PATIENT AND WARDER.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 253, 24 October 1919, Page 7

PATIENT AND WARDER.

MENTAL HOSPITAI. INCIDENT. CHARGE AGAINST THE WARDER. A charge against an attendant at the Auckland. Mental Hospital, Forrest J. R. Meade, tinat he struck a patient in his charge, came before Mr. J. _. Wilson _.M., to-day. Evidence was given by Dr. Beattie, superintendent ot the hospital, that ou Sunday, August 3, the accused, .Meade, a prooationary attendant, and anotner attendant. Bright, took a party of ! patients out in the direction ot Mt. | Albert for walking exercise. Among ' those patients was a returned soldier, who was probably an epileptic but who ■was frequently quite sane, and was quite well when he went out. A little later a resident of Malvern Road called at the hospital and complained that one of the attendants had assaulted one of the patients and he 'identified Meade as the attendant. The patient himself did not complain. To Mr. J. F. Dickson (for accused) the witness stated that there was no direct medical evidence that the patient in question was epileptic as his turns had been seen only by attendants, who ■were of opinion that the patient was hysterical rather than epileptic. Ordinarily the patient was quite all right. and witness saw him coining hi from the exercise, when he seemed quite well, and without any noticeable marks of having been assaulted. The fits came on suddenly, and the patient would not ibe over them for more than an hour. Henry F. Brown stated that about 11 a.m. on August 3 he saw some men chasing a man in the scrub opposite ■witness' house at Malvern Road. Witness joined in and caught the man and held him till a hospital attendant came up. Immediately- aTternards another attendant came up and struck the patient a violent blow in the stomach with his fist and used foul language to him. Witness learned that the patient was a returned soldier, and reported the matter immediately at the hospital. lie got to the hospital before the party of warders and patients got back, and on their arrival he identified both the patient and the -warder concerned. To Mr. Dickson: The blow did not knock the patient off his feet. Witness did not see what occurred when the patient first ran away, but the patient had a stone iv his hand when he was ! vaught. He complained generally that this was a nice way to treat a man after fighting for his country. Wm. Thos. Batty, who saw the chase from a little distance, stated that he saw Mead« make an action as if striking thgk patient on the chest or stomach, and heard the patient say, "that's -what you get for lighting for your country." Ernest A. Bright, probationary hospital attendant, stated that, when the walking party was resting one of them started to walk about and then ran away. Meade went after him and witness joined in. Tlie patient picked up a stone and jumped over a stone wall, and called out, "If you come near mc 111 smash your head." Brown joined in the chase and caught the patient, who struggled hard to get away. The patient did throw the stone at Brown. Witness caught hold of the patient and later Meade came up and went to strike the patient. He did strike the patient in the abdomen. To Mr. Dickson: The blow wasn't a violent one. Detective Cnmmings gave evidence of a statement by accused, -who said he struck the patient to "wind" him and stop his struggling, but was careful not to hit hard. His Worship stated that he was pre- ' pared to hear .the case summarily. and Mr. Dixon entered a plea of guilty. , Counsel stated that Meade had only just ! turned 21 years of age, being thus practically a mere youth, and was without experience as he had been at the hospital only since May last. He was admittedly of good character, and apparently had lost his head in a moment of excitement. Tlie Magistrate remarked that the Act was intended to ensure that people in charge of those who had to be under restraint because of a disability should be as humane as it was possible for them to 'be. What accused did was unjustifiable, but he was young and inexDerier.ced, and probably lost his head at the prospect of the escape of a patient. He would be fined £10, and 42/5 costs.