TRAYS FOR PATIENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1933, Page 9

TRAYS FOR PATIENTS

HOSPITAL EXPERIMENT.

MEMBER AMUSED.

Napier, August 15.

Individual trays and condiment cruets for patients was suggested by the house committee in a recommenedation placed before the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board yesterday afternoon, and the proposal was treated with levity on the part of Dr. J. Allan Berry, a member of the board, who described the suggestion as “Gil'bertian.” The recommendation was that tenders be called for the purchase of 30 wooden trays, sufficient to equip one ward, and also that 30 pepper and salt cruets be purchased, and that a quantity of the pepper and salt per medium of the cruets be made with that used on a ward not supplied with these requisites. “What possible saving of any consequence can the board make on pepper and salt?” asked Dr. Berry. “Why, it is Gilbeertian! Are we going into the matter of what kind of pepper and salt is used, or whose make it is? Surely this is not a matter for the board to discuss. It is purely a domestic affair, and a most trivial one at that. By the way, what kind of salt do we use in the hospital?” The chairman: I am sure I do not know. “As for the trays, I see no good reason for them either,” said Dr. Berry. “It will mean that we will have to employ maids in all the wards to carry them to the patients. The whole thing seems unnecessary to me.” “There may be something in what Dr. Berry has to say," said Mr. C. Duff, with a smile, “but it is only an experiment, and as such I think we might try it out.”

The chairman (Mr. A. E. Bedford), said that the experiment was being tried out in other hospitals in the houth. “It is much nicer to have the meals served out daintily on trays when one is sick,” he added. Mr. H. V. Headley: It is all brightening up things for the patients. Dr. Berry: But salt and—“l think we have discussed the matter enough,”' said the chairman, with a smile. "The motion is that we approve of the recommendations. The motion' was carried. ’