WAIKATO HOSPITAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18890, 12 December 1924, Page 9

WAIKATO HOSPITAL.

MEETING OF THE BOARD. DR. GOWER GIVEN LEAVE. [BY TELEGRAPH. — OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON. Thursday. The Waikato Hospital Board met today, the chairman, Mr. J. P. Bailey, presiding. Notification was received that tho Minister had approved of the appointment of Dr. L. A. Lewis as assistant medical superintendent of the Waikato Hospital, and of Miss A. E. Hogg as matron. With reference to the Kawhia Medical Association, it was decided to call for applications for a medical officer at a salary of £500 per annum, the appointment to be left in the hands of Dr. Gower and Mr. A. G. Dent.

The medical superintendent reported that at present there were several Eatients in the Waikato Hospital who ad been inmates for periods of from one to seven years. All were either without funds or incurable, and he asked for a ruling on what was to be done with thera. Tho matter was referred to the House and Finance Committee.

The House and Finance Committee reported that it had decided to increase the salary of the medical superintendent to £1200, and to grant him nine months' leave of absence on full pay in recognition of tho fine work he had been doing in tho board's interests. In thanking the board, Dr. Gower said ho did not think he would avail himself of tho full timo of leave offered, but thought that seven months would be sufficient. Tho matter of providing a locum tenens was loft in the hands of tho chairman and Dr. Gower to arrange. A communication was received from the workmen of Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. at the Arapuni dam stating that they had formed a medical association, and inquiring as to the cost of two or throe beds at the camp for» emergency cases and tho cost of an ambulance. Tho board expressed gratification at the proposal, and the House and Finance Committee was authorised to confer with the representative of tho company, Mr. J. Pnco, to be added to tho committee for this special purpose. It was reported that tho number of patients at present in the Waikato Hospital was 197. The number of deaths during the month was eight, tho number of operations performed was 98, and the daily average number of patients was 199.