THE ONGARUE SMASH

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 9876, 25 July 1923, Page 8

THE ONGARUE SMASH

UOKONER’S ENQUIRY,.

MEDICAL EVIDENCE.

TAUMARUNUI, July 24. The adjourned inquest on the victims of the Ongarue disaster was resumed to-day before the District Coroner, Mr Laird. Inspector Fouhey represented the police, and Mr Isaacs the Railway Department. Dr. Wei by Fisher, Medical Superintendent, Taumarunui Hospital, said that on arrival at the scene, of the disaster Dr. Bathgate showed him what had been done, and he helped to remove some of the dead and injured. .As soon as the second relief train came he arranged with the Traffic Manager for the ppeedj- transfer of the injured to hospital. Dr. Howard, who arrived J>y the second train, proceeded to (Ongarue, where five injured required attention. Witness arranged that Dr. Howard should follow him to the hospital. Subsequently Drs. Bathgate and Vivian boarded the return train with him with all the available injured. 'Three patients died on the way. On arrival he arranged with Dr. Vivian to •attend to the transhipment and to follow to the hospital with Dr. Bathgate, while witness motored, to the hospital to prepare for the patients. bv the Coroner, witness said he did not see any irreverence shown to the dead. On the contrary, j •every respect was shown. The suggestion might have arisen because attention had to be directed to the injured. Witness arrived at the hospital at 10.45 a.m. Dr. Vivian came shortly j after in accordance with the arrangement, but did not remain. -Between 1 and 2 o’clock Dr. Vivian was sent :for. Witness had made arrangements for all the medical men to go to the hospital. Dr. Bathgate went away for refreshments after his arduous work. Di\ Vivian informed witness after his .-arrival that he wished to get away, and ■did not think he would be required. Ss asked 'witness if there was anything particular to be done. V ltness was unable to specify, except to do as he was doing, going over the cases and giving attendance for shock. All the injured till then had received first aid. Dr Vivian said he was prepared to return later when operations were to be -performed. He exercised his own judgment in leaving or staying. Dr. • Howard came after the arrival of the second relief train. The shortage of medical men for two hours was not detrimental to the patients. Witness .understood that Dr. Vivian left because he had other pressing business. From the public point of view, Dr. Vivian mav have erred in his judgment. It was certainly not the desire ol v 1 ness that he should go. _ rp , Dr. Howard said he arrived in iaumarunui from the scene of the accident on the second rescue train about 12.30 p.m. Dr. Fisher did not arrange with witness to go to the hospital on his return. Witness arrived at the hospital about 3 p.m. If Dr. huffier invited him to go to the hospital he did not hear him. He may not have heard him, as his hearing was detective He telephoned to the hospital after lunch, and asked if he could be of any service, receiving a reply in the affirmative. Ho agreed with Dr. Fisher that the period of waiting before witness arrived was not detrimental to the condition of the patients. Dr Eric Vivian described the- worn of tlie doctors at the scene of the accident. On the arrival of the train at Taumarunui, Dr. Fisher suggested that witness should stay on the platform until all the injured were removed. When this was done, -witness went straight to the hospital, and reported to Dr. Fisher. Dr Fisher gave him the impression that lie wanted an anaesthetic given immediately, and the necessary preparations were made. He waited for some time, and then approached Dr. Fisher again, who was still busy examining the cases. He was given no indication as to the patients who had been treated or otherwise on arrival at the Hospital. Witness approached Dr. Fisher again later, and intimated that if there was nothing for him to do he would go away, and could be summoned by telephone. Witness was at the H ospital one hour before he left. About 1 o’clock Dr. Fisher rang him up, and asked him to return, and bring Dr. Bathgate. . To the Coroner, witness said be agreed with Dr. Howard that the delay was not detrimental to the injured, and thought that any of the public who suggested that the patients suffered by reasqn of any delay after admission to the Hospital bad a -wrong impression. When witness returned to the Hospital ho received definite instructions concerning which patients to attend. Witness thought more trained nurses should have been procured, although the Hospital staff and volunteers did excellent work. To Inspector Fouhy, witness said he •would not undertake attention at the .Hospital without Dr. Fisher’s permission. Had witness been superintendent. he- would have got all the medical (skill available. Ho left the Hospital after he had been there an hour because there seemed nothing definite for him to do. He informed the superintendent how to summon him if lie wanted him. He did not think he had been slighted, though he thought Dr. Fisher and he took an entirely different view of the matter. Constable Thomas Mahoney, of Ongarne, gave evidence as to the rescue work at the scene of the accident, and considered everything possible was done for the injured. No irreverence was shown to the dead. The enquiry was adjourned till tomorrow.