NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1916, Page 5

NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL.

DISCUSSION AT OPUNAK.' ADMISSION OF A PATIENT. The refusal of the New Plymouth Hospital authorities to give admission to a case of infantile paralysis from Opunake drew some Strang critioism from members of the Egmont County Council yesterday. The matter was introduced by Cr. Young, who considered that it was a strange thing that there was bo room for admittance for a patient from this district, which was a contributing body to the hospital. They should send a strong protest against such treatment. It was one of the first serious cases sent forward from the district, and he thought that the hospital authorities should have made every effort to take it in. It seemed very cold treatment to receive and the only explanation they obtained was that there was no .'O'jm. Cr. Wright askad what did they get for the moifey they had passed .ha; day if ther« was no accommodation for their patients? It was time something wa» done. They should either protest to the chairman of the Hospitt! and Charitable Aid Ivu'd or to the In-spector-General of Hospitals. The chairman pointed out that there was another aspect besides the financial one. Infantile paralysis was an infectious disease and required isolating. If the hospital would not accommodate the case what were they to do with it? They were treated with Scant courtesy. Even if the hospital was full tho hospital authorities should have made an effort to isolate the case. In reply to a question, Cr. Mcßeynolds, who is a member of the Hospital Board, said that when he heard of the matter from the doctor, he could hardly credit it. Anyone looking at the building on the Hospital Hill, at New Plymouth, and seeing the monoy expended there and being tald there was ne room, would be surprised. He would not say much «n the question sow, but would have a good deal to say at the Hospital Hoard meeting on Wednesday. On the Motion of Cr. W. R. Wright and Cr. Young, it i.aa resolved that the lvgmont County Council protests strongly against the action of the New Plymouth Hospital authorities in refusing to receive an urgent case of infantile paralysis into tho New ■ Plymouth Hospital. Hospital administration also cropped up earlier in the meeting, when the Taranaki Hospital and Ckarita&le Aid Board forwarded a copy of its balancesheet for the year ending March 31, 1915, and ako notified that the ValuerGeneral had determined the value of the Egmont County for the purpose of striking Hospital and Charitable Aid levy for the year 1918-17 at £1,879.609. They also requested that the Council forward the March levy with the February levy. In the course of discussion, it was pointed out that the County's levy to the Hospital was £9OO per annum. Councillors desired that this should b« impressed on ratepayers as £9OO of the rate that did not go towards the upkeep of the roads. Cr. Wright said that there vat a loss of 3s per day on each patient treated ill the hospital, and therefore when the new hospital was opened, the Council's levy would go up considerably. Cr. Dudley said that with Government,, subsidy :t was coating £6OOO per anmlm to keep up the hospital, Cr. Mcßeynolds pointed out that if a destitute case or case of sickness was taken charge of by the local constable or local authorities, and the account was sent to the Hospital Board, the latter had to pay. In the course of further discussion on hospital ndjiinistration, Cr. Mcßeynolds saTIl that the fault lay with County Councils in taking i£ laying down. ■ Cr. Dudley: The Health Department over rules. Cr. Mcßeynolds: Because they've got the machinery, but County Councils should be powerful enough to hav« the machinery altered.