HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12638, 16 April 1903, Page 7

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

The usual meeting of tho Hospital Trustees was held yesterday afternoon, when there were -present—Messrs P. Miller (in the" chair), J. Greon, J. Smith, W. Wright; S. Myers, J. Thome, A. Tapper, and W, Will.--

The House Committee' reported that the walls' in tho basement of tho main building had been limowashed, and the woodwork cleaned down at a oost of £6 2s 6d;' that the Taieri and Bruce Counties had handed'over to the Hospital thcii exhibits : of fruit, flowers, and vegotables sho\vn at I the iate horticultural show; tho committee i bad authorised the fitting-un of telephonio j communication to the wards in the Hospital" and'the-"Nurses' Home, including wire batteries' and labour for eight connections at a -eosfr jf about £14 (the department is ! supplying . second-hand telephones free of ■ charge); Mr Thwaites, dispenser, is on. leave of absence on his annual holiday; the com- ■ mitteo recommended that the Hospital ■■ Board be asked for £6000 for maintenance and-£2OOO for extension of Nurses' Homes and accommodation for delirious patients, , especially those suffering from some acute ! febrile diseases, liko pneumonia, and isola- i tion of patients who, while in. the Hospital, develop infectious or suspicious symptoms. : —The report was adopted.

Iho Finance Committee reported that salaries' and accounts for the month of March amounting to £604- 3s lOd had been examined and passed for payment, subject to the approval of tho trustees; tho receipts for the month wore as follows:—In-patients, £112 13s sd; out-patients, £9 33 6d; donations, 'fA 3s; bequest, £4 8s 6d; subscription box, 3s: voluntary contributions, £10 2s;. sales, £I;—total, £141 13s sd. The committee recommended that application be made to the Hospital Board for tho usual monthly contribution.

Tho following letter was received from Dr Barnetf, iion. secretary of tho lion, medical staff:— "The honorary medical staff have carefully considered tho question of holding three examinations for tho nurses annually instead of two as heretofore, and have requested mo to say that, while they do not see any sufficient reason for departing from tho usual custom, thoy aro willing to hold an additional examination if special circumstances ariso to justify it. . I am also requested to again brine;' under tho notice of the trustees tho desirability of having' the • Hospital equipped with an X rays apparatus, the present arrangement, whereby this important aid to diagnosis and treatment ha 3 to be 'obtained outside the Hospital, being found unsatisfactory."—lt was resolved that the suggestion with regard to ' the nurses' examinations be adopted; the matter of tho installation of nn X rays apparatus to bo left in abeyance for the present.

, The report for the out-patients' department showed 374 old cases and 119 new cn'sos-ra total of 93, as against 896 for March,' 1902,—the - number of patients of two months-and over being only 12, which tho Chairman stated was highly, satisfactory. . The Chairman said that before tho trustees separated ho had a personal matter to bring before them. Ho was leaving Dunediri parly next month for a trip to the Old Country, and he would 1» away at least - five months, eo that by the time ho returned the next election would be close at hand.' Ho had come to the conclusion that tinder tho circumstances the interests of the institution and of the publio generally would best bo served if he resigned his position as chairman. This would leave the trustees free to elect their own chairman, and to go on with their work. He had been connected with the Hospital for tho last 12 or 14 years, and had served as chairman for-between 10 and 11 years, and ho naturally would feel flio severance of a connection of such long standing, but he thought the right course was to resisn. Those who, liko himself, could look back upon tho condition of the Hospital 10 years ago and contrast it with tho present, and note the improvements mr.do for tho benefit of the patients, the staff, and all connected'with the institution, could consider their work with pride. Tot in connection with a hosnital there was alwavs something, more to bo done. Things could not be allowed to stand' still, and by his resigning the chairmanship tho trustees would feel free to carry on their work.

1 Mr CJreon paid that whil«- lie nuite- asrreed with the chairman as to tho splendid work which had.liefln done in tho past he could not agree with him as to tho necessity of his resigning the rhairmanship during his absence* in tho Old Ounfry— on the contrary, ho (tho thought that Mr Miller could best servo the Hospital bv retaining IV position. As chairman of tho Dunedip Hospital he would liavo the ontrea of similar institutions at Homo, and in many ways tho pxnr-rienco and information thus gained would hi of great value. Ho knew Mr Miller well enough to bo sura that if bis mind was once made up, nothing would movo him. but he (the speaker) trusted thai he would not persist in his resignation.

Mr Myers endorsed al! that J£r Green had said, and moved-that leave of absence bo granted to tho chairman during his trip Home. • , ... Mr Will seconded the mriion, which was carried unanimously. , ~ , . Mr W. Will was anointed acting-chair-man during Mr Miller's absence, and the meeting terminated.