NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1927, Page 10

NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL

TARANAKI BOARD MEETS OFFICERS' REPORTS FOR OCTOBER. NEEDS OF I'HW OPUNAKE DISTRICT The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board was held yesterday. Present: Mr. M. Fraser (chairman), the Rev. R. B. Gosnell, Messrs. S. Vickers, A. Corkill, H. B. Lepper, J. Young, C. H. Barnitt, S. J. Smith, It. J. Deare, and E. Gilmour.

The Department of Health forwarded its approval of the expenditure of £2OOO on additions to the nurses’ home. Tho Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association notified that its executive would meet representatives of the New Plymouth, Hawera and Stratford boards at the Stratford Borough Chambers next Friday to consider the allocation of levies on a capital and population basis.

Mrs. P. Cole wrote thanking the doc tors and nurses for the care of a rela live.

The radiologist (Dr. 11. B. Lcatham) recommended certain alterations in the fees for special treatment in the X-ray department. —The recommendations were adopted. Certain alterations in the Nurses and Midwives Registration Act proposed by the Registration Board were submitted in a circular. CHECKING OF COAL SUPPLIES. T,he checking of coal supplies was discussed and Messrs. Gosnell and Smith were appointed a committee to make investigations.

On the recommendation of the house and finance committee it was decided to send a statement of accounts to the Hawera Hospital Board, On the recommendation of the genera! manager it was decided to hold the next meeting of the board on Thursday, December 15.

Nurse I. V. Thompson forwarded her resignation owing to ill-health.- —The resignation was accepted with regret. The following names were added to the list of waiting probationers: Miss J. M. Samson (Wellington), Miss E. Anson (Wellington). Messrs. Smith, Deare, Gilmour and Holden (general manager) were appointed a committee to make arrangements concerning the production of “A Pair of Braces” in New Plymouth by Mr. W. G. Holder. It was explained that the board would receive half of the proceeds to put towards the convalescent ward funds. The producer would bear any losses. Members of the board agreed to do all they could to ensure the success of the play. WORK IN THE HOSPITAL.

The general manager (Mr. E. Holden) said that Mr. Moore had installed a wireless set at the Rangiatea Home. Mrs. Bayly had returned from holiday leave. The board passed votes of thanks to the Male Choir for concerts in aid of convalescent wards, to Messrs. Collier and C >. for the use of a piano, and to Messrs. Hooker Bros, for free cartkge. The matron (Miss B. A, Campbell) reported that Sister Boys and Nurses Wootton and Higgle had returned from holiday leave, and Nurses Grove and Clayton front sick leave. Nurses Craig, A. Thompson and La Vie were on holiday. Misses F.ddowes, Meldrum, Waite and Maxwell had commenced on probation. The board congratulated the nurses who passed the hospital examinations, particularly Nurse Hobbs, who had gained 95 per eent. of the possible marks. The bacteriologist (Mr. F. S. Hodson) reported that he had taken 415 specimens, 65 of which were for Hawera and five for Stratford. In the report from the Rangiatea Home it was reported that there were 28 males and four female inmates. On October 30 the members of the St. Aubyn Sunday School gave a sacred concert at the home. The women had been entertained at tea in the Westown Halt by the committee of the Anglican Church. Mrs. G. Home had given clothing and boots and St. Andrew’s Church girls' auxiliary had given confectionery. The matron of the Opunake cottage hospital (Sister M. C. Jones) reported there had been five admissions, seven discharges, and two remained for treat ment. There had been two confinements and three medical cases. VISIT TO OPUNAKE.

Tho Rev. R. B. Gosnell and Mr. R. J. Deare reported that they had visited the Opunake hospital and had met Dr. J. S. Church to discuss converting a motor-car into a temporary ambulance for conveying patients into New Plymouth to save time. At present it takes a! ut four hours to convey parents to the main hospital by ambulance. They met Mr. Smith, who had a 7-seater cat. He would be willing to undertake the conveyance of patients at ordinary taxi rates, the board to pay the cost of making tho front seat moveable so that a stretcher could be placed conveniently in the car. The cost would be approximately £lO. The attention of the visitors was drawn to the condition of the tile surround in the sitting room, to the arrangements in the labour ward, and to the unsuitable situation of the sterilising room. The question of conversion of the car was deferred in the meantime. The board authorised the alterations to the bed in the labour ward, as recommended in the report. Mr. Deare will attend to the matter on his visit to Opunake shortly. The medical superintendent (Dr. J. M. Clarke) reported the following returns fo. the month of October, the corresponding figures for last year being shown in parentheses: Patients admitted, 162 (130); discharged, 137 (129); died, 8 (9); remaining in hospital, 133 (109); highest number for one day, 139 (117); daily average, 127.48 (107.77); operations, 100 (63). Notifiable diseases admitted were; Scarlet fever, 1; diphtheria, 2; diphtheria carrier, 2; enteric fever, 2; tetanus, 1; acute puterioi poliomyelitis, I. The month had been exceptionally busy on the surgical side, but all departments had been busy and a high daily average had been maintained.