CARE OF THE SICK.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1924, Page 6

CARE OF THE SICK.

TARANAKI BOARD’S WORK. MORE PATIENTS LAST YEAR. MODERN EQUIPMENT PURCHASED. While not producing anything of an outstanding nature -such as was the case in 1921, which year saw the completion of the nurses’ home and the installation of the steam heating plant at the New Plymouth Hospital, 1923 was a year of steady work and progress for the Taranaki Hospital Board. As far as the treatment of the sick was concerned, the number of patients who were attended to at the hospital showed an increase of 52 over the previous year, the totals being 1144 in 1922 and 1196 last year. There was nothing in the way of a serious epidemic. The distribution of charitable aid to people in distress is a little known side of the board’s work, but it is one that unfortunately requires a great de’al of attention. The great amount of employment, however, that was available during the past year eased the calls that were made on the funds available for relief, and a final analysis of the figures should show a much healthier position than was the case in the previous year. The winter of 1922 was a period of very heavy calls on the board. At that time unemployment was rife throughout the Dominion, and Taranaki did not escape its share. Last year, however, there was a marked revival of a public and private nature, providing employment for the big body of unskilled labour which is the first to feel the pinch of tightening purse strings. As in past years, the relief work of 1923 was principally in the provision of fire and light, food and clothing, while men were sometimes provided with railway tickets to places where they had been piomised employment. In no case does tht board give money: orders on various firms are the means by which relief is afforded. THE MEDICAL SIDE. Ur the medical side of the hospital, an innovation so far as the Taranaki Board was concerned, was the appointment of a resident house surgeon. The growing needs of the hospital and of the district had made the appointment long overdue. By the visits to the Old Country of Dr. E. A. Walker (medical superintendent) and Dr. H. B. Leatham (radiologist) it is felt that considerable benefit will accrue to those who have the misfortune to require medical treatment. Dr. Walker and Dr. Leatham were granted leave of absence during th? year for the purpose of making the trip. Dr. Walker returned to New Plymouth about a month ago, but Dr. Leatham is still in England. Both combined business with pleasure, the former by attending a post graduate course at one of the leading hospitals, and the latter by studying the latest developments in the case of X-rays. The additional knowledge they have grined cannot bur react on the people or North Taranaki. In addition, the board gave the doctors authority to purchase any equipment they saw which might prove of advantage to the New Plymouth hospital, and as a result a new and up-to-date operating table has been procured, as well as a diathermy or body heating machine. It Is probable, also.’ that Dr. Leatham will bring out some small additions to the X-ray plant. Dr. Walker is to address the board in the near future on the medical aspect of his tour. One of the greatest decisions come to by the board during the year was to close down the farm, which had supplied the hospital and the old people's home with milk. The Health Department had submitted that the cost to the board for its milk supplies was too great, and sent an officer to investigate, his recommendation being that th? board should either obtain milk privately, if satisfactory prices could be arranged, or go in for a bigger farm. The farm then in use had not been able to graze sufficient cows to keep up the requisite supplies of milk without considerable expense for artificial feed. The upshot was that the board obtained a satisfactory tender and the farm was closed down. ' HEALTH OF MAORIS. Tn the country, the district nurses again carried on their good work of alleviating the trials of backblocks life when the hard conditions were aggravated by sickness. The board experienced some difficulty in connection with the T’ruti cottage hospital, but this was happily righted, and everything is now working satisfactorily. An uneasy position has arisen with regard to the health of the Maoris on the coast. In the past the Health Department has paid a subsidy to the board so that the district nurse at Opunake could visit the Maoris in their pas. This subsidy was withdrawn during the year, the department contending that the Maoris were now sufficiently enlightened to care for themselves, also pointing out that there had been very little sickness amongst the natives in recent years. The board, however, submitted that the alwonce of sickness was due to the periodical visits of the nurse, and they protested to the Minister for Health (Sir M. Pomare) against a policy which seemingly took away < the fence from the top of a cliff because there had not been any accidents. The department was obdurate, and the visits of the nurse have been cancelled.

Among other things that engaged the attention of the board during the year v ere the painting and renovation of the old hospital building*, with the result that their life has been prolonged. The amelioration of the working conditions of the sisters and nurses at the hospital was also gone into. As an offset to the long hours of strenuous work which they do daily, the sisters have been granted one day off a fortnight, while th? nurses have been granted an extra •week of leave each year. These concessions have brought the staffs closer into line with the conditions obtaining in other hospitals.