EYE TESTING FOR POOR

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20839, 22 September 1937, Page 11

EYE TESTING FOR POOR

NEW SERVICE AT HOSPITAL MEETING OF BOARD A scheme to enable indigent persons to have their eyes tested and to be supplied with plain glasses was agreed on by the South Canterbury Hospital •Board at its monthly meeting yesterday: Mr E. Macdonald (chairman), Mrs B. Hewson, Messrs G. Saunders, C. Ley, H. J. Clarke, R. W. Simpson, C. E. Kerr, B. R. Macdonald, J. Dempsey, J. C. Hay and Dr. C. A. Paterson were present. The medical superintendent (Dr. J. C. McKenzie) reported on an offer by certain opticians to supply glasses to the Board for indigent cases. It was suggested that the Board should obtain the service at a special rate and recover part of the cost if possible. The parties concerned were willing to do the work for an inclusive sum of 30/-, i.e., testing of eyes and supplying glasses. Patients, who would have an authority from the secretary, would present this to one of two eye specialists and again to one of the firms of opticians. On the recommendation of the House Committee, the scheme was agreed upon. Part-Time Staff The existing part-time staff was reappointed as follows: Eye, ear, nose and throat specialists, Dr. L. S. Talbot; physician, Dr. R. D. King; assistant physician, Dr. W. R. Fea; obstetric surgeon, Dr. G. R. Kingston; surgeon, Dr. G. H. Ussher; assistant surgeon, Dr. C. S. Fraser; honorary consulting surgeon, Dr. W. H. Unwin; hon. anaesthetist, Dr. C. A. Paterson; hon. consulting physician (mental cases), Dr. A. C. McKillop (Christchurch). The medical superintendent reported that the number of patients treated in August was 293, compared with 281 in the corresponding month last year. The out-patients department treated 658 ( 790 last year) patients, and 608 (222) treatments were given by the massage department. There were 372 (219) attendances at the dental departement. The laboratory staff made 935 ' (620) examinations, and the value of outside work was £l7/15/- (£l7/12/6). Twelve inmates were admitted to the Old People’s Home during August, reported the Master, Mr E. Laverty. There were 45 inmates in the home at the end of the period. Thanks were due to the Harmonica Band, which gave a recital at the home, Mrs T. E. Holdgate (clothing), Ernest Adams Ltd. (cakes), Salvation Army (“War Cry"), Miss Pigeon (weeklies), C. Ley (magazines) and the “Timaru Post.” Social Service Work. Sixteen new applications for assistance were dealt with by the Social Service Committee, reported Mr H. J. Clark. Fifteen were granted at a total cost of £22/1/6 Fifteen of 16 applications for temporary assistance were granted, the amount involved being £5B/10/4. The value of 79 orders was £231/7/5, compared with £367/5/6 for 126 cases in August, 1936. The Medical Superintendent was authorised to engage two house surgeons for 1938. On the recommendation of the Medical Superintendent it '"as decided that the arrangement whereby Waimate was staffed by second-year Timaru nurses should he terminated and that trainees should be withdrawn as occasion offered both in Timaru and in Waimate. Thereafter Waimate will be offered the choice of arranging its own staff and of trained nurses and aids, or of making application to be graded as a “B” class training school. In either case Waimate is to be comp’etely independent of Timaru. During the transition period, which might be of a year or more, the Matron of the Timaru Hospital would have absolute power of appointing nursing or transferring the trained nurses as well as the trainees. This would be dona in consultation of the matron of Waimate.