TUAPEKA HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1318, 19 January 1887, Page 3

TUAPEKA HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the above Board was held in tbe Town Hall on Friday evening. Present— Messrs Bennet (Chairman), Taylor, M'Farlane, M'Nab, and Fraaer. MIHTJTES AND CORRIBPOND»NCE.— The minutes and outward correspondence were read and approved. Charitable Aid.— a letter wasreceived from the Benevolent Institution with 'reference to the continuance of allowances. — It was agreed on the motion of Mr Taylor : "That allowances to Mrs Anderson (Blue Spur), Frank Fowler (Waitahuna), Mr and Mrs Vye (Lawrence), and David Rove (Clarks Flat) be continued for another three months. A petition was received on behalf of Mr and Mrs Thomas Geeves, who are in an indigent state and unable to support themselves.— The Board recommended that they be allowed 5s per week. Treasurer's Report.— The balancesheet showed a credit balance of £3 4s 4d after paying accounts for the month and on receipt of Government subsidy. Accounts. — The following accounts were referred to the Finance Committee ; —Pilling Bros., £1 2s 6d j W. Turnbull, 6s 9d; A. Mitchell, £1 12s; Browne Bros., £6 163 6d ; T. Tyler, 7s 6d ; D. J. M'Alpine, 10s 6d ; J. Egglestone. £2 5s ; T. Arthur, £14 12s 10d ; A. Macdonald, £1 4s 9d ; M'Keich and Robertson, £7 18s ; J. Nichols, £3 8s 2d ; J. Harrop, £15 18s 6d. ' A Complaint.— Mr M'Nab brought under the notice of the Board that a little girl, the daughter of Mr Whiteside, Blue Spur, who had received a severe burn on the leg, and who had been an in-patient of the Hospital for some time, had been treated by the Resident Surgeon in an unwarrantable manner. After treating the girl for some months without success, he (the doctor) wrote to her father to the effect; that he was afraid the leg would have to be amputated. He had tried grafting healthy flesh on the wound, but the operation had not succeeded. The child screamed very loudly every time her leg was dießsed, and was a nuisance to tbe other patients. If ha were not allowed to take her leg off, she could no longer remain in the Hospital to be treated as other people might direct. He recommended that she be sent to Dunedin, where some of the local surgeons might be able to cure her. On receipt of this letter the girl was taken home by her father and Dr Blair was called in, and he gave his services gratis. The father was not in a position to send his child to Dunedin, nor was he able to buy medicine, and so the Board had undertaken to supply it. Under Dr Blair's treatment the patient recovered rapidly, and was soon able to attend school, though the wound had not altogether healed up. When almost recovered, the Resident Surgeon wrote to Mr Whiteside on the 6th inst., notifying that as the arrangement to supply drugs was irregular it must terminate. He (Dr M'Lean) was pretty well convinced that it would be useless, and that it was only putting tbe Hospital to expense for nothing, but he wished to give the patient every chance. As Dr Withers would be back soon, and as he was sure he would not consent to execute Dr Blair's orders, the affair must end.' Mr M'Nab then proceeded to review DrM'Leau's conduct at considerable length. He had asked Dr Blair on the previous day how the child Was getting on, and Dr Blair informed him that she could attend the Board's ' meeting if desired. The wholesale price of the medicine to the Hospital would be about 3s a month. Dr M'Lean had complained of the child being a nuisance through her screaming, but she could hardly be as great a nuisance as patients suffering from delvmm tremens, who received treatment at the Hospital. The servants of the Board were there to carry out instructions, no matter how great the expense, and in this case the medicine should not have been refused.— The Chairman asked the Resident Surgeon if he had any remarks not.— Mr Taylor said that after the child was taken home Dr Blair prescribed for her,TOd he (Mr Taylor) supplied the prescriptions, knowing that the father was too poor to buy the medicine. He afterwards saw some of the members of the Board, and they agreed to supply the medicine, providing that jfce Resident Surgeon would dispense Dr Blair's prescriptions . Dr M 'Lean offered to dispense any prescriptions for the child, but maintained that the only remedy was amputation.—Mr M'Nab moved: "That the Resident Surgeon he instructed to supply Mr Whiteside's daughter with medicine as prescribed by Dr Blair, until counter* manded by the Board."— Carried. Election of Chairman.— Some of the members took exception to a paragraph in the Tuapeka Times referring to the election of Chairman. - Retrenchment.— Mr M'Nab said that at last meeting of the Board he neglected to propose a reduction of the Kesident Surgeon's salary to the same amount as when the Hospital was first started — to £200. Prior to the present Act coming into operation, the then hospital committee raised the doctor's salary £100, but why they did so it was difficult to understand. There were twice as many patients when the salary was £200 as there were now. He moved : " That the salary be reduced, to £200, the amount accepted by the present Resident Surgeon on taking the position."— After considerable discussion, Mr M'Nab withdrew his motion, and gave notice to move at next meeting ; " That the affairs of the Hospital be enquired into with a view to a general redaction in the expenses of the institution." — It was resolved : " That the Board meet at 11.30 on the 11th ult. to draw up a report on the management of the Hospital." The meeting then adjourned.