HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 19347, 12 September 1924, Page 9

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

THE SOUTHLAND BOARD MONTHLY MEETING. The Southland Hospital Board held its monthly meeting yesterday afternoon, there being present the Chairman (Mr John Matheson), Mirers Dryburgh and Birre, Messrs H. E. Niven, T. Fraser, Colin Robertson, Jae. Fleming, J. Rhodes, W. Clark, E. Bowmar, J. S. A McDougall, W. Norman and J. Miller. CORRESPONDENCE. Messrs Smith and Dolamore, Gore, wrote forwarding a cheque for £625 as a further instalment on account of the bequest made by the late Peter Anderson towards the ’iltimate erection of a Nuraes’ Home at the Seddon Memorial Hospital at Gore.—lt was decided to give an undertaking to the Trustee in the estate that the Board would take the work in hand within the next two years. The secretary of the Hospital Saturday Association forwarded a cheque for £ll 10/6, being the allocation made on account of the district nurse at Stewart Island.— Received with thar’-s.

The Director-General of Health wrote agreeing to the Board’s architect proceeding with the plans of the new hospital at Kew.—Recei ved. The Director-General of Health advised Jhat the annual Conference of Hospital Hoards would be held in Wellington on October 7 next, and forwarded a copy of the Agenda Paper, containing 88 remits for the consideration of the Board.—The Chairman and secretary were appointed to act as the Board’s delegatee at the Conference. SECRETARY’S REPORT, The Secretary reported as follows: Southland Hospital.—Authority has been given by the House Committee to fit up extra sinks and gas heating points in the two male patients’ duty rooms at the hospital. The House Committee has under consideration the proposed provision for house surgeons’ quarters and matron’s office. Matron Keddie has drawn the chairman’s attention to the need of painting the walls of the kitchen and scullery, Nurses’ Home, which should be attended to. Instructions have been given to have the hot water service at the Nurses’ Home kitchen attended to, as it is not working satisfactorily, presumably owing to the rusting of the hot water pipes. Laboratory Southland Hospital.—The future control and running of this department is still under consideration. Kew Hospital.—The alterations to the farm manager's house have been completed and the building is now occupied by Mr Brumby and his family. Water Services, Sanitary Drainage and Septic Tank.—The contracts for these are practically completed, and the installation seems to be working satisfactorily.

Kew Sanatorium.—Miss Richardson, the recently appointed Sister-in-Charge, took up her duties on the 25th August. The chairman has discussed with the medical superintendent the desirability of finding some light occupation for patients in the institution, and it would be advisable for the Board to give favourable consideration to the question, which has an important bearing on the treatment of the patients, as well as the discipline of the institution. New General Hospital at Kew.—The Di-rector-General of Health having agreed to the Board’s request that the patients’ wards should be 26 feet, and the main corridor 9 feet wide, instructions have been given to the architect to proceed with his drawings on that basis, leaving the question as to whether the side rooms in the proposed plan are to be used as patients’ wards or sitting rooms for later consideration.

Name of Institution.—The architect has asked for the Board’s directions as to the designation of the future general hospital at Kew, so as not to cause confusion with the Otago’s Board’s Institution at Kew, Dunedin.. Seeing that the Institution is to eventually supersede the present Southland Hospital in Dee street, as the district base hospital, it might be advisable to transfer that name to the new Institution at Kew.

Gore Hospital.—During the month Mr Allan, the Health Department’s Technical Inspector, with Mr Roberts, architect, inspected the engineering services in connection with the Gore Hospital additions. A copy of Mr Allan’s report has just come to hand and is not very satisfactory so far as the carrying out of this contract is concerned. It is a pity, after giving the plans and specifications of this branch of this work so much special consideration, that it should, through faulty installation, be found ineffective. The steam boiler was also shut down last week for Government inspection, and arrangements made with the sub-contractors to get certain leaky steam joints in connection with same attended to at the same time. Mercer and Sons, Christchurch, have also fitted up the steam sterilising apparatus in the operating block. As soon as the engineering services in connection with this institution have been satisfactorily put right according to specifications, the architect should be able to give a final pass certificate to the Board and enable the latter to get squared up with the contractors for this work, which has been on the Board’s hands since September, 1922. Retiring Allowance, ex Matron Ewart.— During the month the Director-General of Health advised the Board that the Crown Law Office has decided that the Hon. Minister of Health has no authority to withhold the Board’s subsidy to enable a life pension of £2 per week being paid to Miss Ewart. The Board’s decision to pay its late Matron £2 per week for four years from May 1, 1924, therefore, now stands, and the Minister’s approval has been given to payment being made on this latter basis.

Board’s Statistics. —For the information of members, I attach herewith a statement showing the average cost of maintenance per bed of the Board’s Institutions for the years 1923 and 1924, also the amount of patients’ fees collected per bed for each Institution for the same years, and the nett cost per occupied bed after deducting patients’ maintenance fees. It is pleasing to know that the nett maintenance cost per patient in the Board’s Invercargill and Gore Hospitals is, among general hospitals, the lowest in the Dominion.

Hospital Board’s Conference.—The different remits for consideration at this Conference have come to hand. It is noted that the date of the Conference has been fixed for Tuesday, October 7, which unfortunately is the same week as the Board’s next monthly meeting. Typewriter.—We require a new typewriter for the Board’s office to replace the “Barlock” machine which has been in constant use for the past eight years. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Executive reported as follows:

1— The Committee report having examined accounts and salaries totalling £4785 17/8 which were recommended to the Board for payment. 2 The Committee report having received communications from the Health Department regarding the engineering service at Gore Hospital, pointing out a number of defects that require to be adjusted, and recommend the matter be left in the hands of the Chairman and Secretary to confer with the architect and with full power to act in obtaining finality in this matter. 3 Owing to the number of resignations amongst the nursing staff of the Hospital, the Committee on the recommendation of Matron Keddie recommend that applications be invited for two staff nurses. 4 Recommend that the control of the Southland Hospital laboratory be held over in the meantime. 5 Painting etc. Nurse’s Home kitchen, left in the hands of the House Committee with power to act. 6 The question of having a lot of the Southland Hospital sewing work done at the factory was left in the hands of the Chairman and Secretary to confer with the matron and with power to act.

7 Recommend that Dr Anderson, Queenstown, who hw been Medical Superintendent of the Lake Country for the past twelve months, be granted a motor allowance of £5O per annum as from date. 8 — Two applications for relief came before the Committee, one being sent to Lome Farm, the other, an application from relatives for admission of an old man to the same Institution, being declined. 9 The Committee recommend that the application of Dr Rogers of Gore to send a Gore Hospital patient to Dunedin Hospital for radium treatment be approved. 10— One country recipient receiving £1 per week was struck off the list. 11— Secretary repeated that the weekly expenditure on outdoor relief was £2B 6/as against £27 14/- for the same period last year. 12 — Two notifications were received from the Otago Hospital Board regarding the admission of Southland patients to the Dunedin Hospital and in one case it was decided to pay the account of £l9 7/-, the other case being held over for further enquiries to be made as to patient’s residence in the Southland district. 13— In connection with the Board’s claim of £615 10/6 against the Wallace Hospital Board for the maintenance of patiente in the Southland Hospital, which the Minister had already decided should be paid by the latter; the Secretary reported having received a cheque for £lOO on account.

The Committee recommend that the Wallace Hospital Board be advised that unless reasons satisfactory to this Board are furnished by the 20th instant, the Board will take other action to recover payment of the amount. 14— Several ex-patients wrote regarding payments of their accounts, asking for reduction in the amounts. These were carefully gone into and dealt with according to the circumstances of the individual cases. 15— The Chairman reported that arrangements had been made for the Board’s solicitors to send out final notices demanding payments of amounts owing for maintenance before the issue of summonses, and his action in arranging with that firm regarding commission on the amounts collected was approved. FINANCIAL MATTERS. The Treasurer submitted the following summary of receipts and payments for the month ended August 31 last:— RECEIPTS. £ s d Credit balance, Bank of New

SOUTHLAND HOSPITAL MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. The Medical Superintendent (Dr. Owen Johnston) submitted the following report of the Southland and Kew Hospitals for the month of August:— SOUTHLAND. Patients remaining on July 31 .. .. 107 Patients admitted during month .... 92 Patients discharged during month .. 73 Patients died during month 10 Patients remaining August 31 116 Total patients treated .. 119 Collective days’ stay 3525 Individual days’ stay 17.7 Average patients per day 113.4 X-RAY DEPARTMENT. In-patients X-rayed 25 Out-patients X-rayed 9 Private patients X-rayed 4 Total 38 Plates taken 34 Screenings made 15 Treatments given 6 Private fees payable £7 7 0 Out-patient fees payable .. .. £1 17 0 Total £9 4 6 MASSAGE. Patients remaining , 15 Patients commenced treatment .... 3 Patients completed treatment .... 3 Patients remaining 15 Out-patient treatments 115 In-patient treatments .. 166 Total .. 281 KEW. Patients remaining July 31 14 Patients admitted during months .. 1 Patients discharged during month .. 4 Patients remaining August 31 .. .. 11 Total patients treated .. 15 Collective days’ stay 354 Individual days’ stay 23.6 Average patiente per day .. 11.6

THE GORE HOSPITAL DOCTOR’S REPORT. The Medical Superintendent of the Gore Hospital (Dr. J. C. Rogers) reported as follows : M. F. Patients remaining August 1, 1924 16 10 Patients admitted during August 1, 1924 12 9 Total under treatment .. 28 19 Patients discharged during August, 1924 .. .. 13 6 Patients remaining September 1, 1924 15 13 Total 28 19 Number of operations 7. The Government inspection of boiler was made last week. Certain necessary repairs have been effected. The Government inspector is returning on Tuesday for a further inspection. The sterilisers were fitted up during the month by J’.rcer and Sons., Christchurch, and appear to be working satisfactorily. REPORT OF MATRON. Miss J. Ross, Matron of the Gore Hospital, reported as follows: — “The patients’ fees collected for the month amounted to £73 8/6. Nursing Staff:. The wards have been fairly busy for the past month. Domestic Staff: Miss Cummings commenced duties on August 23.” LAKE COUNTY HOSPITAL MATRON’S REPORT. The Matron of the Lake County Hospital (Miss F. Mcßae) reported as follows: — M. F. Patients remaining August 1, 1924 10 1 Patients admitted during August 1924 3 4 Total under treatment .. 13 5 Patients discharged during August, 1924 1 Patients remaining September 1, 1924 8 4 Total .. .. 13 5 OTHER REPORTS. KEW FARM. The report of the farm manager at Kew (Mr H. A. Brumby) was as follows: “During the month lea ground has been ploughed, and all grass paddocks chain-har-rowed, but we have not heard anything of the manure for top-dressing. Nine cows were sent to Lorne. The porter and farmassistant (H. Mincher) is leaving on the 13th inst. (Saturday next) to go back to the cheese factory. I have been on the look-out for a suitable man, but have been unsuccessful. The water service to house, farm buildings, and paddocks; alterations, etc., to house and Nurses’ Home, and sewerage are all completed, except a few small jobs in connection with the latter.”

LUMSDEN MATERNITY HOSPITAL. The Matron of the Lumsden Maternity Hospital (Miss M. R. Reynolds) submitted the following:— F. Patiente remaining August 1, 1924 .. 1 Patients admitted during August, 1924 4 Total under treatment .. .. 5 Patiente discharged during August, 1924 5 Patients remaining September 1, 1924 -- Total 5 LORNE FARM. The report of the Matron of the Lorne Farm Home (Miss E. Cole) was as follows : M. Inmates remaining August 1, 1924 .. 35 Inmates admitted during August 1, 1924 -• 3 Total under treatment ...... 38 Inmates discharged during August, 1924 .. .. 4 Inmates remaining September 1, 1924 34 Total 38 “I wish to thank the following for donations during the month: E. Bell, Mrs Drew, A Friend, and the Invercargill Competitions Committee for an invitation for the children to attend the Children’s Demonstration Concert. As spring cleaning time is here, I would like some painting done inside, aa it is getting yeiy shabby

and it is several years since it was done. With your consent I propose to raise Mrs Lorimer’s salary 5/- per week and the two housemaids 2/6 per week.” The report of the Farm Manager at Lorne Farm (Mr E. McClean) was as follows: “Since last meeting we brought nine cows from Kew. Five have come to profit. We are now milking 24. During the month we brought four loads of hay from Kew. Last week we top-dressed 29 acres drill measurement. Mr Fraser is very anxious that something should be done to the boundary fence. It is badly wanting a new fence, and there is not any fencing material on the place, especially posts. We pointed out the necessity of a new shed for the fowls to the Chairman, and I would feel very grateful if you would permit me to get the material. About 10 x 10 I think would do. Re the cream: I have just started separating and want to know where it is to be sent.” The reports of the Executive Committee, secretary, Medical Officers, and Matrons were adopted.

Zealand, 1/8/24 Less unpresented cheques .. 7502 15 157 10 7 1 7345 5 6 Levies local authorities .. .. 467 15 0 54 0 0 Bequests 650 0 0 Rents 27 12 6 Inmates’ Trust Maintenance fees, Southland 96 9 6 Hospital Maintenance fees, Gore Hos476 9 9 pita! Maintenance fees, Lake 94 12 6 County 45 7 0 Maintenance fees, Kew I. D. Maintenance fees Lumsden 37 10 0 Maternity Hospital .. .. 12 18 0 X-ray fees, Southland Hospital Laboratory fees, Southland 3 4 6 Hospital .. .. Out-patients’ fees, Southland 5 0 6 Hospital Out-patients’ fees, Gore Hos15 18 0 4 17 6 0. A. Pensions, Southland Hospital 69 8 0 0. A. Pensions, Gore Hospital 6 0 0. A. Pensions, Lake County Hospital 9 15 0 0. A. Pensions, Lome Home Maintenance fees, Lorn Home 48 15 0 8 2 6 Maintenance fees, Outdoor 22 12 10 Maintenance fees, Outside Institutions .. 4 5 0 Sales . 5 11 6 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 5 2 0 Total .. 9510 18 1 EXPENDITURE. Southland Hospital .. .. .. 1621 14 5 Gore Hospital 929 14 9 Lake County Hospital .. .. 106 6 5 Kew I. D. Hospital 420 11 2 Lumsden Maternity Hospital 31 13 3 Lome Farm .. 293 6 6 Indoor and Outdoor Relief 102 2 3 Payments to other boards .. 107 0 6 Administration 158 5 9 Waipiata Sanatorium .. .. 80 11 0 Miscellaneous .. .. 173 12 8 4024 18 8 Transfer to Gore Building Account (fixed deposit 12 months at 4 per cent.) .. 1000 0 0 Transfer to Kew Building Account (fixed deposit 12 months at 4 per cent.) 625 0 0 1625 0 0 Credit balance, Bank of New Zealand, 31/8/24 4235 18 6 Less unpresented cheques .. 374 19 1 Total 9510 18 1 BANK BALANCES. General Account .. Fixed deposit Kew Loan Ac4235 18 6 count 40.741 4 4 Fixed deposit Kew Building Account Fixed deposit Gore Building 8125 0 0 Account 1000 0 0 Wright’s Bequest Account .. 1845 s 5 Total 55,947 9 1