OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3724, 28 July 1925, Page 11

OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD.

The monlh.lv meeting of the Otago Hospital Board was held last evening, and was attended by Mr W. E. S. Knight (chairman). Mrs Jackson, Messrs Hancock, Morgan) Scurr, Dove, Quelch, Larnack, and Dr Newlands. The Director-general of Health wrote acknowledging the receipt of the board’s finding in the Robertson case. The Director-general of Health wrote stating that Cabinet Lad approved of the expenditure of £2OOO for giants of £SOO for each centre for the purpose of providing at least two—preferably three—properly furnished bedrooms for mental patients awaiting medical examination, in order to decide whether or not they should be committed to a mental hospital. The proposal was to give the board a fair start in the matter, and to ensure the provision of a suitable room to be used, instead of prison cells, for the accommodation of the insane, or those merely thought to be of unsound mind. Sir Truby King would no doubt approach the board on the matter. It was understood • that his scheme was: (1) Out-patients’ clinics for nervous and mental patients to be conducted weekly at the general hospitals by medical officers of the general and mental hospitals’ staffs; (2) to shield persons alleged to be suffering from mental disabilities from the humiliation and distress of being cast into prison pending a decision. In the meantime the Director-general of Health was writing to inform the board of the fact that the Government had approved the grant of £SOU to the board for this purpose—A member having remarked that the Government was getting very generous indeed, the communication was referred to the Hospital Committee for report. The Director-general of Health wrote in relation to dental treatment that he desired to point out that his circular letter had been issued to all hospital boards, but in view of the special arrangement which the board had with the University Council the circular hardly applied in the case of the board, although lie was sure it would agree with the principle involved.—Received. Letters from two patients of the Dunedin Hospital were received, thanking the board for the kindness they had met with.—These were noted, Mr Hancock .remarking that they were very refreshing. The resignation of Miss Ilamann of the position of matron at the Port Chalmers Hospital was accepted. Applications are to be invited to fill the vacancy, and the Finance Committee is to report thereon. The Medical Superintendent reported on the question of the continuation of washing part of the laundry outside of the Hospital. —Mr Quelch said he thought it was time they had an outside report again on this work. A previous report they had received had stated that they were not getting tho work they should out of the laundry.-—The Chairman said that if they left the matter to himaelf and the secretary they would bring down a report whether the same number or articles were being dealt with at the laundry as previously.—Tho suggestion v*s agreed to. Three tenders were receiw! for electrio lighting at Tapanui Hospital, and that of the Dominion Electric Company was accepted.