrs. Jaa. C. Sharlaad and Co., druggists, wrote in reference to the requisition sent to the Colonial Secretary for the supply of drugs' for the Hospital for twelve months, that if tenders were invited they would tender at the prices quoted, plu» the charges in the list furnished by the Apothecaries' Hall Company, of Glasgow.— It was agreed to reply that the requisition was furnished to the Government at their request.

admission.—Mr. A. Warbrick, of Tauranga, wrote asking for a recommendation to have his daughter, 16 years of age, admitted to the Hospital, as she was apparently suffering from disease of the lnngs. This wae addressed to Mr. J. M. Clark, who referred it to the committee. Enclosed was a medical certificate from Dr. Gindere, and a recommendation from the Bishop -of Waiapu.—Dr. Bond stated there were already too many patients in the female ward.—lt was agreed to reply accordingly, that there was no room in the Hospital. Pbison Labouk.—ln reply to an application for prison labour to clean the Hospital windows, Mr. Reston, gaoler, wrote that he could supply the labour, bnt not the appliances, as ho . had no suitable ladders.— The Mayor suggested that they should send a suitable apparatus—a platform to be suspended and fastened by thumb-screws.— Mr. Peacock thought it would be better to have ladders.—The matter was left to the Mayor to arrange. V

Dispenses.—'The Dispenser and Honse Steward, Captain Breton, applied for farther assistance.—Referred to the House Cora" mittee to enquire into and report. Admission oj? Friends to See Dyeto PAMBNT3.—Mr. P. A. Philips wrote with regard to the roles of the Hospital -which bore particularly hard on his co-religionists, who are strictly enjoined to attend the dying at their last momenta. A. Jewish yonng tnau, a straDger, named Stalberry, died a few days, ago at the Hospital. Prior to his death Mr. Bloom and Mr. Levy called to see him, and seeing that he conld not live many hours, earnestly urged the House Surgeon to be allowed to stop with him in his last momenta. This request, the surgeon, however, declined to grant, as it was contrary to' the rules, but if dangerous symptoms arose, or the man'should die, he would at pnce telephone to the police and communicate with Mr. Bloom. Aa a matter "of fact the poor fellow died at five a.m., and Mr. Bloom was not informed' of it antil nine a.m. He quoted other similar cases, and stated that in the London hospitals friends or relatives are allowed .to _ remain with the dying, and how much more should it be allowed here where the number of patients dying cause little or no inconvenience to the staff. Referred to the House Snrgeon. Complaint. -Walter Mnrphy, a patient, who had 'hie leg fractured at Cambridge, wrote cemplaiaing of being tnrned oat of the Hospital before he was in a fit state to. leave it, and of the insulting manner of the surgeon. He asked for an inquiry.—This was also referred to the Honse Surgeon for his reply.

Old, People's Refuge.—Mr.. and Mre. Walters, managers of the Old People's Refuge, applied for an increase of salary. Their combined salaries at present were only £105. Tbe committee did not see its way-to make any recommendation at present. After some routine business the meeting terminated. ■-, . ''..'■'■-.'