TRENTHAM ENQUIRY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8209, 5 August 1915, Page 8

TRENTHAM ENQUIRY.

CONTINUANCE OF EVIDEMCE. (

(Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 3. I The Trentham enquiry was continued ! to-day. j Major James Sands '•Elliott, principal ■' medical officer, Wellington military dis- ; trict, stated that at the request or' the j Commission he and Drs. Christie,! I Mason, Grjbbs, Giesen, Herbert and ; ; Pattie had, visited Trentham on July! 19-ancl 81. ■■• ■ \ - ■ • • ' "j (Details of the committee's report ap-peared-in Txiesday's "Guardian."'). .The recommendations of the jbommittee were (added Major Elliott) communicated to the Government, and the following day Dr. Bachelor was appointod (.consulting -surgeon. Oh July 31 the j committee again visited tho camp, and j found a considerable improvement in 'many re:;pects. They adhered to their recommendations for a properly, equipped • infectious diseases hospital, hos- | pi till train, "etc., and in addition recommended that convalescent hospital patients should havo a distinctive dress. At present they could not be distinguished from men who had not been ' sick. The present camp hospital was quite inadequate as an infectious diseases hospital He laid stress upon the need for continuity: of medical treatment in hospital. The chief hospital was too elaborate, and had not sufficient accommodation to mako it of miich service. More hospital beds should, be provided at Trentham. At a lower cost:.in South Africa they had excellent accommodation of the hutmerit type,- The fever hospital suggestion was-that suitable buildings -should .bo-,; arranged for, or, if they could not be obtained, a certain amount of > building would be necessary.. It •should not bo too. far .-from- the camp, but not in the camp. ■:. ■■'■:-■-. Regarding hutments, witness said "that he. adhered to the recommendations made by. a board of which he was a member' He had urged that! the hut's should be lined with canvas if wood or asbestos were not available, but ColonelPurdy said they could not be lined. The second board had reduced the floor and air space, reduced the height of the walls, increased the number of occupants, and placed the buildings .in I blocks instead of on eschelon. . •

Colonel Ferdinand Batehelor, who recently had military hospital experience m Egypt, said he had acted.as consult-, ing surgeon at Trentham since ..July 20th. Considering the large number of cases, the buildings wero,remarkably sxiitable for the purpose, ; and the authorities were fortunate in haying such a number of buildings available. The equipment was all that cbuld.be expected in a.temporary hospital for a camp of 3500 .men. He would say that if they could retain the racecourse buildings, they . would have adequate provision for future epidemics. An , extension could be made with marquees. |-Accommodation such as thlfi.was .not i ideal, but huts would not be:much betfter. ■ . . ;,V V' ■ I His Honour: Do you consider ,t|iat .in the event of the racecourse bjiUd- ' ings not being ■■available,, provision should be made for future possible epidemics? j • Coldnel Batehelor: "Certainly I do." Some provision, he added, would also have to be made for men returning in ith'e course of,and after the war. They 'had all" the equipment for medical ; treatment.

[■ Additional evidence as to matters .afjfecting the Berhampore Hospital was igiven by Sister Keith and LieutenantColonel H. E. Pillnngton. 1 Surgeon-Captain Yeates attended to make an explanation.' He said it Seemed that the .evidence would throw some blame on Major Holmes and ■Captain Fyffe, and he wanted to dispel'any idea that thp&e medical officers | did not do their best. Anything. that i happened at the camp was not their fault. ■' He also wished to dispel ariy idea that there was any unfriendliness between himself and the , two officers ■ named. . } ..'William Colley, principal light- • keeper, Nelson lighthouse; stated that ! his 'son Stanley died in the Wellington .j Hospital, on June 11. Witness h> terviewod Sister Keith at the BerhaiaJpore Hospital, asking her what luul been'done about him. She explained j the sudden circumstances of. his . ill— ;ness. He asked her if she had any reason for not sending for a doctor, jiand-she roplied ■ that she "did; not think he- was as bad as -all ■ tliafc;" Colonel Purdy stated that ; Golley , was sent: to; v Wellington Hospital, i which was close ; at handj because this j was'- a. .better course 1 ;than waiting ■ for. ■a doctor; to come.. .He .was informed )either by Dr.'.Myers..or Dr. Hartwell Ithat Colley died of acute meningitis. (That everything was done'for the boy he was quite certain. .. Privates. McNeeley and Penny gave evidence of experiences in the hutments at Trentham, and the Commission adjourned till to-morrow.