THE TYPHOID FEVER CASES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 930, 9 April 1879, Page 2

THE TYPHOID FEVER CASES.

HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

A special meeting of the Hospital Committee was held to-day, for the purpose of considering matters in connection with the typhoid fever cases. There were present—Messrs. Brown (President, in the chair), Christie, Mainland, Headland, Dunlop, Townscnd, Montagu, Dunn, and Church (Secretary). Dr. Wait, Medical Superintendent, was in attendance. The Chairman said that there had been such an influx of typhoid fever patients from Waimate, that he had called the meeting to take steps to prevent any further increase to the number from Waimate. There was no hoi-pital in Waimate, but one was in course of erection. He thought the Waimate County Council should have taken steps to provide a temporary fever ward for the accommodation of its patients. It was now for the Committee to take any steps they might tiling necessary to prevent any more cases being received from Waimate. Mr. Headland said that the receipt of these patients had entailed a considerable amount of additional expense upon the Committee. When the late Constable Cuthbert was brought down from Waimate, Mrs. Thompson, the Matron, had called upon him, and stated that her husband had ten patients to attend to in the other ward, and it was necessary to obtain some person to attend to the fever patient. He had authorised Mrs. Thompson to en«a«e some person to -attend to the fever ward, and she had succeeded in securing a thoroughly competent nurse for LI 10s a week, which he (Mr. Headland) considered a very reasonable sum. Now, ! however, there were four or five fever patients in the Hospital, and it became necessary to procure further assistance. Mr. Mainland said that, in company with Mr. Montagu, he had had a conversation with the Warder, who had told them that the man who had been engaged for the fever ward would like to get away, and they had authorised the Warder to offer him an additional 10s a week to remain. sThe Chairman said that he also had seen the warder on the subject, and he thought the assistant would be induced to remain, but it would be "necessary to have some further assistance.

Mr. Dunlop said he would like to know on whose authority the Waimate patients had been admitted to the Hospital. He would also like to know whether any intimation had been sent from Waimate that the patients were coming, or whether they came on their own responsibility. Who sent Constable Cuthbert, or did be come from "Waimate on' his own responsibility 1 He would also like to know who was to pay for the maintenance of the Waimate patients. The Chairman said that the Medical Superintendent would be able to answer the questions as to who sent the patients. With reference to the matter of funds for the maintenance of the patients from Waimate, he might Say that the Waimate County Council was well up in funds, and he thought if the matter was laid before that body it would give them a grant to cover the expense. Dr. Wait said that with reference to the admission of Constable Cuthbert, Inspector Thompson had waited upon him, and asked him if lie would admit a constable in his district, who was suffering from fever. He had replied that lie would do so. One of the other patients was sent down by Dr. Deane, :md had been admitted on an order from the Committee, another had been sent by the Waimate County Council, and one by Messrs. Townsend and Brown, members of the Committee.

Mr. Dunlop thought Dr. Wait had acted rightly in admitting the constable, but he did not think the other patients should have been admitted to the Hospital. Mr. Headland said that the Committee could not have acted otherwise. The sufferers had arrived here, and they could not allow them to go about the town, and to spread the disease. The fact was that if any more patients came down, they would have to admit them.

Dr. Wait said he telegraphed to Dr. Deane that the fever ward of the Hospital was full, and that no further cases could be admitted.

In reply to Mr. Dunlop, Dr. Wait said that the fact of fever patients travelling by train was calculated to spread tho disease. The disease was infectious. The germs of the disease were contained in the secretions of the body, which may become attached to the clothes of patients, and where they were dirty,. as some of the patients who had come here had been, the danger was the greatest. The fact of the sufferers coming by an ordinary train was calculated to spread the disease, and endanger the town. Mr. Dunlop asked if any report had been sent to the Medical Board. Was it not the duty of the Medical Superintendent to report cases of infectious diseases ? Dr. Wait said it was the duty of every doctor to report private cases to the Board, but not so with regard to hospital cases. Mr. Mainland said that, in the absence of tho Mayor, he had asked Councillor Spence, as convener of the Health Committee, to call a meeting to consider the matter.

Dr. Wait said that all the beds in the ward were full, and if any more patients were received he would have to remove beds from the other ward. He certainly thougho that the Committee ought not to receive any more patients from Waimate. The Chairman remarked that if the same state of affairs occurred again as had already arisen, they would be compelled to act in precisely the same manner as they had already done. The public might i;ry"out about the matter, but they would have to do the same thing again. They could not. on the score of humanity, refuse to admit tho patients. He had signed two of the orders for admission.

Mr. Christie strongly objected to Waimate patients being admitted. They might as well take in patients from Auckland. Mr. Dunlop also strongly objected to the hospital being filled with patients from Waimate, to the exclusion of any cases that might arise here. Waimate was outside of their district, and they did not receive any aid from that place. He decidedly objected to any patients being admitted from Waimate. The Chairman remarked that steps had

already been taken to notify that no more patients could be taken. It was for the Committee to say what steps should be taken to make it public that the Hospital was full, and suggested that the Waimato County Ouui:"'] .'uould be written to on the subject. Mr. Headiand objected to confining their action to writing to the County Council, who might quietly put the letter in their pockets. The matter should be made public, and he was in favor of placing placards about • Waimate, announcing that no more patients could be received. If some such action were not taken at once, they might have a lot more fever patients sent down here, and they would be compelled to take a cottage for their accommodation. So the matter would go on, and there would be no end to the trouble and expense. The Chairman did not think they should adopt the principle of placarding "Waimate, though the fact of the Hospital being full migiit be made known through the Press. J3r. "Wait thought the proper course to adopt would be for the Committee to write to the Board of Health, which was constituted under the Act, and ask that body to take the necessary steps to prevent any more fever patients being admitted into the town. Mr. Headland thought that if it was necessary for the Board of Health to take prompt action, it was equally desirable that the Committee should take steps to make the public aware that the Hospital is full. Otherwise more patients would come from Waimato, and, being unable to got into the Hospital, they would go to the hotels, and spread the infection. Mr. Dunlop asked if there was not a probability of the number of cases being diminished by the colder weather setting

m. Dr. Wait replied that sur.h was not the case. After some further remarks as to the best mode of preventing cases coming to Oamaru, Mr. Dunlop said he did not see how they could prevent patients coming from Waimate. They could not quarantine Waimate. ' Dr. Wait : There, you are mistaken. The Board of Health can quarantine Waimate. Mr. Dunn said it appeared to him that the only course to be adopted was to call upon the Board of Health to do their duty. Mr. Dunlop moved, " That a deputation consisting of Messrs. Brown, Christie, and Townsend wait upon the Health Committee of the Council with reference to the fever cases in the Hospital, and impress upon them the necessity for taking immediate steps to prevent the influx of cases from Waimate or elsewhere, or such other action as they may deem expedient under the circumstances." Mr. Mainland seconded the motion. Dr. Wait said he would write to the Chairman of the Health Committee, pointing out that there were cases of typhoid fever in the Hospital, and that it was necessary to take action to prevent any more cases being brought into the town from Waimate. The matter was becoming serious, for the whole of the nurses in the Hospital had threatened to resign if any more patients were introduced, j The motion was then carried. Some discussion took place with reference to the statements made in regard to the case of Constable Donovan, during which it was stated that there was no truth in the report that he had been offered the bed in which Constable Cuthbert had died. The bedclothes and bed in which Constable Cuthbert died had been taken out of the Hospital and placed on the ground to air. Constable Donovan had been given a bed in a separate ward, at the front of the building, and even

nuvv ic •■;: u.i not known that he was suffering from fever. The meeting shortly afterwards rose.

THE HEALTH COMMITTEE;

A meeting of the Health Committee was held immediately afterwards to receive the deputation from the Hospital Committee, and to consider a letter from Dr. Wait with reference to the existence of typhoid fever. There were present— Councillors Spence (in the chair), Gibbs, and Familton.

After consideration of the matter, it was resolved, on the motion of Councillor Familton, seconded by Councillor Gibbs, " That the Chairman of the Waimate County Council be informed thr.t the Health Committee of the Municipal Council strongly object to any more fever patients being sent from Waimate to this town by railway or other conveyances, and that steps have been taken to prevent the same.' -

It was also resolved that Mr. Lrring, the District Statioiimaster, should also be written to on the subject. A copy of the resolution was handed to the Chairman of the Waimate County Council, four members of which body were present in town.