INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20363, 18 September 1929, Page 12

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

a , NEW HOSriTAL BLOCK.

u OF THE BOARD.

DETERMINATION TO PROCEED.

CONFIDENCE IN CHAIRMAN.

Determination to proceed with tho erection of an infectious diseases block in ,the hospital grounds in spilo of criticism was expressed by the chairman, Mr. W. Wal- ' lace, at a mooting of the Auckland Hospital Board yesterday. A resolution was passed pointing out that tho board, and not tho chairman alone, was fully responsible for tho policy adopted. Thoro were tonso moments at tho conclusion of the discussion. Mr. Wallace, in replying personally to criticism of his attitude, broke down with emotion and was unable to speak for several moments. Un rosuming, he stated in a broken voico that ho had boon made to suffer very . much, but he would not turn aside, in epite of opposition. Tho question arose through tho following motion moved by Mr. VV. K. Howitt: —"ln view of the mirepresontation in- ... -finlged in by a section of tho daily press in tho mattor of the proposed isolation block sito this board dosires it to bo jrtatcd" publicly that: (1) Tho chairman has nover exceeded the oxpressed policy of tho board in tho matter, and (2) that • such policy lias been carried to its present stago with tho approval of the honorary medical staff in conference with the l>oai(l and tlie Department of Health; and, further, that tho board expresses its en- ■■ "lire confidence in Mr. Wallace as chair•vjnau." -i "Steady Course Pursued." v Mr. Howitt said that during his eight years' membership tho board had pursued a steady course regarding its policy in providing an infectious diseases block. ' I'ecailing early negotiations for its establishment, ho said that in 1905 Dr. Watt, (issistant-director-gencral of health, cm* ' vphasised tho importance of the hospital • having one bed for every 1000 of the population for tho treatment of infectious diseases cases. Since deciding upon tho '""present sito the board had pursued a steady policy, as its files and minutes would show. Dr. T. 11. Valintine, Direcft tor-General of Hoalth, had always boon a warm supporter of tho scheme. Tho '" : pro ject had even been hold up for two ' or three months becauso Dr. Valintine £ Wanted a site much nearer tho Domain Drive. .[Anything done had been caiTied out by resolution of the board and the chair- ' Tnan, as tho mouthpiece of the board, had '' carried out tiio policy which the board r ':' <l3 an independent body had formed. The ' ''board had always been guided by reports of its medical officers and honorary staff. " ,1 Jf was a stretch of languago to infer, as t.v stated in tho Hkiiald that morning, that the chairman had not proved that tho • ' hoard had been guided by authorities. Interest of the People.

"With the facts-beforo me I would --■ be a traitor to tho people I represent if I voted in any other way than I have voted," Mr. Howitt said. "The motion will commend itself to the board as a 'Ss-inir and reasonable statement of the case. ~ 'jj'bc chief thing wo have in our minds is , s ,tbe interest of the peoplo we represent. A good deal has been said by people in the vicinity about tho location of the site, although for the past 30 years thoru o has been an isolation block in tho hospital nearer to the residents than tho jiroposed one." Never once has there been a case of infection of people outside from \i those wards." - Mr. Howitt said unjust and unfair criti- - cisin had been levelled chiefly at the .-{"•chairman, although members were equally K: responsible for everything that had taken place. In doing what ho had done tho . chairman had only been carrying out tho jr resolutions of tiie board, r Mr. J. D. Chalmers seconded the motion, stating ho took very strong exception to remarks mado about the chairman in the Auckland newspapers. He had worked with tho chairman for over i- ten years and ho had always carried out the wishes of the board In tho present instanco tho chairman was doing this. *'■' Support ol the Site.

.' t ' Sir. E. 11. Potter read a long statement in support of the erection of the llock on the site proposed. The site selected was sufficiently largo to meet all requirements, and tho board was justified in carrying out the construction of the .building It was common practice in America to place largo isolation blocks on tho same site as a geneial hospital close to tho pathological and X-ray dc- ' partmcnts. The present infectious diseases yards were 560 ft. from Park Road and '''l6oft. from Grafton Road. Tho proposed block would bo 780 ft. from Park Road and 360 ft. from Grafton Road. Tlie chairman had been challenged for a policy stated not to have had the board's support, but members had supported it so J ' far.

"Is it not rather unfortunate to refer to it as Sir. Wallace's policy?" asked _jthe Rev. W. C. Wood. "'V Sir. Potter agreed that it was not Sir. Wallace's policy. He supported tho c ' motion because it was a reply to a reflection cast upon the chairman and upon members. Sir. J. Rowe said he supported the "motion, but not what Sir. Potter had read. He had overy confidence in what tho chairman undertook and in everything ho had done since ho had been on the board. "It is most unfair that you should have settled upon you all the opprobrium pubfished in tho newspapers with regard to *>' tho attitude of this board," said Mr. S. '<■ J. Harbutt, in addressing tho chairman. = '-,VEvery ono of us is with you. Wo have 5 acted upon information given to us by . the medical profession. It is unfortunate if that has not, after all, boon in accord with their considered opinion. It is not your fault."

Doctors Oppose Location,

, Dr. E. B Gunson said ho did not in lt ,i sny way wish to make a statement which ~ could be regarded as a personal opinion . f , i against the chairman. "Referring to tho second part of tho motion, which refers to the fact that 'the poiicy has been carried to its present stage with the approval of tho honorary staff iit conference with the board and tho Department of Health'," Dr. Gunson said, "I want )<v to say that if that bo the case, the position to-day to my knowledge is that there •, is a majority of medical opinion opposed to placing the hospital on that site. Included in tho medical men opposing the site is an appreciable number of the honorary staff. , , "I am certain of that because they have personally spoken lome about it. f That is the reason why I have previously brought this matter up. I believe if the board pursues tho policy it has set its hand to, it, will do so knowing there is - - a considerable body of medical opinion opposed to it. It is a very material •point. The board cannot disregard the tact that there is a considerable body xrf medical opinion opposed to it." Mr. J. Dompsey said no one could painsay tho services Mr. Wallace had rendered to tho public as chairman of tho board. There were men in tho room who had "" given half their lives in public service and • they would not sacrifice thou- opinions to ' please anybody. They wero still open to listen to reasonable criticism from capable .men and women, but so far he had hoard' '' .very little criticism cairving any weight. " It has been said the medical profession of Auckland is against tho project," Deinpsey said. " Where nro they? We have oidy had an expression of opinion from two of. them. Even if anyone " lias a roascnablo opinion to offer at tlii; late stage tho board would bo willing to - ... tear it." ■ <

Mr. M. J. Savage said there was apt to bo confusion over a misuse of terms, < Critics discussod freely an infectious dis-1 cases hospital. " They do not seem to I get down to the real fact that this is an isolation block, which I understood from I medical men is part and parcel of every j hospital throughout the world," Mr. Savage said. "It is largely through a misuse of terms that wo are getting into difficulty at the hands of our opponents. It. is a pity that people write and speak without a knowledgo of tho facts. I know men from tho medical staff to the director-general of health who say that the block is in the right place. lam satisfied to go on with the policy that has been outlined to place tho isolation block in tho hospital grounds, and when the peoplo want an infectious diseases hospital to meet requirements of an epidemic like that in 1918 wo may bo able to put something before them for that purpose." Mrs. A. Kidd supported tho motion. Mr. Wood agreed entirely with Mr. Savage. Tho board was very much to blamo for using tho term infectious diseases hospital. Ho understood there was n largo and representative gathering of public inen present at tho conference with tho board when tho proposed sito was agreed upon, and ho asked that the names of medical men present who oxpressed approval of the scheme should bo inado known. It was gravely unsatisfactory and a reflection on the profession that tho judgment of certain doctors should bo accepted by the board and that they should then intimate that they were not satisfied. "It does not leave a very nice taste in one's mouth, and I feel indignant that a gentleman in tho chairman's position should bo subject to such criticism as has boon levelled against him," Mr. Wood added.

" Not an Isolation Block."

• "If tins were an isolation block I would not bo opposed to it, nor would, f believe, a single member of tho profession," said Dr. Gunson, in reply to Mr. Savage's references to the misuse of terms. *' An isolation block as we know it is a block attached to a hospital for observation for a short period of coses that come in and aro not definitely diagnosed. Thoy ara isolated for 24 or 48 hours until the cases become known. If they develop into infectious diseases cases thoy aro sent to the infectious hospital. " But a block to meet those isolation requirements for tho Auckland Hospital would not require to contain more than 20 or 30 beds. Tho proposed block :s specially designed to deal with infectious diseases- cases, such as scarlet fever and diphtheria. That is tho distinction botwoen an isolation and an infectious diseases block. We need an isolation block in any case, and when I on the honorary staff I pressed for it. Dr. Gunson added that ho opposed the establishment of an infectious diseases block so closo to tho general hospital, especially having regard to tho difficulty of administering the block near to a hospital which had extended so greatly. Mr. Savage: You would support an isolation block '! Dr. Gunson: Yes, but sooner or later wo will have to go out with the infectious diseases block and then tho isolation block will bo too large. Mr. Potter quoted a report in tho Herald on May 2. 1928, when the honorary staff expressed its definite approval of the present site. Dr. E. H. 13. Milsom was then chairman of tho staff, and no objection was raised. Mr. Howitt said Dr. Gunson had confused the issue beyond measure. _ His statements made out that Dr. Valintine and all who oxpressed approval of tho sito were absolutely wrong. Mr. Howitt's motion was then carried without dissent. Member Proposes Delay. Mr Harbutt asked loavo to placo a motion before the meeting, but he was ruled out of order. He then gave notico to move:—"That, with a view to investigating whether a small wooden building similar to those now in use solely for tho purposes of observation would be serviceable, pending such time as tho building of an independent infectious hospital becomes necessary, further action upon the proposed new block be suspended meanwhile."

"I am very pleased indeed with the resolution," Sir. Wallace said "It seemed to me that an unscrupulous attack was mado upon me personally; I do not know whether there is malice behind it. I want to take this opportunity of informing the New Zealand Herald that mentally and physically I was never better in my lifo. I am strong enough to stand aione while -I am doing the right thine;, notwithstanding the wholo press of New Zealand combined. "As far as the 'Wallace policy' is concerned it seorns to bo closely allied with 'Wallace's folly.' There seems to be an unholy alliance between the two names. If it is folly to have given the past 20 years of my life—tho best years of my life—to the service of suffering humanity, then I have been very foolish indeed. Notwithstanding all that has been- said, I have the public of Auckland behind mo still. Chairman Breaks Down. "From tho financial viewpoint, when this matter was taken up the board had incurred heavy responsibility. We had raised £250,000 in 10-year debentures. In 1935 they will have been wiped,out. Dr. Maguire, the medical superintendent, had been clamouring for proper means of isolation before my time as chairman. We were having cases of cross-infection almost daily. The infectious diseases hospital is already in the grounds, and has been there for 60 years. Wo arc simply providing an isolation block with additional accommodation for infectious cases to accommodate cases on tho present site. "I am informed by a member of the honorary staff that at ono of their meetings a resolution was unanimously passed in favour of this policy, and it was confirmed at the following meeting without a dissentient voice. To say it is me is a falsehood."

Sir. Wallace then broke down and was unable to proceed for several moments. He tried to speak, and then in a broken voice and with tears in his eyes bo added: "It is not I who am suffering. It is my wife and my family. lam very pleased indeed you passed this resolution. As far as tho board is concerned it has nothing to fear. Everything has been straightforward and open. Sly duty is to carry out tho resolutions of the board, which I will endeavour to do."