NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1924, Page 10

NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL

BUSY DURING NOVEMBER. MEDIAL OFFICERS’ B.ISPORTS. MEETING OF THE BOARD. The Taranaki Hospital Board met at New Plymouth yesterday. Present: Messrs. S. Vickers (acting-chairman), A. Corkill. F. J. Hill, H. B. Lepper, E. Gilmour, T. H. Sinclair, A. H. Halcombe, and J. Young. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs. M. Fraser and. «J. Sutherland. The matron of the Rangiatea Home (Mrs. A. Bayly) reported that everything had progressed, very favourably in the above institution, supplies being good and discipline excellent. Twentyfour males and seven females were now in the home. Thanks were due to Mrs. Hurlestone for flowers, Mr. G. Home for magazines, the senior young men of the Presbyterian Bible Class for confectionery. etc., Miss Alexander .and party for confectionery and a concert, and tlie Whiteley Bible Class for fruit and confectionery.—A vote of thanks was passed to the dowors for their generosity.

Dr. J. S. Cl>6rch, medical superintendent at Opunake, reported that during the month ending November 30 patients were treated at Opunake as follows/ — In hospital at beginning of month, 2; admitted, 12; discharged, <»; transferred, 2; remaining at end of month, 6; confinements, 5. There -seemed to be a fairly steady stream of patients, and both nurses had had their hands full. Though the hospital had been built ostensibly for maternity purposes, no provision bad been made for a nursery to accommodate the children. This was an absolute necessity, and he wished tp bring the matter before the board for their favourable consideration. If at any time any members could arrange

a visit, he should be pleased to explain to them how the ho-pital was situated as regards baby accommodation. Supplementing . Dr. -Church’s report, Nurse MacDonald stated that fees am.ounting to £42-96 had been collected and handed to the local secretary. The goods sent forward from New Plymouth hospital dispensary had arrived in a damaged condition. DIPHTHERIA DECREASING RAPIDLY One hundred ■nd fourteen patients had been admitted during the month and 112 discharged, leaving 105 still in hospital, reported the medical superintendent of the hospital (Dr. E. A. Walker). Eight deaths had occurred during the month. .The highest number of patients for any one cay had been 117, and the daily average 108.3. Fiftynine operations had been performed. The daily average still remained well over the century, and another busy month had to be chronicled. Nine cases of diphtheria and five of measles had Lien admitted during the month. It was satisfactory to state a decrease of diphtheria admissions. 15, 17. 42, 20 and 34 being the figures of the preceding months.

The painting of the operating theatre floor had not been a success, and the floor had a very patchy appearance. He recommended that a layer of .coloured concrete be placed in position. The internal telephone system of the hospital was in a very unsatisfactory state, and only limited communication was possible. He felt that the board should consider the installation of a really reliable and satisfactory system.

The house committee was instructed to take steps to have the telephone system at the hospital put in thoiough order. The matter of a new coloured concrete floor for the operating room was referred to the house committee.

The Uruti district nurse (Nurse Cook) reported that eight patients had 'been treated during the month, five of them being medical cases and three surgical. Two patients had been admitted to the hospital and two discharged. The drying room in the nurses’ home had been converted to steam-heating and the drying rack fitted, and all was working satisfactorily, reported the board’s engineer (Mr. C. E. Dunn). Preparing the main corridor lor laying and sticking of rubber matting had occupied a considerable amount of his time. The foot and arm bath for the X-ray building was under construction.

The general manager (Mr. E. Holden) reported that he had obtained prices from several firms in New Zealand for a microscope. He had interviewed the medical superintendent with regard to the reorganisation of the medical staff, but no report on the subject had yet been submitted by the superintendent. THE NURSING STAFF. The matron of the hospital (Miss B. A. Lumpbell) reported on the movements of her nursing staff as follows: On holiday leave, Nurse Moore; on sick leave, Nurses Thomson, Hill and Topp; returned from sick leave, Nurse Condon. Nurse Condon had resigned from her position as staff nurse and would leave early next month. Nurses Williams, Ashton and Hobbs, having completed their three months* term of training, were now on the perman rt staff, while Nurses R. Ritchie, M. Evans and N. Thomson had commenced the usual probation period. The director-general of health (Dr. T. H. A. Valintine) notified that the regulation imposing a fee of £3 3s for midwife probationers attending a course of lectures at a State maternity hospital had been revoked. Dr_ Valintine also wrote with reference to the board’s proposal to place the Opunake cottage hospital on the list of maternity training hospitals, that only in exceptional cases and where the facilities for teaching purposes were regarded as fully adequate could small institutions of this kind be recognised as training schools for midwives. Before any decision could be made in regard to the Opunake cottage hospital it would be necessary for an officer of the department to visit the institution and report upon the nature of the wotk carried out therein and the facilities available for teaching purposes. He would be glad to arrange for this to be done at an early date. The engineer, of the New Plymouth Borough Council (Mr. W. H. -Cook) wrote informing the board that the council had authorised him to effect at the expense of the board the work it desired in West Street, the dosed road recently sold to the board (estimated cost, £331 ss). He would like to add t! it while he was of the opinion that his estimate was on the conservative side, it would be advisable for the board to appoint one of its members with whom he could get into touch should circumstances require it.—The board de-

cided to write tt> the council expressing its appreciation of the courtesy and consideration of the council in undertaking the work. Mr. F. J. Hill was appointed to represent tlie board as suggested by the engineer. The names of Misses Jean Walter (Douglas) and Sydney Brandon (Napier) were placed on the waiting list of .proba toners. On the moton of Mr. A. Corkill, it was decided to ask the architect to submit a monthly report on any construction wotks under his jurisdiction.