DUNEDIN HOSPITAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19277, 15 September 1924, Page 9

DUNEDIN HOSPITAL.

ANNUAL REPORT.

The annual report of the Medical Superintendent of the Dunedin Hospital states that the number of patients in hospital at the commencement of 1923 was 197, and the number admitted during the year was 3500, making a total of 3697. . The details were : —Patients discharged cured, 1598; patients discharged relieved, 1452; patients discharged unrelieved, 197; patients who died, 281; patients remaining at end of year, 189. The rate of mortality per cent, over the total cases under treatment was 5.7. The total number of operations performed was 1897, and the rate of mortality per cent, of operations was 4. ! The statistics for the out-patients’ department for the year ended March 51, 1924, were:—New cases 2437; old oases, 558; total, 2995, involving 24,871 attendances. In the venereal disease department 126 new cases and 76 old cases were treated, in the tuberculosis department 1/0 new cases and 57 old cases, and in the X-ray department 907 new cases and 336 old cases were dealt with, . There were 55 cases of diphtheria admitted during the year, with one death, and four patients required tracheotomy. Two cases of enteric fever were admitted and recovered. Thirty-eight cases of scarlet fever were admitted to the Lake Logan and Dunedin Hospitals, of whom none died. Of the simple type of influenza there were 58 cases, of whom none died. Of the pneumonic type there were 56 cases, of whom 17 died. There were 24 cases of bronchopneumonia with seven death' 59 cases of lobar-pneumonia with eight deaths, and two cases of pneumonia (not , defined) with no deaths; total oases, 85, with 15 deaths. There were 155 cases of tuberculosis in all forms admitted, including 65 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, of whom a number were transferred to Pleasant Valley and Wakari Sanatoria Fifteen patients died in Dunedin Hospital from pulmonary tuber-' calosis. Of the non-pulmonary form of tuberculosis there were 90 cases, including 16 suffering from tuberculosis affecting the spine, four affecting bones, 11 affecting joints, 20 affecting glands, 13 affecting intestines and peritoneum, and 16 affecting genito-urinary system. There were 11 deaths from non-pulmonary tuberculosis. There were 160 cases of cancer admitted and 28 deaths, 19 cases of sarcoma with six deaths, - 15 oases of hydatids with. two deaths, and 187 cases of appendicitis with only three deaths. There were 250 children ' operated on for the removal of tonsils and adenoids. There were 54 cases of gastric and duodenal ulcer treated, six perforated and 48 non-perforated. Of the latter group 19 were treated surgically. There were six deaths in all following operations. There were 151 fractures treated, of whom six flied. There wer e 19 dislocations. There were 11 cases of hysteria and 24 of neurasthenia treated. Twenty-one cases of mental aberration were admitted, of whom 10 wore transferred to the Seacliff Mental Hospital. The unsatisfactory accommodation in this district for the treatment of patients suffering from incipient or borderland mental trouble or for the temporary observation of unconfirmed- mental disturbance was brought to notice in two coroner’s inquests held during the year. “It is necessary,” says the superintendent, “for the Hospital Board at an early date to take a long view in regard to the future of the Dunedin Hospital. In 1911 I advocated the policy of refraining from building further on the present site, with a view to eventually removing the Dunedin Hospital to a site proposed for a secondary hospital vnd combining the primary and secondary institutions. This latter view was supported in no other quarter. Unfortunately the business area of the citv is steadily moving towards the Hospital, which is divided from the Nurses’ Home by one of the arterial ro'ads of the city. The erection of vhe King Edward Pavilion in 1914 and the new Medical School in 1916. and the large additions to the Medical School now under way, finally "anchors the Dunedin Hospital in its present site. 'This restricted area, after remodelling the present lay out of buildings, will finally accommodite about 540 patients, only, however, if the boilers, workshops, laundry, and outpatient department are accommodated across the road on suitable suites. ,“Tho financial position of the Dunedin Hospital and allied institutions requires serious consideration owing to the insufficiency of the rating area which contributes to their support. Heretofore outside hospital boards have been generously dealt with by tho ratepayers of the Otago district in being charged less than the cost of maintenance for the treatment of their special oases. Tho charges for such patients from outside districts should be the same as private patients from our own district would be expected to pay in the event of a paying ward being finally erected —namely, the full cost of maintenance plus interest on cpaital and depreciation, plus 10 per cent, profit. It is now a universally recognised practice that a man injured in his trade should be a charge upon the industry. That being the case, tho Workers’ Compensation Act should be made to provide for the sum of at least £2O to be set aside for hospital and medical expenses in lieu of the sum of £1 Is at present allowed.”