WAIHI HOSPITAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 113, 14 May 1937, Page 3

WAIHI HOSPITAL.

LOCAL DOCTORS' ATTITUDE

OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE

The following letter to the editor of the '■Star -, was received to-day from Drs. R. H. Hetherington and F. G. Barrowclough, of Waihi:—

Sil % —ln your issue of the 12th instant you publish a report of proceedings at a meeting of the Waihi Hospital Board. The board was considering a letter from the Director-General of Health asking whether the medical superintendent was operating single-handed, and without the assistance of an anaesthetist, and a question wae asked as to whether the other doctors in the town had been asked to help and had refused to do so. The medical superintendent Jβ reported to have said "Yes. they have refused." Besides the medical superintendent, we are the only other doctors in Waihi, and the statement must refer onlv to us. We feel compelled to state the'real facts in this connection.

About 18 months ago one of ue was aeked by the medical superintendent to administer a minor anaesthetic in a tonsil case of no urgency. The doctor concerned had rece.-itly made a complaint to the chairman about another and more serious matter and had been asked to appear at a board meeting in connection therewith. He duly attended the meeting, but was informed—without his having been called to make any statement regarding the matter—that the board was unwilling to hear him or to deal any further with the complaint. He, therefore, intimated to the chairman that in view of the board's attitude, his professional reputation would be endangered by his further attendance at the hospital, and that Bβ the matter was of no urgency he did not propose to adminieter the anaesthetic in that particular caee. At that time there was another medical man in the town who could, if necessary, have administered the anaeethetic, but he was not asked to do so.

That is the only occasion on which either of us has declined to give an anaesthetic. Shortly afterwards we both notified the board in writing that though we would prefer not to be called to the Waihi Hospital, we were prepared in the interest of patients to render any assistance necessary. We stipulated, however, for our own protection, that neither of us would attend the hoepital unless accompanied by the other. Thie statement we have repeated on numerous occasione, and the offer contained therein has never beon withdrawn.

In consideration of the patients we are prepared to maintain this attitude, though both of us would prefer not to be called to the hospital under the conditions at preeent existing.

Your report of the meeting contains also a statement of Mr. A. E. Johnson to the effect that one of the doctors had told him that, even in urgent cases, he would not assist. Neither of us made any euch statement to Mr. Johnson. In a recent interview with him, one of us informed him that we were always prepared to attend on the stated above, and that ie still our attitude.