HOSPITAL BOARD

Timaru Herald, Issue 170299, 19 August 1920, Page 4

HOSPITAL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING-.

The monthly meeting of the South Canterbury Hospital Board was held yesterday. Present—Mrs F. A.- Raymond, Messrs P. K. Gillingham (chairman), R. Inkster, Rev. T. W. Potts, Dr J. R. Loughnan and Dr O. A. Paterson. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs J. Meehan and W. Lindsay (the latter being in Autralia). The chairman said that the Board's secretary (Mr H. S. Russell) was ill in bed, the first time he had been off duty through illness during the past fifteen years. On the motion of the Rev. Mr Potts a motion of sympathy was passed with the secretary, in his illness, and the hope was expressed that he would soon be well .again. REPORTS. Dr. Begg, House Surgeon, reported for Dr Eraser (who is on lioliday leave) that for the past month the figures were:—Out patients 75, dental operations 13, operations 32, massage treatment 132. Talbot Hospital—Admitted 6, discharged 7. Remaining in hospital over two months. 12.

The Matron (Miss Pascoe) reported that the routine work was going on satisfactorily. The Sisters asked for an increase in salary up to £IOO. Mr O. C. Paterson, dental officer at the Hospital, reported that from July 12 to 31 he had seen 210 children and completed the following work: —l 63 fillings, 199 extractions, 42 treatments, and scaled and cleaned 95 mouths.

HEALTH INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Mr Menzies, Health Inspector, reported that during July 1920 forty-two cases of infectious diseases were notified as existing within the South Canterbury health district. Of the cases notified ten were scarlet fever, eleven diphtheria, one tuberculosis, one septicaemia, one erysipelas, five measles, thirteen chickenpox. They were from Timaru, Temnka and AVaimate Boroughs; Geraldine, Levels, Mackenzie and AVaimate Counties. Sixteen of the notified cases were removed to Hospital. Eighteen premises were disinfected. Plumbing and drainage inspections were carried out at Waimate, Levels County and Geraldine County. A property at; Ohape, Geraldine County, was inspected regarding application to instal a septic tank and tirainage. Plans and report on same were submitted to the District Health Officer. Several private hospitals were inspected in Temtika regarding the sanitary conditions. Application for a permit to use premises as a n-ivate maternity hospital at limes Street, Waimate, was .received, and a report made to tbe District Health Officer. Cases of infectious disease were inquired into and reported on to the I Health Department.

WAIMATE HOSPITAL. The AVaimate Hospital Trustees wrote drawing attention to the overcrowded. state of their Hospital, and asking that something be done. Drs Paterson and Loughnan suggested that the overflow should be sent to Timaru Hospital, which was at present half empty. Mr inkster said that AA 7 aimate would never agree to that. ' ',:■ The chairman said the Board must manage in the most economical way. Mr Orbcll said that'all patients, say north of the Hook, should be sent to Timaru Hospital so long as there was room in the hitter.

Mr said they never hacij empty beds in "Waimate Hospital. JJr Louglman said it was a case, of ebb and now; there were times when they did not know where to turn foi< room in Timaru Hospital. Some members of the Board should meet '"the Waimate Trustees and talk the matter over. He had no doubt but -that a way out could be found.

The Rev. Mr Potts endorsed this, and said that in the meantime the Board should offer to relieve the congestion at' Waimate by taking some of the lighter cases in Timaru .Hospital. The •chairman said that with the present cost of building and the Board's commitments they could not possibly build lor Waimate at present.

It was decided that a delegation, consisting of the chairman, Dr Loughnan, 'Rev. Mr Potts, Mr Inkster, and Mrs Raymond, should visit Waimate on Friday next to discuss the matter with the Waimate Hospital Trustees.

Mr Inkster drew attention to the fact that the probationer nurses at Waimate Hospital were not getting the pay approved by the Board. It was decided to inquire into thia matter on Friday next when the deputation is in Waimate.

VISITING COMMITTEE.

Mr Inkster, for the Visiting Ooirmittee, reported that they had made the usual visits to the Board's institutions during the month. Sisters Dawson and Trotter had applied tor an increase of salary, and tiie Committee recommended this for favourable 'consideration. Dr Eraser, H.M.0., had sent in his resignation, and the Committee recommended that this be accepted wim regret, and that steps be taken 1o fill the vacancy by the appointment of a senior man. • The report was adopted.

OORRESPOjSjDENCE, . The Defence Department advised thai they nad agreeu. to pay b.ospruu Boards me same lees for tne treatment. of military patients as are -charged Dy Hospital nuaids to civilian patients. Tne loliowing letter was received from tjie secretary to the United friendly Societies' Council: —"For some time past the Friendly Societies' Couiicd nave been considering the advisa bleueas of inaugurating a Hospital Fund scheme on behalf or lodge members. Auckland for several years has had suciL a scheme, which is proving eminently satisfactory, aud our Ccun-. cil, with' your Board's co-operation are anxious to adopt something similar. Briefly the objects- are to settle the Hospital clfiims against subscribers", their wives, or their ■ children under the age of eighteen years, or the widowed, mothers of members residing with and solely dependent on those members for support. We have appointed a deputation to 'wait' upon the Board, and would be pleased if the Board could arrange to receive them at an early date. 1 '

The chairman suggested that in the absence of the secretary they 'should defer consideration of the matter till next meeting. This course was agreed to.

; Mr J. Meehan wrote as one of the sub-committee appointed to secure a building for a maternity home, stating that they had been offered one suitable place, and had made an offer for it, but fouirid that they could not got possession of it, as the tenants said they could not get another house. The committee had inspected a portion of the Hospital now occupied by the nurses, which would be empty as soon as the Nurses' Hostel was finished. They thought thisi portion of the Hospital could be used for maternity cases until a separate institution could be built. It was decided that nothing coxild be done in this respect till the nurses vacated their present quarters. Mr TV. Gibb, chairman of the South School Committee, waited on the Board and explained that in what was said at the meeting of his committee in regard to the dental treatment of school children there had been no intention to cast any reflection on the Board nor on

any of its officers. AJI that was de- ■■ sired was to ascertain the basis on which i differentiation was made as between ; those who could afford to pay for treatment and those who could not afford to do so. The committee considered that if the Education Department were interested enough in the children to send aa nurse to examine them they ought to be interested enough to provide the j requisite treatment for all who needed ; it None of the circulars issued had reached the South School, or perhaps they would have known the position. Dr Loughnan said the Board did not issue the circulars. The Health Depart- ; ment did that. The Department also, sent the muse, hut the Board provided ; the. treatment, and those who could not . afford to pay were not compelled to do so. , ! Mr Ihkster said the treatment was- | not'free. There was a scale of charges, ; and all who could do so were supposed ; to pay. He thought, however, with Mr \ Gibb, that all school children should be \ treated without discrimination. ; The chairman said that the South Canterbury Hospital Board was the onlv Board outside the four centres which provided this dental treatment for school children. They had also sot the Government to issue free passes lon the railway to enable children from the country to come in to receive it. If free treatment were Riven to noli and poor alike the dental officer would not be able to cope with all the work. Dr Lous-hnan sm"d that if the Department said a. child should be treated they should provide the treatment but thev made distinctions m that thev would not rJJhw-their doctors to ho into Cntholic schools, with the result that oth°r dor-tors attended to the children in Catholic schools. . In replv to Mr Gibb the chairman snid fiat' deritnl r>ntients were treated the same as Hospital natients, in that those who could not afford to pay were no+ cpIItI winri to do so. Mr Gibb said it was a. difncnlf, matte]to sav who could pnv pud who could not.'.as thc_j>oorest children sometimes looked neatestjand hesi dressed. The chairman .said, that u ___ so, and: tiifiy iust had to &» the best .tries: could. The Rev. Sir Potts _sai<Lhe. thought the school tea.chers_.and' school committees could often jave_vaiuable £.ssiEtance to the officer in deciding who couiL afford to nay. Mr Gibb then retired, thanking the Board for having! received him.

[ACCOUNTS'

Accounts were passed for payment as follows:—Tima.ru Hospital £lOl4 18s 3d Waimate Hospital £436 7s 3d, charitable aid, office, etc., £297: Old Men's Home £I2S 5r Id. Talbot Hospital £66 2s lOd—a total of £1939 13s 7d.