SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3757, 16 March 1926, Page 72

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD.

The ordinary monthly meeting was held in the board’s office, at the Balclutha Hospital on Tuesday, when there was present: The Hon. A. S. Malcolm (chairman), and Messrs Jas. Cumming. H. M. Driver, Jasper Clark, Adam King, A. T. Harris, T. D. Pearson, Joseph Mosley, J. W. Fenton, and 11. A. Brough. An apology for absence was received from Canon Small (Milton). MATRON’S THANKS. Matron M. Shepard, of the Balclutha Hospital, reported that she wished to thank ell those who had given donations of flowers, fruit, books, old linen, etc., and as there was no library for the patients’ use she would be very grateful for donations of books and magazines, also old linen and old woollens for the hospital use. MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT.

Dr A. C. Biggs, medical superintendent, reported regarding the hospitals in the board’s district as follows:

He had commenced taking patients into the hospital at Balclutha on February 27. He had had . occasion to visit Milton Hospital on several occasions during the past month, partly for treatment of surgical cases and partly on hospital business. The staff there had been very busy, and it had been found necessary to send a probationer from Balclutha to relieve the pressure of work During the month of February, 17 cases had been admitted and 10 discharged, the total number under treatment being 22, leaving 12 cases under treatment at the end of February. The number of patients receiving treatment at Milton had increased during the last 18 months; for the six months just completed the number was 82, coinpurcd with 59 for the corresponding period last year. At present it was certainly necessary to provide the additional staff, as it was considered probable that this numbor would need to be permanent. The boiler house at Milton Hospital was again flooded with water during the wet weather; tha water appeared to ooze in on all sides. The high pressure steam steriliser although attended to still leaked badly, and required to be thoroughly overhauled. This would probably mean dismantling the whole thing for it to be taken awav to the workshop, and could be done as soon as the hospital at Balclutha con'd relievo Milton of all surgical cases. lie

suggested that the boiler-house should be finally dealt with at the some time, on the assumption that it w-as considered necessary to raise it to the ground level. Sevetal hand basins at Milton required early attention, as they were becoming detached from the walls. Two or three loads of gravel were needed round the building before winter set in. Shelter trees were also needed along the south fence. The porter was arranging to put up the temporary hedge of manuka.

At Owaka Dr Stenhouse informed him that everything was going on satisfactarily. During February seven cases were admitted ; nine were discharged, and one patient died. The total number under treatment was 12, three cases remaining in hospital at the end of the month. With regard to the covers for the cisterns, the cost would be £3. The footpath to the hospital urgently required repair, and the entrance gates were almost entirely devoid °f. a .. pa,nt * Both these items required attention at once. The porter-gardener’s holKJay was much overdue. *iA ,e i IT l atron , reported from Kaitangata that during the month of February three patients were admitted, six discharged, and one rema!rung; under treatment at the end Treated ITlon *'"* Eight outpatients were

Dealing with the Owaka requests it was deemed on the motion of Messrs Harris and Km*, to hold over the question of covers for cisterns till the doctor had reported on the possibility of wire netting keepmir the birds out The chairman and it! r .Yi. W f re authorised to act in re the n^| Dath ' *i e pa ,' ntm « of nateposts, and the porter-qardener’s request. Mi'ft " aS . d T t]ed r° sct a report On the Milton sterilisers for next meeting. FINANCIAL. Receipts and expenditure for February Receipts. Levies, £319 0s led; fees, £lls total/ £3454' if "2d 20 13SM: loan ' £3OOO = ExpendHure.-Salaries (administration), not) LOS ; members expenses, £8 14s 2d • postages, telegrams etc., £3 7s 7d; office printing £4 Is 8d; office rents and sundries. £2 Is; land and buildings. £5353 10s l d 'qr n "i pme : ,t ; Balclutha Hospital £995 r < boards, £498 '9s 8d; renet, £l4 2s; Waipiata Sanatorium, £2OO lbs; Kaitangata Hospital, £6O 12s 8d; Milto" i 113 Hi Owaka Hos- ?!(?]’ „ 12s 7d; Balclutha Hospital, £334 8s 8d; advertising, £5 Is; Otago Board (rent). £lO4 3s 4d; total £7956 13s total receipts to date, £41,233 l s 7d • total expenciture to date, £46,689 5s iOd debit balance, £5456 4s 3d. Maintenance estimates, £16,519 15s 5d • maintenance expenditure to date, £l4 537 Is 2d; credit balance. £1982 14s 3d. Maintenance—Capital estimates, £39.702 14s sdl; capital expenditure to date, £32 502 lid; credit balance to date, £7200 7s Mr Cumming (chairman of (he Finance Committee), in moving the adoption of iho committees report, said it would be seen that the biggest item of expenditure was For the Balclutha Hospital.—The committee s report was adopted, and the pay. sheet passed for payment. COR RES PO NDENCE. D. Watt, clerk, Clutha County Council, wrote stating that his council had decided that the engineer should furnish a i.iport before council agreed to the board's request to take over the access road to Balclutha Hospital.—Received, several of the members remarking that the voad was ranch better than most county roads. R. W. Shallcross, general secretary New Zealand Sports Protection League, wrote asking thi board to express its views on the adoption of daylight saving, and forward same to the Government, to the member of the district, and to the press. It was stated that the legislation had been in existence in Great Britain for the past 11 years, and it had been made a permanent measure.—Received.

Dr Valintine wrote stating that the question regarding how much expenditure a board was authorised to expend in the matter of pianos, gramophones, and records, etc., had arisen. Expenditure on the purchase of pianos had heretofore been treated as authorised expenditure when shown to be reasonable, and it was from the standpoint of the amount and reasonableness that the question required to be decided on in every case. A board, therefore. before incurring any expenditure on gramophones, pianos, etc., should advise Dr Valintine of the circumstances, so that he could be in a position to make a recommendation to the Controller and Audi-tor-General as to whether the expenditure was reasonably warranted.—Decided that Dr Valintine he informed the board would defer to his wishes in the matter. Dr J. H. Crawshaw, Medical Officer of Health, wrote in answer to the letter *f the hoard complaining that the water at Balclutha Hospital was unsuitable for washing purposes He presumed that it was a question of hardness of the water. That being the case, there was a chemical named “Permut" which softened water by mass action. Further information could be obtained from the Roslvn Mills, who had installed a plant.—Received. The Director-General of Health (Dr T. 11. A Valintine) advised that the following vacancies existed in the departmental institutions. Pukeoia Sanatorium. 66; Queen Mary Hospital Service Beds. 10: Civilian Beds. 8; Female Service Beds, 10; Civilian Beds, B—Received. WAIPIATA EXPENDITURE

The Chairman stated that at the last meeting of the Waipiata Sanatorium Committea he had expressed the views of the South Otago Board, piotesting against the proposed increased expenditure at Waipiata, but the protest was unavailing, and it wa9 decided to nroceed with the proposed extensions. This would mean a contribution of £7OO from the board this year. Mr Mosley: Yes. and n great deal more next year. Proceeding, Mr Mosley said he considered the ratepayers should lie consulted before this increased expenditure pt Waipiata, where , the treatment, after all, was wholly experimental, should be allowed to go on.

Mr Driver said that while opposed to increased expenditure at Waipiata. he did not think that the average ratepayer knew very much about hospital affairs. The Chairman said he had made Ms protest on behalf of the board, and Dr Valintine, who was present, had also expressed himself very forcihly against further capital expenditure, but they had been over-ruled.

PLACE OF MEETING. An animated discussion ensued on the question of holding the monthly meetings of the board in the Clutha County Chambers, instead of at the hospital, it was decided to leave the matter in abeyance. The board then went into committee