THE HOSPITAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10619, 14 March 1896, Page 7

THE HOSPITAL.

TO TIIE KDITOtt

Sir,—Charitable aid appears to hi the quf:B" tion of thn day—witness''in evidence dpb*t*a in meetings of Benevolent »rid Hospital TrusUiis, and lenders in your own column?. The Benevolfns Tinst*eu rf-quire another £1000 per nmnim, aud the H.»puf.l Tmst-nes will, no doubt', follow suit. Mi a lato meeting of the committee of the latter body it was dteided th'if. more attention Bbould be given"to tho outdoor depa'tment—ib being .allesed that persons well abl« to pay for both medfeal -it'jfc ndauce aud med:'ciue were in the hibifc of'fp'jnsing nil the institution for fame. Frorh personal knowledge I can say that this resolution hns been come to not c. moownt too soon, and I would submit to the committee that th« arrangsaienls for admission of paying patients s» »t present c«rried out are far from satisfict'>ry. Ib is quits t« common occurrence for pafit'iUs possessed of ample means to be admitted to all the privileges of the hospital, inehidiDgmedical attendance, services of trained uurfl«», mediiiice, and medical appliance;), for -the nominal sura of seme 20s per wfeek, '-'a- sum manifestly inadequate to meet 'tho bare cost of the patients' food and chsrge^ out of pocket. I can poiiit to a case of recent ciafce where a mala patient having ' a credit behnce at his bank account of coma hnndreds of pounds was bo treated. What I wish to point out is that such an institution as our hospital has no b'ueiuußS to be so nsed. Hospitals are for the use of the "poor and needy," not far the " well-to-do' ar.d affluent," and it ia unfair to all concerned that the managers of such institutions should ullow tbem to be so prostituted.

It is unfair to the honorary surgeons to | be compelled to attend'patients without remuneration wlio, if not co treated, could well afford to pay a reasonable- fee either to tbemselvt'B or some other medical i man. It is unfair to' the boardingbioni>e-ke«pers, nurfo', and payers of rates that; an institution supported by rates collected from them sboulu to unfairly compete with them in their ordinary business. It is unf»ir to our hurd-working, industrious sottlera, who are taxed for charitable aid purposes, and who in come instances —a* Jlr Greeu informs u» in hi» experience bss happened — have beeu obliged to part with their cattle to meet tho demands of tho tai collector thut modey so much wanted to meet the wantfi aud necessities of their-own families should bs expemieel in granting tb'othiers possessed of very much more of this world's goods the privileges of an institution at iuflnitfly I*6? than its pecuniary value. It is unfair to tlio pafenb himself and all hia friends tha1; he nbonkl bfl (ss he is iv such a. car.c) "educr.ted iv paup'Triato »t the oountry's expuise," end 1 cull upon Mr Green, who appears to me to ba on the right track, to oee that serious attention i« psid to thi3 side of the question, and the abuse of the pririlegoß of this institution which, at present not only nxists, but is rampsnfc, be put a stop to.—l am, &c, March 13. - Suikcriuek.