HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3950, 15 December 1880, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

A special moeting of the Hospital and Oharitable Aid Board was held at the Hospital at 4.30 p.m. yesterday ; present — Messrs H. Thomson (Chairman), W. Montgomery, J. G. Hawkes, Dr Turnbull, and the Mayors of Christchurch, Sydenham, and Lyttelton. THE LATE BNQT/IBY. The Chairman read the following letter from the Government, with the enclosed report from Dr Skae as to the result of the recent Hospital enquiry : — " Colonial Secretary's Office, " Wellington, Dec. 11, 1880. " Sir, — I have the honour, by direction of the Colonial Secretary, to forward, for the information of the Hospital Board, copy of the report of Dr Skae, the Commissioner appointed to enquire into the allegations made that the death of certain patients at the Christchurch Hospital which were certified to have been caused by other disease, really occurred from typhoid fever. I am, at the same time, to express the wish of the Government that th© recommendations made by Di? Skae in his report as to the duties of the House Surgeon may be carried into effect, and the hope that the Committee will give instructions accordingly. — lam, kc, " G. H. Coopbb." The following is the report : — " To his Excellency, kc —As Commissioner appointed to enquire into the allegations that Mary Keetley and others had been admitted into the Christchurch Hospital when suffering from typhoid fever, that no report of their admission had been made to the Chrißtchureh Board of Health, and that Mary Keetley, having diod of typhoid fever, was certified to have died of gaßtro-enteritis, I have now the honor to report that I have made a full enquiry into the caae of tbe said Mary Keetley, and, into the additional alleged caßes of typhoid fever which were brought under my notico by the Chrißtchureh Board of Health, and their medical officer ; namely, of George Kirkhouse, who was certified to have died of gastroenteritis ; Archibald M'Laren, certified to have died of gastro -enteritis, and Mary Bennet, Polly Morris and Maggie Maldon, and that in my opinion, although there were in all theße cas?B certain anomalies, a careful consideration of the wholo evidence renders it impossible to come to any 'other conclusion than that they were one and all cases of typhoid fever, and that MarylKeetley,* George Kirkhouse, and Archibald M'Laren, died of that disease. I would strongly recommend that the Hospital Board should give stringent instructions that the Houbo Surgeon shall in future keep case-books, in which accurate entries shall be made in his own handwriting of the history, symptoms, and treatment, of every case received into the Hospital; that he shall carefully preserve all temperature charts ; that he shall keep a pathological reoord, in which he shall enter, in his own handwriting, full notes of all post-mortem examinations ; and that he shall earnestly endeavour in all cases of patients dying of obscure or unusual diseases to obtain leave to make a, post-mortem examination. Enclosed herewith is a full record of the proceedings at the enquiry, which occupied several days, together with the notes of the evidence, which I considered necessary to havo very complete, and all papers and correspondence bearing on the subject of tho enquiry which have been referred to me. — I have, kc, "F. W. A. Skae, " Inspector of Lunatio Asylums and Hospitals." Dr Turnbull thought that after the report thoy had just heard read, it would be well to postpone the election of a staff until after it had been considered by the Board, as it might be undesirable to appoint any gentleman who was censured by that report, if any censure was implied in it. He would move — " That the appointment of a Hospital staff he postponed for one month, so that the Board may first havo an opportunity of carefully considering the report of the Royal Commissioner upon the alleged false certificates." The Mayor of Sydenham thought that a month was too long a timo to postpone the election. Dr Turnbull would substitute one week, if a month wore thought too long. The Mayor of Sydenham in that case would second the motion. Mr Hawkes would like to knaw what the Board would do if tho present staff acted liko a former staff, and refused to act in the interim ? Mr Montgomery was in favour of postponing tho election until the report had been considered. Mr Hawkes thought it was simply a question of one staff or anothor. They knew the state of feeling existing between certain medical men, and any attempt to amalgamate the " factions " as he would call them, would result in failure. Mr Montgomery thought that if tho election wero postponed somo information might he gained on that question. The motion was then put and lost by four votes to threo. APPOINTMENT OF MBDICAL STAFF. Tho Mayor of Ohristchurch enquired whether tho number of the staff was confined to fivo. The Chairman answered that the number must be not less than five, but might bo increased by a vote of the Board. Tho following gentlemen were then appointed as Medical Staff of the Hospital for the ensuing year: — Dra Prins, Campbell, Wilkin, Anderson and Townend. Dr Deamer was appointed Medical officer to tho Charitable Aid Department. Tho Board then considered tenders for the supply of bread to the Hospital, and that of Mr Farrar was accepted. The moeting was then adjourned to 4 p.m. to-day.