THE MILTON HOSPITAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19804, 1 June 1926, Page 3

THE MILTON HOSPITAL.

MATERNITY OR SURGICAL? RUMOURS ALARM RESIDENTS. SOUTH OTAGO BOARD CRITICISED. “We feared that our hospital in Milton was threatened as a public' institution tor the treatment of general cases by a proposal to convert it into a maternity hospital, so wo came to you to ask if you would send two delegates with representatives of a committee, already set up in the borough, to go into the question with the South Otago Hospital Board.” With these words Canon Small introduced a deputation, including Dr Stewart and representatives of the Farmers' Union, which waited on the Bruce County Council yesterday. Ho said the committee, which represented the borough and a large section of the outside community, wanted to know exactly how the board stood in regard to this matter. Rumours had been circulated, and those who knew the work done by the hospital in Milton were anxious regarding its continued existence. He said he would leave Dr Stewart to place the facts before them. Dr Stewart said they had come to seek re-inforcements from the council. The general usefulness of the hospital was certainly threatened, and he feared Milton was going to lose its hospital. Once maternity cases were admitted it would be utterly impossible to treat general surgical cases. Septic surgery with maternity work was impossible. He cited the case of a North Canterbury hospital which had attempted some such arrangement, and had been severely reprimanded from headquarters. The speaker produced figures to show the work being done and the popularity of the institution. During the six months just ended, he said, the number of patients treated had been 85—almost double the number for the previous period. Of these 85 the Bruce Borough and the county had supplied 80 per cent. The Clutha County supplied about one or two patients per week. The cause of this movement had been an application by the Milton Hospital for an extra probationer at a cost of £3O per year. It was found impossible at present to keep anyone on duty at night and that was often necessary.. When the occasion did arise it was necessary to engage a trained nurse at ±l4 4s per week, which amounted to £3O in a couple of months. They could manage with a probationer, but the South Otago Board persistently refused the application, preferring rather to bear the cost of engaging a trained nurse. The reason for refusal was that with an increased staff Milton might become too independent. The hospital had proved its worth, and it was essential that it should be carried on. If they were compelled to send il' cases to Balclutha they would De in th use position as when it was neccs sary send patients to Dunedin. The expense, inconvenience and risk were just as great The nursing stafl was a particularly efficient one, but it refused to carry on unless additional help were provided, because they felt under present conditions, that they were not doing their work justice. Concluding, Dr Stewart said a general hospital at Milton was absolutely essential, and increased help must he provided. There wore points at issue with the board, and moreover Milton resented the instruction that all surgical cases must be sent to Balclutha. and that, any kept in Milton must not be retained there for a greater period than seven days. Another point which indicated a . freezing-out policy was the action of the IVrard in reducing the medical officer’s honorarium from f!?5 to £SO. Representatives of the farmers’ unions in the district supported the deputation. Canon Small, speaking again, gave several instances of the overworking of the staff at Milton. He mentioned one case in which the nurses had been on duH? for 18 hours, and were just going off wnen a woman was brought in in a dying con dition. That meant, several hours’ more work. Yet in the face of this the South Otago Board refused the paltry sum of £3O for another probationer. He spoke of the existing maternity home in the borough, which was often without patients for weeks on end. How could they keep up the overhead expenses at the hospital with so few cases coming in? Drs Valentine and MacEachern had both been more than pleased with the hospital, and had admitted that maternity cases could not be treated along with surgical cases- If they sent people away to Balclutha it meant cutting off the working man from his relatives when ill, because it meant the loss of a day’s work and the expense of travelling. That would bo cruel and unfair. Pie sincerely hoped the council would appoint two delegates. The Chairman (Mr W. J. Sheatj then asked the members of the council if they had anything to say. Mr. H. M. Driver said ho thought it inadvisable “to raise a howl before they were hurt.” They were not sure yet whether there was anj-thing in the move at all. Still the Government could declare a hospital a maternity institution if it wished, but he did not think anvthing of the sort would eventuate. He would oppose it if it were brought up. Mr Jasper Clark said he did not like the way in which Dr Stewart had jumped to conclusions and blamed the board. The movement had not come from the board, and had never at any time been discussed by the board. Nor had the question of ar. extra nurse been placed before that body. He scouted the suggestion that Balclutha was afraid that Milton would become too independent- Nothing was further from their minds. In respect to the sending of patients to Balclutha he stated emphatically that the idea was that all cases that could not be treated in Milton should be sent to Balclutha in preference to Dunedin. The matter of the reduced honorarium was easily explained by the fact that the Department of Health had said that the board must not spend more than £ICO per year on the staff. Thus the honorarium had to be reduced. The whole thing was too previous. The hospital had never been built for maternity work, and he could not see how it could be so used. Still the hospital must be supervised from Balclutha. Dr Stewart; In speaking of our independence I was merely quoting a board official. There is a great hiatus somewhere According to Mr Clark our correspondence has not pone before the board and vve have received an official communication purporting to come from the board, but which in reality was never discussed by that body. Three members present deny knowledge of it It was evidently far from representing the hoard’s feelings. If we -end all our patients to Balclutha onr numbers will drop to one or two, and the Government must close us up. Mr Driver; Put that has been denied. Dr St-uvart; The denial is no! firt-al We want the board’- decision Mr A. King promised the deputalion bis support ns a member of the ho - ”-d TU thought it would be a breach of faith lo carry out such a. suggestion. After the deputation had retired it was decided that Messrs W. J Silent and D. M’Gregor should attend the meeting of the bonrtl.