HOSPITAL BOARD

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 84, 14 August 1923, Page 5

HOSPITAL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of tip Stratford Hospital Board i\as held this morning. Present: Messrs C. D. Solo (chairman), J. T. Belcher. W L. Kennedy, E. Marfell, W. H Were, P. Thomson, G. P. Earkness, and J. O'Neill. STERILISING PLANT. The chairman reported that while in Wellington ho had ma do inquqriies regarding sterilising plant. Dr. Steven, who was present at the meeting, said the present sterilising plant at tho Hospital was far from satisfactory. The matter of electric sterilising had heen gene into, but it was found that the system was not yet perfect. The plant it was suggested should be bought would cost in the vicinity of £3OO, and though plant could be got cheaper it was not desirable to instal inferior plant. The chairman said the was to have the whole plant on ono stand which would mean a great saving of time. The new plant would be placed in tho maternity hospita!, but would suffice for the whole hospital. It was decided that the plant suggested be purchased. DIPHTHERIA. Dr. Steven forwarded a report on diphtheria cases from the Tuna district. Since August Ist, 1922, nine eases of diphtheria had been aduiitte from the Tuna district. During the same period the admissions from Stratford were four, from the East Road district four, and single cases from other districts.—The chairman said the residents of Tuna were very indignant at the manner in which the Health Department had neglected tho matter, and threatened to petition. Parliament. The Stratford Hoard's medical officer had inspected the children of the school and had located a number of carriers, hut the Health Department had done nothing about it.

S After hearing Dr. Steven on the ' matter a motion was passed stating • that the Board was perfectly satisfied that patients are not. discharged from the Isolation ward until two negative reports have been received from the Government bacteriological department; that the outbreak in the Tuna district cannot be attributed to patients leaving the Isolation ward before recovery; that the In-spector-General be asked to have the pupils of certain schools swabbed for the purpose of detecting diphtheria carriers, and be informed that no reply had boon received to previous representations on the matter. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. Tho chairman presented a report on operations for the month. He slated that the now rooms in the nurses' home are now completed and | occupied. Some nurses are living ia j the new rooms which are complete with all conveniences. The maternity block is under cover and better progress will now be made. The last Government report showed the utility of maternity hospitals and i the Government was suggesting that j Hospital Boards should take over j the St. Helen's Hospitals. After considerable thought I recommend the Board to ask tho SUatford Bor- I ough Council to give the Board a 99 years' lease of 33 feet of Portia Street at a nominal rent, the Board to fence and plant a live hedge the full length of the street, from Borneo* Street to Celia Street. Tho Council can do this under the Municipal Corporations Act provided the street remains not less' than 66 feet wide, and this would give us a lot !of additional room at small expense. j The Health Department has been j notified of the necessity of visiting certjtin schools to see if tliere weiu j any diphtheria carriers, but no reply I was .received and no visit made. If | this continues there will be an epij uemic and probably some deaths. I ! consider the Board should aide the Director-General to see into tho matter; or if they will give ihe Board a free iiand we will employ our own superintendent to do the work and they can pay him. A visitor to the hospital last week informed the I chairman tnat he had visited many j hospitals in iNew Zealand, bat had j i seen nothing to equal the local one j lor comfoi t and general appearance. j Acting under instructions riom the I Board i visited Wellington to attend tho conference in reference to Pake- j ora and Otaki sanato ia. The Buards

were practically unanimous in refusing to accept the liability. The chairman of the Hawke's bay Board brought down a report on the institutions ihat was enough to damn any chance there may have been of tak ing the place over. This last year some liiii patients were admitted to Pukeora and 210 were discharged unrelievttf, while the total discharged as cured was nine. There wete no operations performed during the year and tho Department are not to bo congratulated on their success. A letter from the Department is before you. If it was not of a serious character I should deem it childish, and it is only worthy of contempt. I should like members to carefully consider this and pass such resolutions as they deem lit to meet the position, and get our member to take action with other members of Parliament. Tho Waipawa Board has already sent a strong prot r -s:; and are gotting the Hawke's Bay members to work on the matter.

REPORTS. The medical superintendent (Dr. Steven) reported that during July

26 patients we;e admitted, 25 were discharged, and two died, 25 remaining in hospital at the end of the month. Nine opera ior.s wrO"e P er * formed under anaesthesia. There were four cases in Isolation (saven at date of rep rt). The e was ono special civilian out-patient. 'ihe Matron (Miss Bee Me) in her report sot out the linen required for the Maternity wards a> d asked per missi >n to pur base same. The now laundry copper had b en built in and would be ready for vse in a week's, tini.\ Miss Amao Hansen join*> 1 the nursing staff on probation on July 11th.—Authority was g'ven for puruba.se of linen. District Nurse Myers, Whangamomona, ropoikd h v'ng attended twelve cases during July. CONSUMPTIVE SANATORIA. Tho Health Department notified that in futu-e patients: would be admitted to Fuke »ra and Otaki sanatoria ouly on the application of Hospital Boards, who would be held responsible for fees. Tli" chairman said this was the Department's reply to the aetnn of the Bo.'rds in refusing to take over tho sanatoria. He thought a strong protest shoidd bo entered. It savored too much of a de ire to put the est on the Boards in some way or ether. The chairman and secretary vfere authorised lo enter a protest through the member for the district. The chairman pointed out the possible heavy expense to the Stratford Board if a great many men were put on the railway works, and a proportion of tiiese mon had to be sent to the sanatoria. In reply to Mr Mariell, the chairman said that what he chiefly objected to was the raising of the fees and the endeavor to make the Boards responsible for patients who are not residents of their district. GENERAL. The North Canterbury Board asked for support for the following resolution: "That this Board congratulates the New Zealand Government upon its action in setting up a special committee of the Board of Health to enquire into the question of venereal diseases, and in view of the facts disclosed in the report of that committee the Board urges upon the Government to introduce without delay legislation upon tho lines suggested by the committee." The chairman -aid ihe Board would have to ask the Govo nment whether it intended to keep their promise as regards finance for capital expenditure. The Government had agreed to pav pound for pound but wanted the Board to acept. only 12s 3d. It was decided to have two of the rooms in the maternity ward fitted with concrete flours. \ It was decided, in respect to the maternity ward, that the rule in force in the main institution, that tho medical superintendent should he in sole and complete charge, should be followed.