HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4306, 9 February 1882, Page 4

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

An ordinary fortnight* j meeting of the Chriatohurch Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held at the Hoßpital at 4 p.m. -yetterday ; present— Mr H. Thomson. (Ohairinan) the Mayor of Christohurch, the M»vor of Sjdenhaa, and Meßsrßß. 0. J. Stevens, and J. G-. Hawkeß. APOKMJIB3. The Chairman apologised for the absenre of Dr Tarnbull, and the Secretary for that «f DrPring. HOSPITAL COMMITTKB S BBPOBT. The following report from tho Hospital Committee was read. :— 11 The Ho3pUal Committee have the honour to report that during the fortnight ending Feb. 4, 24 patients were admitted into the Hospital, and 23 discharged, leaving 68 patients in the Institution. Paring the same «eriod two deaths ocourre:' . -'-'or the corresponding period of last }*, there were 43 patients in the Hospital. •.e Committee having ascertained that no j'»rtof the hospital ia insured, would recommend that— Wardß-4, 5, and 6, ehould ba insuied for «1000rach ••• - £ ™™ ynrnitureiii»achwiid,at£looeaoli ... 300 The oowi l->r. at • - f°° The offices and private apartments, at .... i «_•" The f uini* ure. drngs, and fittings, at ... au» On the old buildingß On the f urnitnre ?V" ©n the Uutdry and fittings! 500 Total 20 ° " If this recommendation is approved, the Comm-Ittee would recommend that the GoTemment ba communicated with immediately u eoon as the rates of insurance have been ascertained." Mr Hawies pointed out the absolute necessity for insuring the Hospital buildings, as, if they should be by any chance burned down, it would be difficult to get a sum placed on the J3atimate3 to restore them. He mover! — '•That the report of the Hospital Committee ho adopted." The Mayor of Sydenham seconded the motion, whioh was agreed to unanimously. COBBE3POHDENCH. A letter was read from Dr Frankish, Chairman of the Hospital staff, in eplj to a communication from the Board r- r.he suggestions .made by the staff as to akoratiens in the Hospital regulations. Tho letter contained the following paragraph referring to the establishment cf a contagious diseases hospital: — "The ataff, having carefully inspected the Hospital grounds, unanimously resolved that it would be imprudent to erect a oontagions dieeases iospital near to the Chrißtchurch Hospital for the following reasons :—(l.) A very large area is already covered by the present buildings. (2.) Not more than snffioient ground la at present set aside for the use of convalescent pitients. The only available site is now in use as a garden, and being clobo to the new ward and in close proximity to the Lincoln road, would prove in every respect unsuitable. (4) The staff believes that a contagious diseases hospital should be removed as far away as practicable from a general hospital. The staff desires me to suggest a Conference between the Board of Health and the So'pital Board on the subject." It was resolved, on the motion of Mr E. C. JS. Stevens, peconded by the Mayor of Sydenham—"That this Board seek a conference with the Board of Health on the question of arectinp a contagious diseases ward." The Bjard then proceeded to consider the -amendments in the rules suggested by the staff, which were approved. OOEBE3POHI)KirCH. A letter was read from the Colonial -Secretary's Office, "Wellington, acknowledging the letter of the Board on the subject of procuring a training-ship in connection with the liyttelton Orphanage, and stating that the matter would receive the consideration of Government. The M*yor of Sydenham suggested that the Secretary should write to the Government requesting them to send a definite reply as 'Boon aapo&flible. Consideration of the letter was then deferred. The following letter was read from tho Colonial Secretary's Officer — "Jan. 31, 1882. « Sir,— l have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of Jan. 26, forwarding copy of a resolution by the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in favour of the Chairman of the Hospital staff having a seat upon Board. In reply, I am directed by the Colonial Secretary to inform you that the Chairman of the Hospital staff, Dr Prins, was made a member of the Board a few -weeks ago; but the Government cannot undertake to appoint the Chairman each time a new appointment is made by the staff , -and indeed consider the Board sufficiently numerous as at present constituted. — :I have, 4c. "J. 8. Coopeb." « J.E. .March, Esq., Christchurch." A letter was read from DrEobinßon, House Surgeon of the Chrißtchurch Hospital, asking the Board to approve of his applying to Government for the post of public yaccinator, rendered vacant by the resignation of Dr After a short desultory discussion, Mr Hawkes moved—" That the Board has no objection to pr Bohinson'* application for the post of public vaccinator ' The motion waa unanimou-iy agreed to. AKABOA HOSPITAL It wa« reported that there were at present two patients in the Akaroa Hoßpital. The following communications on the subject of the Akaroa Hospital were then read :— " A paragraph appeared in the Lyttelton Times on Deo. 26, under the heading Akarca, from a correspondent, to the following effect: — 'The local institutions of Akaroa appear to be well managed, but there is a noticeable want when the hospital is visited. It is high time that the local authorities had -charge of ihia institution, with a view to vb being conducted at any rate on a hnmare hasia. At the time of my visit, the place wsb in charge of Mr and Mrs Smart, who have to do all t£e work and nursing in connection with it, and there was one inmate in a very precarious state of health ljing in one ward, while the dead body of a girl remained in the next room. The poor girl had to remain in the building alone during the whole night with the dead body in the next room. Why it was not removed to the morgue isamjstery, but it would seem an attendant is wanted to assist the married couple who live apart from the building, and who have plenty to do in addition to the duty of nursing.' " I at once sent a copy of this paragraph to tho medical officer in charge of the hospital, and also to the master and matron, requesting an explanation, to which I have received the following replies : — ♦•Akaroa, Jan. 29,18*2. "Sir,— ln answer to your letter dated Jan. 26, asking for an explanation re the paragraph that appeared in the Lyttelton Times of Jan. 26, 1 beg to inform you :— lst. That the dead body spoken of was that of a girl who died suddenly in the Hospital, about 6 p.m., on Jan. 18. Not wishing to shock her friends more than absolutely necessary, I gave orders that the body ahould not be moved that night until her friends, who lived some fire or six mileß out of Akaroa, could be communicated with and brought over to eeo her. The other female (Hannah Dalton) was immediately removed to the male ward, which was then vacant. The next day the body of the deceased was moved to the 'deadhouse' as soon as I could go down to the Hospital, though I was rather later in getting there than I anticipated, owing to being called to a serious case Borne little distance out of Akaroa. 2nd. The statement that 'the poor girl had to remain in the building alone during the whole night, with the dead body in the next room,' has not one atom of truth in it, ahe never having been left onesinglenightalone,eveninU: > ward, without either Mrs Smart or her dan^htor, who was on a visit to her, sleeping ala i in the ward. Brd. The statement also that the married «ouple in charge live apart from the building is equally untrue. Neither Mr or Mrs Smart have ever been absent from the Hospital at night, and I consider that they have done erery thing in their power to promoto the comfort of the patients under their charge. I hare never heard one amp! word of complaint against them Bine-- [ have been connected with the Hospit • , and I have found them to be uniformly kind and Attentive to the patients. The patient Hannah Dalton can vouoh for all I have said, as to the night attendance. How the writer of the article could arrive at his information it a mystery, for he csuld, with very little trouble, have found out tha truth, if he had been so minded. — I am, &c,

" P. B. COBBBT 8lN<; -.BTOK,

"Medical Officer to the A ;aroa Hospital. 41 J. E. March, K«q., CbrisUhurch."

Mr J. E. March alao wrote as follows : — "With ie?ard to local management, I may state that in July, 1879. a letter was addressed to the Mayor of the Borough, stating that the Board wouJd feel obliged if he would visit the Hcepital from time to time, and report to the Board at>y suggestions or improvements he might deem necessary to offer, also stating that the medical officer, : Dr Guthrie, •had been rt quested to be good enough t© consult the Mayor on all matters appertaining to lay nunage-nent. I would add tbatl have frequently received assurances from the late Mayor, Mr Garwood, that tha present master and matron were performing their respective duties exceedingly well, and only two dayß before this paragraph appeared he again gave me thia assurance." SKiDStf Letters were also received from Mr J. Smart and the patient Hannah Dalton on the •subject. The Board considered tho statement satisfactory. IYTTKLTON OBPHA-NAGB. The master of the Orphanage reported that during the month of January two girls were admitted into the institution, and four boys withdrawn, leaving 91 children in the institution, namely, 48 boys and 43 girls. Tho Major of Sydenham «id that Mr 0. W. Turner had kindly placad a vessel at the disposal of the Orphanage in conjunction with the Naval Brigade. Ha proposed a motion to the effect that the Orphanage Committee should be empowered to see Captain M'Lallan, and make other enquiries on the subject. The Chairman said he did not think the Orphanage Committee required any formal authority to act in the matter. A desultory discussion ensued, in the course of which it was mentioned that the Naval Brigade would fit the veesel out:; also that it would ba hardly desirable "for the boys to live on board. It was understood that tho Orphanage Committee should take whatever action re enquiries, &?., they might deem necessary. ASHBTTBTON .HOME. It was renorted that there were 34 inmates in the Old Men' a Home at Ashburton. After dealing with eoma applications for Charitable Aid, the Board adjourned.