WESTPORT HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 419, 3 December 1868, Page 2

WESTPORT HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

This Committee met at the Court House yesterday afternoon. The members present were, Messrs Tyler, (in the chair,) Munro, Powell, Field, and M'Farlane.

The Hon. Secretary (Mr Munro). stated that he had transmitted to the Hospital Attendant copies of the recently adopted instructions for attendants, and rules for patients. The Chairman thought it desirable that the rules for patients should be printed ; and the Hon. Secretary was empowered to have printed the necessary number of copies. Mr Powell intimated that an assistant attendant had been employed, the person appointed having formerly been a patient.

Mr M'Farlane drew attention to the matter of attendance of members ; and the Hon. Secretary was instructed to intimate to the members who had not attended for four consecutive fortnightly meetings, that unless there was sufficient cause for their nonattendance, their seats would be forfeited.

Mr M'Farlane, in the absence of Mr Bailie, proposed a motion standing in his name to the effect that any member of the General Committee should have the power of recommending patients for admission. The Chairman explained that, as the rules stand at present, the local sub-committees have the power of recommending patients, but members of the General Committee had not, except as contributors. Mr Munro considered that, with a view to increasiog the facilities for ;d vantage being taken of the Hospital, the motion was a veiy desirable one, it being to members of Committee that applications were generally made. The motion was seconded and agreed to.

The Chairman said he had given notice of a motion that the 31st rule should be repealed. That rule was — " That such persons who are not destitute "may be admitted on a guarantee being given of not less than £3 a week towards their maintenance." He thought there might be cases in which persons might be able to pay a certain sum, but not £3 a week. He thought that some consideration should be shown to those who were small annual subscribers. Instead of the present rule, he, therefore, had intended to move —" That sick persons who are not destitute (not, however, to the prejudice of those who are destitute) may, by permission of the Visiting Committee, be admitted on a guarantee being given for the payment of such sum per week towards the expense of their maintenance and treatment as the Visiting Committee, having regard to the means of the applicant, and whether or not he is an annual subscriber, may determine on." He would be glad if some member would propose the motion for him. Mr Powell proposed the motion ; and Mr M'Faklane seconded it. Mr Mttjtro suggested that some special provision should be made for seamen. Messrs Spence Brothers had paid £9 for the maintenance of a seaman, and they paid it very reluctantly. He believed it was the case that an exception was made in the case of seamen in other hospitals. Mr Powell thought the proposed rule sufficiently met such cases.

Mr M'Farlane and Mr Tyler thought the same, and they not aware of any such distinction being made in the Hospital at Grreymouth. Dr Giles (who joined the meeting at this point of the proceedings,) thought that the original rule was certainly rather strict, and that the amendment was an improvement. The motion was agreed to and the rule was altered. Mr Tyler reminded the Committee that, at the last meeting, it had been suggested that Dr G-iles should act permanently in concert with the Visiting Committee, as if a member

of that Committee. It would be a desirable arrangement, not only from his knowledge as a medical man, but on account of his residence being near the Hospital, and of his opportunities of visiting it being frequent. Dr Giles preferred that the suggestion should not be adopted at present; but the members of the Committee urged him to allow the arrangement to be made, and a motion to the effect was carried. Mr Mtobo read a letter from Mr Daly, intimating that Messrs Charles Lempford, Myles M'Phadden, Patrick Byrne, Thomas How, and Patrick O'Toole had consented to act as members of a sub-committee at Addison's Flat. In the same letter Mr Daly intimated his resignation, in consequence of his departure from the district which might necessitate his absence for some months.

Mr Daly's resignation was accepted, and the meeting passed a vote of thanks to him for his exertions on behalf of the Hospital, both before and since the appointment of the Committee.

Mr Powell, as one of the Visiting Committee, reported that there were at present eleven patients in the Hospital. Five had been admitted within the past fortnight, and two had been discharged. The Chairman remarked that the numbers seemed to be increasing considerably. Dr Giles said the monthly expenditure was also very materially increasing. He referred to the amount for medicines and appliances becoming a serious item to the doctor; and he thought the matter was one which would force itself on the attention of the Committee very soon. Mr Munro said that, before the meeting concluded, some reference should be made to the case of the woman who had been burnt at Giles Terrace, and had since been admitted into the Hospital. The Visiting Committee might be in possession of the exact facts, and it would be well for them to give an explanation. Reports had got abroad which might tend to do inj ury to the institution. Mr Field said that he was the person who, as a member of the Visiting Committee, had to do with the case. A. party had brought him an ordpr from Mr Jones. He (Mr Field) seeing that it was an exceptional case, at once left his place, and went to see Mr Harris, and the man -had the order given him as quickly as possible. How the report had appeared in the paper he did not know. There were certainly no grounds for it. Dr. Giles said that he had been informed by Dr. Thorpe that it was simply untrue that the woman was kept outside of the Hospital for a quarter of an hour. Mr Poole, the Head Attendant, was at the time on his way to the Hospital. When he had got as far as Mr Franklyn's house, the party had not arrived at the Hospital door. He proceeded straight towards the Hospital, and when he got th ere they were at the door. Mr Munro : A distance of about 150 yards. Dr Giles : And immediately on learning the case he took the patient in.

Mr Tyler thought that the most imprudent part of the thing was the fact of the editor of the paper making the charges on a purely ex-parte statement.

Dr Giles : And stating all the time that he was not aware whether it was true or not.

Mr Munro : That is the most ridicu lous thing of the whole.

Mr Tylee : It does not fall on the members of the Committee. It falls on the institution. What is the result? When the Committee take steps to collect subscriptions they are, on such ridiculous grounds, met with refusal. We all know how readilyexcuses are given, and to give people a handle to say " "We will not subscribe," on this ground or that ground, is making the case worse. The consequence is that money is thrown away. Instead of endeavoring to support the Committee and their management, and favoring the interests of the institution, the paper is casting discredit on it. To my mind it is not a very wise course to adopt. Mr M'Faklane: Everything that is said against the management iB so much against the Hospital. Dr Giles : It injures the sick and the poor; it injures nobody else. Mr Field : This might have been easily explained, and had the editor come to me he could have ascertained the facts. No doubt one of the men came down hot and panting, after his journey. He came away, very likely, before Mr Poole came up. He said the cook would not allow the woman in. But she waa allowed in almost immediately. The man came to me in

a great bustle, but I told him that the husband of the woman had got an order. It is very likely that it was the statement of a man like this that was given to the paper. The conversation on this subject, as on the other subjects before the meeting, was most indistinctly hoard, but we give as nearly what was said as possible. The meeting was then adjourned.