THE PUBLIC HOSPITAL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19889, 28 March 1930, Page 15

THE PUBLIC HOSPITAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PBEBS.

Sir,—l wish to thank you for publishing my previous letter under the above heading, and also for obtaining Dr W. Fox's reply; but I should be pleased if he would give the public a little further information. When a prospective patient visits the Hospital. in order to make an appointment for subsequent admission, and is told that a certain specialist will be taking his case, what is the prooedure if, at the time when the operation is to take place, the doctoi originally nominated to do it is, foi some reason, unable to attend t is the patient informed of the change in doctors or not? I_ holdthe view that, if one has been told that a certain doctor will be performing the operation, then one is entitled to know if any change is contemplated, because it is a vastly different thing ta be operated upon by a specialist, from whit it is to have merely an assistant do the work. With reference to these assistants, any reasonable person will agree that m order to become experienced they must "f necessity, perform . operations themqolvpr • but'the point that "must be itteM be. obligatory

I

on the Hospital authorities to make quite sure that, when an operation is being performed by an assistant, there should he a thoroughly experienced doctor in the theatre to exercise supervision generally amd give this assistant the-benefit of the mature knowledge which comes only after years of practice; That, to my roind, is of vital importance, and should be done in every instanoe. Dr. Fox mentions the very large number of operations for throat troubles. It is a cause for conjecture whether there would be any diminution of this waiting list, if figures were given by the Medical Superintendent regarding the percentage attended to by the two specialists compared with the number done by these assistants. With regard to the condition, status lymphaticus, it seems there is some slight divergence of opinion amongst the medical profession, inasmuch as Dr. Fox says it is "impossible" to diagnose in life, .whereas Dr. Stringer is reported as saying that diagnosis is "very improbable." One is scarcely synonymous with the other, Where it is a case of a human life being jeopardised, no stone 6hould be left unturned by the medical profession m order to reduce the number of deaths under anesthetic to ah absolute minimum.

"J J.'s" little contumely is quite uncalled for, and is charitably put down to his lack of perspicacity, because in each case he sadly misses the mark. It is said that an apathetic person is only one degree raised from a wilfully ignorant man; and "J.J.'' is entirely indifferent to the main points raised in my letteT. For some reason, in his haste, he api>ears to think me opposed to the specialists, against whom 1 have nothing, and from whom we all obtain unexcelled treatment. These gentlemen, on the honorary staff of the Public Hospital, are performing a wonderful work, and their services to th 9 .community are acknowledged by one and all.

"J.J." is evidently proud of the fact that he is the parent of a; student. Everyone has a right to be proud of his child. But let sarcasm be used only when it is called for, and sympathy; be saved for those whose misfortune it is to have to apply for admission to the Hospital.—Yours, etc., DION. March 28th, 1930.

[Dr. W. Fox, Medical Superintendent of the Public Hospital, states that, if the doctor originally nominated is unable to attend, the other full surgeon or the assistant, perform the operation. The patient is not informed of the change. The correspondent must iea-

lise, he adds, that a patient, coming into a public hospital, is entering a public institution, not a private hospital where he can make his own demands. The Hospital Board appoints surgeons and physicians of sufficient credit to guarantee that a patient will be properly attended to. Of operations for throat troubles over 99 per cent, are done by the full surgeons; the assistant operates only when they are away on holiday or prevented from attending, which is about once a year. With reference to status lymphaticus, Dr. Fox says that the majority ,of medical men hold that it is impossible to diagnose this condition in life.]

TO CHE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —On opening The Press these last two mornings, I have been disappointed to note t"hat your readers have evidently overlooked the importance of a letter which appeared in Saturday's issue, regarding the admission of children to the Public Hospital for tonsil operations. I had hoped to see'this matter taken up by some more able correspondent than myself. However, what I wish' to bring before the notice of the public is that when- children are sent "to the Hospital with a recommendation from a private doctor for tonsil operation, they are often not admitted for from five to six months. These children hi the meantime suffer from fonsilitis and kindred complaints, until sometimes they are not in a fit condition to stand the long-awaited operation. I note that the Medical Superintendent states that this delay is entirely due to lack of beds. Surely this difficulty is nqt insurmountable? What does the Hospital Board collect increased rates each year for, if not to provide for such necessary work ? _ Then again, I think it is only fair that the public should be fully informed as to the standing of the doctors who perform this operation. Parents are given to understand that their children will be in the hands of one or other of the two specialists, Drs. Mill or Robertson, whereas for the most part, these specialists are evidently not even present when the operations are performed. I trust that these matters will be taken ■up with a view to effecting an improvement in the existing state of affairs for those children whose parents cannot pay the large fees demanded by outside specialists and private hospitals.—Yours, etc., TONSIL. March 26th, 1930.

[ln reply " to the contention that children who have to wait before they

can be admitted to the Hospital for operation are in danger of suffering from tonsilitis in the meantime, Dr. Pox says this is not so. A reasonable number of beds are supplied, and the honorary surgeons give more than a reasonable amount of time to the 'work. He contradicts the, statement that "specialists are not even present -when the operations are performed."]