HOSPITAL BOARD REPORTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19615, 20 October 1925, Page 6

HOSPITAL BOARD REPORTS.

Following arc summaries of reports to be submitted at next meeting of the, Oiago Hospital Board:— The Sanatorium Committee will report as follows ; 'J he acting medical director has now submitted a report in reference to the second lire on the board’s property at Pleasant Valley Sanatorium, which spread to the plantation of trees on the adjoining property owned by Mr Cougblan. The matter has been referred to tho board's gardener wilh a view to reporting on tho damage done. The proposal submitted by the engineer-manager of the Otago Electric Power Board regarding the electrification of the. Pleasant" Valley Sanatorium has been referred to the engineer to report. The Benevolent Committee will report as follows:—“A suggestion has been made to the Mother Superior of the Convent of the Good Shepherd. Mount Magdala, that the three inmates at that institution which this board is at present paying for, should be committed to a mental hospital. During the past month, 12 rases have boon admitted to, four discharged from, and six deaths have occurred at, the Otago , Benevolent Institution. At present 157 inmates remain. Mrs MTntcsh has been thanked for a donation of clothing.

Tho Finance Committee will recommend the acceptance 6f the tender of the Excelsior Company for -ainting work at the Turpekn Hospital. The committee will recommend further that the agreement with tho Vincent Hospital Board he continued — i.e., a reciprocal agreement, the Vincent Hospital Board to pay the sum of £303 per annum, and to pay the scale of foes for any extra and special treatment of patients above the ordinary maintenance fees, same not being paid by tho patients themselves:—viz.: 1. Insulin supplied patients while in hospital. 2. Insulin supplied patients after discharge from hospital who are not in a position to pay for same. 3. Radium treatment of patients in hospital (£2 2s per application). 4- "Radium treatment of ex-inpatients unable to pay. 5. Special attendance in cases of alcoholic or mental patients (extra charge 9s per diem). 6 Payment of splints, crutches, etc.,, required for in arid out-nation ts unable to pay for same. "7. The charges for patients sent for X-ray and radiograph patients are to bo as per scale. All patients from tho Vincent Bdardjs district, with the exception of urgent'- cases, will require to produce a note from the Vincent Board or a medical officer of tho Vincent district before a patient can be admitted to the Dunedin -Hospital. The Prince Edward Children’s Convalescent Homo is to bo recognised as a ward of the Dunedin Hospital, and the agreement will cover any transferencce from the Dunedin Hospital to that institution. This agreement may be reviewed if necessary in, say, 12 months’ time or the agreement can continue until either side asks for a review. The suggestion is made that each board should exchange the names of patients admitted to their institution The committee will recommend that tho following tenders received for annual supplies for the period ending September 30, 1926, be accepted :—Supply and delivery of meat. —Dunedin Hospital. Nurses’ nontf, Otago Benevolent Institution, Batchelor and Fever Hospitals, and Children's Convalescent Home:, Messrs Barton and Trencrovc, Ltd., at schedule prices. Wakari Hospital. D. Thompson, at schedule prices. Pleasant Valley Sanatorium: Mr R. L. Anderson, at schedule prices. Supply and delivery ot milk .and cream.—Dunedin Hospital, Nurses* Home, Otago Benevolent Institutiop, Prince Edward Children’s Convalescent Homo, and Batchelor Hospital: Taieri abd Peninsula Milk Supply Company (Ltd.). Fever Hospital: Messrs Mowat Brns. Wakari Hospital : Messrs Johnston Bros. Pleasant Valley Sanatorium; J. Bethune. Supply and delivery of bread.—Dunedin Hospital, Nurses’ Home, Batchelor Hospital, Otago Benevolent Institution, and Prince Edward Children's Convalescent Home: Mr T. S. Soarlo. Wakari Hospital: Mr W. Taylor. Pleasant Valley Sanatorium: Waikouaiti Cooperative Stores (Ltd.) Removal of ashes, Dunedin Hospital: J. A. Dysart. Carrying out of Funerals.—Dunedin Hos pital, Otago Benevolent Institution, and Wakari Hospital: Messrs R.. M'Lcan and Son, Hugh Gourley (Ltd.), Hope and Kinastqn Tho committee reports that tho promotion of Miss Eileen Ritchie to the position of typist© in the X-Ray department lias been approved. The appointment of Miss Maisio Sutherland to the pssition of cadet in the board’® office to till the vacancy caused bv the promotion of Miss Ritchie has been approved. The appointment to hold good during the pleasure of the board and to be terminable by one month’s notice from either side. In view of the resignation of Air Storey, authority has bean grayted to invite applications for tho position of cleric in the board’s officeat a salary at the rate of £260 per annum, preference to he given to applicant studying accountancy, or who has passed the accountancy examination. Authority has been granted to forward the original and new tenders received together with the plan of the Infeciious Diseases Block at Wakari to the Department of Health for consideration and advice. Messrs Mason and Wales have submitted sketch plan of the alterations and additions to the Hospital at Roxburgh and an estimate of the. cost of same, and these have been referred to the Works Committee to report thereon. In the meantime tho plans have been forwarded to the department for advice. Tho medical superintendent and the secretary have been authorised to act in arranging to take over the Roxburgh Hospital from Mrs Watson. Miss Wren, the newly-appointed Matron, will proceed to the hospital on October 24, 1925. Tho medical superintendent and the secretary have been authorised to act as to filling the vacancv of sub-matron, Tapanui Hospital, until Miss Dcnford is ready the resume duty there. The position is at present hold by Miss Wren. The Hospital Committee recommends that Dr J. X. Clarke, who is at present acting assistant medical officer, be continued in his appointment for the completion of 12 months’ service ending July 31, 1920. In the event of a further appointment at the end of 12 months the salary to be reviewed. The appointment to hold good during the pleasure of the hoard and to be terminable by throe months' notice from either side. That replies in the following terms be sent to the various letters received from the Masseurs’ Registration Board in, terms of the reports of the Massage Committee. Extension of massage course; The additional six months’ training as an optional ,be approved, and a nominal fee of £2 2s be charged for same. Course for medical electricity: A three months’ course in medical electricity to commence in October each year may be arranged, the fee to lie. £1 ■! Tls. Representation on Massage Committee; Tho suggestion that the Masseurs’ Registration Board has a representative or. the Massage Committee be approved. Reduction of fees: Regarding the suggestion as to the possibility of reducing the. fees charged for massage training or for a small number of candidates to lie accommodated in (he hoard’s premises, a reply bo sent iliat bursaries for massage students should be arranged by the Government. Recovery of radium; The offer of the Radium Beige for the recovery of radium located in the ashes free of charge and to replace the loss in bringing up the tube to the original nine milligrammes radium clement, inclusive of. container and filling, be accepted, and authority bo granted for tlic ashes to be sent to Belgium for this purpose. The Medical Superintendent having advised that, the Medical Faculty of the Otago Fniversity and the Standing Committee of the Honorary Medical Staff of the Dunedin Hospital approved of the general scheme of re-organisation, as laid down in his report, on hospital organisation and administration, ids suggestion that the matter be the subject of conference between the Otago Hospital Board and the Otago Fniversity Council has beer, approved, and the Fniversity Council lias been asked lo meet the board on a date to be arranged. A reply has-been sent to tlie Director-General of Health in terms of the report from the medical superintendent in reference to the suggested provision of rooms for mental patients awaiting medical examination. The medical superintendent’s request to provide six lectures in chemistry to nurses has been approved. The report submitted by Dr F. (Jordon Bell to the medical superintendent for the better organisation of the orthopaedic out-patient and physiotherapy department, Dunedin Hospital, has been approved. Tho Engineer having advised Hint it is reported that Cumberland street is to be paved with Trinidad asphalt, and owing to the cost of opening up Hie street, the Dunedin City Council has been communicated with ask mg if the report and cost is correct, and such being the case, whether provision ran lie made for the board’s steam pipes across Die tree! to tie accessible for repairs. The City Electrical Engineer has been communicated with in reference to Hie cost of electric light at the Dunedin Hospital where the light plugs are used for electric baths and massage instruments, as same aro really used for heating and power. A suggestion hail been made that instead ot the, board being put to the expense of providing a new circuit for heating and power, the Dunedin City Council grant some concession on (lie presear, arrangements.