HOSPITAL BOARD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 457, 28 July 1915, Page 5

HOSPITAL BOARD.

TOE MONTHLY MEETING. At the North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board's meeting this morning there were present: Mr F. Horrell (chairman), Mesdames Christie, Wilson, and Green, Messrs* J. Davidson, S. Andrew, H. J. Otley, W. P. Spencer, J. D. Hall, 0. Bradley, W. W. Tanner, W. H. Cooper, H. B. Sorensen, T. D. Boag, G. Scott, F. T. Norton, and I. Andrew. HONORARY DENTAL STAFF. The following were appointed as the honorary dental staff of the hospital:—F. C. A'Court, H. K. Allison, J. S. Atkinson, H. P. V. BroWn, R. Cape Williamson, East, K. H. Fountain, S. H. Jones, Hears, W. S. Seed, C. W. Seymour, A. E. Suckling, H. E. Suckling, D. E. Thomas, W. I. Ward, J. Worgan. These were the only applicants. THE HONORARY STAFF. The Hospital Committee reported that the honorary staff had notified the committee that it had elected Dr Foster chairman of the staff, and Dr Crooke secretary. NURSES FOR THE FRONT. The board was recommended by the Hospital Committee to decide that nurses leaving, in future, for active service with the troops can only be promised positions on the board's staff provided that openings are available.

With regard to this clause, Mr Sorensen, chairman of the Hospital Committee, explained that so many nurses were already on leave of absence from the hospital that the committee could not promise to give nurses who leave the hospital in future for service with the troops positions on the staff unless openings were available or unless the board authorised a very large increase to the staff. Mr Otley took strong exception to the clause. It was quite wrong that nurses who went to the front, and did all that women could do to help the Empire, should have to give way to women who had stopped at home. The chairman of the board said that all the nurses who had gone to the Front from this hospital were full nursing sisters. Their places were taken by nurses who had graduated through the various grades in the hospital. Consequently, if a very large number of nurses came back from the Front, and were at once reinstated in their old positions, whether there were vacancies or not, all the nurses who had gone up from one class to another would have to go down again. After further discussion, the clause was referred back to the committee, which is to provide more definite information as to the effect upon the hospital staff. HOSPITAL STATISTICS. Dr W. Fox, medical superintendent of the hospital, reported that the patients remaining in the hospital from the month of May numbered 202, and those admitted during June 246. During June 242 had been discharged, and 12 had died, leaving 194 in the hospital on June 30. The number of out-patients' cases was 280, and of the attendances 1319. During the month 174 operations under anaesthetics had been performed. There were 57 attendances in the venereal out-patients' department for the month, and four fresh patients commenced treatment. The Lady Superintendent, Miss M. Thurston, reported that the five nurses of the hospital who had entered the State examination had all passed—four of them with credit. Miss Thurston recommended that Nurse Jensen (now in charge of Akaroa Hospital) be , appointed matron of Kaikoura Hospital from September 1, and Nurse McDonald as assistant nurse. The work at Bottle Lake Hospital was still very strenuous, as the number of patients was not diminished. The nurses who contracted scarlet fever were now convalescent. The infirmary wards, both at Taurangi and Jubilee Home, were busy. All vacancies on the hospital staff were filled from candidates on the waiting list. The report was adopted. PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE. The Public Health Committee re-

ported that during June the health inspectors had enquired into 43 cases of scarlet fever, 8 of diphtheria, 5 of tuberculosis, 15 of chicken pox, 1 of erysipelas, and 2 of measles. There were 251 other inspections or enquiries. There were 59 cases of scarlet fever in Bottle Lake Hospital on July 21. The pressure at Bottle Lake Hospital had been removed by sending the convalescents to the building which had been erected for the accommodation of smallpox patients, but which had never been occupied for that purpose. Dr Duncan had called attention to the need, in the near future, for increased accommodation. Owing to the congested condition of the hospital, it had been necessary to make arrangements for many cases to be isolated at home that would otherwise have been sent to hospital.

Dr Biackmore had called the attention to the need for more accom-

modation at the Sanatorium on the men's side. There were already three soldiers in his care, and it was likely that many cases of tuberculosis would be sent home from the Front. The committee had therefore decided to arrange for the erection of about four more shelters, there being sufficient terrace room for that number. Dr Blackmore had also informed th£ committee that there will probably need to be an extension in the accommodation at the Coronation Hospital very soon, all beds being occupied at present. The report was adopted, and the committee was asked to consider the matter of devising means to increase the accommodation at Bottle Lake Hospital. TREATMENT OF RECHABITES. A deputation from the Rechabites Order in Ghristchurch, consisting of Messrs A. D. Hassall and R. H. Taylor, waited on the board. They represented, they said, about a thousand Rechabites in Christchurch and the surrounding districts. There t ,was no provision at present for special treatment of Rechabites admitted to the Christchurch Hospital Board. The United Friendly Societies' Dispensary Board had a special arrangement with the Hospital Board, but the Rechabites, fdr certain reasons, did not desire to join with the United Friendly Societies' Dispensary Board. In Auckland, the Rechabites had come to an arrangement with the Auckland Hospital Board by which the board remitted 50 per cent, of the charges for adult Rechabite patients, and 75 per cent, of the charges for children, and the Rechabite Order guaranteed payment of the fees. It was suggested that the North Canterbury Board should make a similar arrangement. It was urged that the percentage of fees collected by the board from ordinary patients was probably much less than that which would be guaranteed in the cases of Rechabites. The board referred the matter to the Hospital Committee for a report.