SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22827, 11 March 1936, Page 4

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITALS

’ , MEETING OF BOARD

The monthly meeting of the South Otago Hospital Board wae held yesterday at Bdlclutha. The chairman (Mr H. A. Brough) presided, and there were also present Messrs Fenton, M'Gregor, Waite, M.L.C,, Christie, King, Bennie, Bussell, ■ Sutherland, and Harris. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. The medical superintendent (Dr D. G. Badclifle), submitted the following report for February, the figures for the corresponding'period last year being shown in parentheses:— . t . ■ ] . Balclutha Hospital.—Admissions, 57 (47); discharges, 43 (47); remaining, 42 (40); Xh-ay examinations, 25 (47); massage treatment, 50 (34). Owaka Hospital.—Admissions, 15 (7); discharges; 10 (15); remaining, 9 (2). Milton Hospital—Admissions, 12 (15); discharges, 12 -,(17); remaining, 8 (4); outpatients,'! (nil);-.' \ V Kaitangata Hospital—Admissions, 12 (3); discharges, .10 , (4); remaining, 4 (2); out-patients, 2 (3), The renoft ;\tas', : adopted. 1 SAFETY OF NURSES. The secretary of the Dominion Executive of the Farmers’ Union' wrote stating that the executive had endorsed the following resolution : ; —“ That in view of the fact‘that so' many young probationer nurses in public hospitals are contracting tuberculosis, hospital boards should be urgently requested to investigate the cause. An expression of the view of the board would be appreciated. The chairman said that there was only one case in the history of the South Otago Board, and that a doubtful one, where a nurse had contracted tuberculosis while in the service of the board. Mr Russell: I think the trouble lies in the fact that some boards take_ on probationers without a proper examination. . The chairman: There is something *n that. , It was decided to reply that the board had been practically immune from the trouble mentioned, and to ask the executive for further information on the subject. FINANCE. The treasurer (Mr W. Boy) reported that the receipts for the past month had been £2523 8s Id, and the expenditure £1294 8s 4d. Maintenance and capital estimate payments made to date had been £17.227 19s 7d and £5553 18s respectively. The report was adopted. CAPITAL ESTIMATES. Some discussion took place when the committee set up to consider the capital estimates presented its report. It recommended for 1936-37 the expenditure of £IOOO for the erection at the Balclutha Hospital of a tuberculosis block, the total cost of which would be approximately £2OOO. The other £IOOO would be provided for in 1937-38. Contingencies in 1936-37 account for £l5O, and the usual £2400 would be required for the repayment of loans. , -i i Foi 1937-38 it was proposed to build a storehouse and garage at the Balclutha Hospital costing £750, and an extension to the glasshouse at £IOO. bov 1036-37 the capital requirements would be £3.uo, and an estimated debit balance at March 31. 1930, of £2OO made a total of £3730 £1875 to be raised by levy and a like amount by way of subsidy. For 1937-38 the requirements would be as follows: —Loan repayments, £2400; building of tuberculosis block, £IOOO. glasshouse addition. £100; storehouse and ambulance garage, £750;-u total of £4250. The committee was of the opinion that the cottage hosnitals were not m need of any additions to the buildings. Mr Waite said he could not agree oilhand to the expenditure of £ti>o on a garage and storehouse at the hospital, in his opinion, it would be better to garage the ambulance in the town, where a suitable,maa. could be found to dnve it Mr Russell suggested that the fcvti hospital, 1 which was not by any means overcrowded as a rule, should be divided to provide; for the- accommodation ot tuberculosis . patients, there. Tim chairman; it we put all the tabu - culosis patients there ■ who should be there, wo would not have much morn kit for then fever patients. We should .un<proper provision for tubercular patients. 1 Mr Waite moved that the estimates should be agreed to with the deletion ot the £750 for storehouse and garage. . Mr Fenton said that if the tuberculosis block were necessary it should certainly be erected. He thought also that the garage and storehouse should be built. He described the lack of proper accommodation for the tuberculosis patients as fake economy. No provision was made fo» advanced cases of tuberculosis. It was stated that tor lack of proper storeroom accommodation it had been necessary in the past on occasions to store dressings and manures in one shed. Mr M'Gregor (incredulously): £/oU t° r a storeroom ? The chairman: We want to put «P » store and garage that will be in Imi'mony with the general appearance, of the hospital. We don’t want a ramsnackle builclsaid he did not believe that dressings and manures wore mixed up together, and ho thought it should not go out to the public that such a state of affairs had existed.

The clerk; They have been stored in the same building. Mr Waite: That’s extraordinary. The chairman said the estimates might appear rather ambitious just now, but there was a certain amount of money to come in before those costs would have to bo met.

On Mr Waite’s motion being put to the meeting, it was lost by five votes to three The recommendations of the committee were thus agreed to. Mr M'Gregor: Last year we wrote off over £6200 in irrecoverable rates, etc., and here Wc are setting out on a programme of expenditure like this. Mr Fenton: I think that is an effective answer to those who say we have dona nothing for the outsider.