NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1930, Page 11

NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD.

HOME FARM TO BE SUBDIVIDED. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board was held yesterday. Present; Mr. S- Vickers (chairman), the Rev. R. B. Gosnell, Messrs. A. Corkill, H. Lepper, J. Young, J. W. Winfield, J. Brown, R. J, Deare, E. Gilmour, C. H. Barnitt, and A. J. Brennan. On the recommendation of the lands committee it wae decided to cut up the old people’s home farm fob leaeing. The lands committee was given power to dispose of the available sections and to take steps as finances permitted to fur* ther the cutting-up proposals. Among the recommendations adopted from the house and finance committee was one tliat, subject to the department’s consent, Dr. E. M. Griffin be appointed medical officer at Opunake cottage hospital from January 1 in place of Dr° Bowell, who has reigned. The votes of Masers. Brennan and Young were recorded against the proposal, not, they said, because, they objected to the new appointment, but because they did not consider Dr. D. N. Watt had" been treated fairly. A further resolution was that under the terms of his appointment the board could not discriminate between the cases that the medieal officer at Opunake might treat in the course of his private practice. , The Hospital Boards’ Association wrote that the biennial conference would be held at Timaru on March 4.— The chairman was appointed delegate. It was decided to accept the resignations of Nurses Wootton, Richardson and pope with regret; to instal a benzine pump and tank at the hospital at an estimated cofit of approximately £3l for materials. The following names were added to the waiting list for prob/tiouers: The Misses G. 0. Evered (Wanganui), G. E. Richards (Eltham),D. C. Glee Son (Palmerston North), M. E. Boylan (Qkato). The medical superintendent (Dr. G. F. Rich) reported the following statistics from the main hospital, the figures for November, 1929, being shown in parentheses: Patients admitted, 162 (146); discharged, 153 (175); deaths, 4 (6); remaininc, 153 (133); highest number for one day, 161 (169): daily average, 152.66 (146.46); operations, 93 (99). Admissions to isolation wore two diphtheria caees, two of mumps, two of typhoid, one of chicken-pox and one of j erysipelas. i Sister M. Wade, sub-matron, reported that Nurses O’Callaghan and Munt completed their three months’ probationary period and were now; on the

permanent staff. Sister Hobbs completed her duties as theatre sister. Sister Jackin commenced as relieving afternoon sister in place of Sister 0, Grant, who was taking her maternity training at Opunake hospital. Pupil Nurse Popo resigned after - period of a year and eight months as she did not intend to continue training. Term examinations, medical, aurgical and oral, were held. The radiologist (Dr. H. B. Leatham) reported 382 exposures to 144 patienta. Out-patients’ fees receivable were £BB 6s 6d and in-patients’ fee* £9l 10s. The inasaeuee (Miss E. M. Hutlcdge) gave 746 treatments to 55 in-patients and 37 out-patients. The bacteriologist (Mr. F. S. Hodson) reported having dealt with 590 specimens, of which 443 were from the New Plymouth hospital, 64 from the

Hawera hospital, five from the Stratford hospital, 50 from New Plymouth doctors, 18 from Hawera doctors,' and 10 from Stratford doctors. Sister K. Spensley reported from the Opunake cottage hospital five admissions, seven discharges, a daily average of 2.6, the highest number for one day A, ante-natal visits 13. Sister Hamman reported there were 26 males and eight females in the Rangiatea Home. Gifts were acknowledged frojn Mrs. Newing, Mrs. Mason, Miss Mepple, the Victoria League, Hygienic Bakery and the Presbyterian Service Guild. Concerts were given by the St. Aubyn Sunday School and the Salvation Army. It was decided to hold the next monthly meeting of the board on January 27.