HOSPITAL BOARD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14051, 22 July 1916, Page 7

HOSPITAL BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Cook Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held last evening. Present: — Messrs. G. W. Humphreys (chairman), W. G. Sherratt, R. Johnston, W. J. McCliskie, T. Holden, A. M. Lewis, H. Bright. T. JexBlake, H. Kenway, and Dr. J. C. Collins. . The clerk of the Waihohu County Council advised that that Council had decided to take over the administration of public health matters in the county in future, and to rescind its previous resolution vesting its authority in the Board. He also wrote stating the Council did not consider there was any object in holding a conference with the Cook County Council. — It was agreed to write to tlie two counties, requesting that they should make the necessary arrangements to take over control of sanitary matters. Dr. Valintino acknowledged the Board's intimation that the tender of Messrs. Cable and Co. of £625 for the supply of two boilers had been accepted. — Received. The clerk of the Borough Council wrote stating the Council could not see their way to agree to an exchange of land as suggested, but the Council might combine with the Board _ in; subdivisions for leasing, should -aitiicajble arrangements be arrived at. — Received. On behalf of th© societies interested, an application was made for a donation towards the cost of an organ for the Old People's Home.— The Board decided to reply, regretting there were no funds available for the purpose.Replying to a letter from the Board, Dr. Valintine stated he saw no reason why there should be a special scale of fees for out-patients undergoing eye treatment. It was usual' for boards to treat these patients in'a sirtiilar manner to other out-patients ' in the matter of fees, making them pay. or otherwise according to their means.— Received. The Treasurer's statement was as follows: Receipts — Hospital fees £176 19s, pensions, maintenance, etc, £47 6s Bd, sale fat £1 ss, district nursing fees £19 13s, rent £3 15s, deposits £55, grazing fees 4s, sale vaccine 3s, ' credit balance as per last statement £340, 14s 2d, total £644 19s lOd. Expenditure — Accounts passed 16th June, £913, Is 8d; accounts sinfce paid : Hospital £368 18s. lOd, charitable - aid £13 Bs, district nursing £12 10s, public health £39 18s lid, total £1347 17s sd.\ Debit balance £702 17s 7d. Patients' fees paid and guaranteed during the month £185 3s 6a, patients' fees unpaid £119 2a 6d, total patients' fees accrued £304 6s, , The Medical Superintendent reported as follows: Patients remaining on June 7th 61, patients admitted from June 7th 87, patients discharged from June 7th 79, patients, died 3, patients remaining 66 ; scarlet fever cases admitted 5, remaining 7; diphtheria cases admitted 1, remaining 1; typhoid fever cases admitted 1, remaining ; I; , The Matron's report stated : «I wisli to recommend the appointment to the staff of the following nurses, as they have served a satisfactory .probation, Nurses Ethel Cumming, H. McKenzie, and C. S. Burbush. Sister Young wishes to be re r lieyed from duty next month as she is going to be married. Nurse E. Gumming resumed duty oh 21st June, and will finish her training on 13th August. Tlie following donations are gratefully acknowledged, from Mr. Humphreys, 6 pairs of bases, Mrs Pollock, books and an air cushion, Mr. Cooper, kumeras and pumpkins, Mr.-, Sheyratt a bag of lemons, the Red Cross Society 7 nightingales^ Mr. Kenway, books, Mr. Blake, eggs and oranges, Miss Sherratt, lemons. One maid baa left and five have been engaged. Provisions' supplied have all been good. '.w. The Old People's Home report states: Number of inmates .'in the Home on June 9, 1916, 21. Admitted during the month 2 men; left during the month 1 man, leaving the number-' to date 22; 20 men and 2 women. . Inspector York reported investigating 5 cases of scarlet fever, 1 case of diphtheria, 2 cases of typhoid fever, 1 case of , tubeculosis, and disinfecting 10 homes. He added: Upon the, Zrd j July Mr Thelwall who acted- as inspector during my absence informed me that he had visited Ormond and found a condemned house unoccupied, . but not * yet pulled down. I saw the owner and told him the time had expired which was allowed him to do this work, and' unless , he at once complied further would have to be taken. The owner himself appears to be most anxious to^pull it down, but he says although the tenant is not now living in it he still has his household effects in it and has dared the owner to turn them out until- he has another place to take them to. " If this place fs not pulled down during the week I intend writing the District Health Officer for further instructions. The Works Committee reported : The Committee met at the "Hospital on the 10th., inst. The chimneys of the kitchen and boiler house being a nuisance, in the Hospital and' on the verandahs, from smell and smuts, Mr. Miohie was asked^ f or a ; plan and estimated cost of raising chimneys with a view of relieving the trouble. The ploughing of the garden at the old hospital was authorised for the purpose of growing early potatoes. The work done by tbi road contractor has proved so far to' be satisfactory. The new work to the boiler house is completion and will be finished some ' considerable time before the boilers are ready for instalment. The clay spoil from the boiler house has been dumped into a bad angle of the nejv road, which will straighten it and make the grade better.., This will ctost a small sum a yard extra for haulage above Mr. Smith's contract. The down and across pipes over the vei'andah roofs have been placed in position and we hope this may stop the trouble in the future of '.leaking or weeping verandahs. If not there is nothing else for it apparently* bul coating- all the verandah roofs x with, some water proof material as was done on two verandahs some time ago and\;which so far are keeping the water from soaking through. Mr. Michie reported as follows: Re chimneys at Hospital, the present boiler house flue is to' be, taken up an additional 20ft. in iVon flue; this is included in Mr. G. Smith's boiler house contract. For the kitchen I would 'recommend that it be carried up another 10ft. in brickwor lk above, aTwT above that a 10ft.' length, of iron flue of -20 gauge be added at an approximate cost of £84. The extra height on these flues will, cause more draught and the- soot carried further away. .. District Nurse Greenslade reports having attended to 6 „&ases during the month. District Nurse Jarrett reports • having attended to 9 cases during 'the month and having visited the Maori pas at Te Karaka and Puha. The Nurse reports, that there are many, minor ailments in the- distrjifct, especially in young children, owing she thought to the recent v^et weather. ■ ' The Charitable Aid 'Committee rpprted having; approved of sundry aid granted during the month. The Chairman was authorised to make enquiries into the "question of adopting the use of gas in the kitchen in order; to obviate the smoke- and soot nuisance. • Fees "in connection with the treatment Qf eye patients were discussed, and dePifNJ . upon. '= - Tlie Chairman and Mr. Jex-Blake were deputed to arrange to advertise for applications for the '.vacant'' positions on the nursing staff.

j The Inspector-General of Hospital* forwarded a copy of amended regulations, providing that before terminating the training of a pupil nurse during her term of probation the cause thereof should be notified to the Registrar of Nurses, whose consent to such termination shall be required. — Dr. Collins remarked that the position had arisen as a result of a case' with which the Board was familiar, and this was going to penalise the Hospital Boards of the Dominion. There would in future be no power to dismiss any trainee without the consent of the Inspector-General. Hospital Boards were being* penalised by being shorn of powers. — Mr. Kenway remarked that he thought all the Hospital Boards would be up in arms. Mr. Kenway 's motion to revise the scale of fees was held over till next meeting, owing to the lateness of the hour.