NAPIER HOSPITAL INQUIRY

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22121, 17 June 1937, Page 14

NAPIER HOSPITAL INQUIRY

♦ Outbreak of Disease Among Children EVIDENCE OF MOTHERS AND NURSES (PBESS ASSOCIATION TILBGRAIr.) NAPIER, June 16. The Royal Commission appointed to investigate the administration of the Napier Public Hospital continued its sittings to-day; The chairman is Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M* and associated ■with him are Sir James Elliott, Wellington, and Miss Cecilia McKenny, Pahiatua, formerly matron of the Wanganui Hosnital. The charge nurse in the ward where the disease (vulvo-vaginitis) broke out said that she was instructed not to inform parents of the nature of the disease. The Medical Superintendent was present once when children were being bathed. Witness was worried because the sister was bathing the children without orders. The matron, when requested to supply a special nurse, may not have known of the bathing. Witness admitted being concerned in more or less irregular practice. Parents' Evidence The motuer of the eirl who died said she only learned of the trouble from another mother interested. She was told first that all the children in isolation were in a room together for company. When she asked if it were true that her girl was suffering from a certain -disease she was told, "Yes. but only in an infantile form." A second mother said she was told that the disease was caused by medicine/which disagreed with the child. Dr. Berry, she said, "told me that he was doing all he could, and he was not "oing to kill the child." Witness's brother, who was present, said if there was going to be any killing he would have something to say. Her child went into hospital clean, but was later covered witn lice. Witness complained of* dirty bed linen, and had even taken a sheet off the bed and shown it to a doctor. A third mother alleged that when Bhe complained about her child getting the disease she (witness) was told she should get her husband's blood tested. A fourth mother said she was told that the rumour was "utter rot." After her child was discnarged sne screamed every time she was taKen near a bath. The father, giving evidence, said he heard for the first time in court that day that his child had the disease. A nurse said the sheets were discoloured by disinfectants. Another nurse said the bath had to be maintained at llu degrees. The bed lu.en was not always what it should be because of the stains of disinfectants. A third nurse said the first collapse pi the child alarmed her. She thought it created an emergency,* and imormed the sister in charge. The child's pulse was weak and rapid. Her instructions ware to bath the children at 114 degrees. The treatment of the child wno collapsed was continued after the collapse. Precautionary Measures > Joseph Jame 3 Foley, medical superintendent ot the hospital for tnree years, said he could not say how the disease broke out. It might have been brought in undetected in an affected child. It was not likely that the disease was introduced by a visitor or one of the staff. Precautionary measures were taken promptly, 'mere was no need to become panicky about the anSearance of disease in any hospital, ut. a serious view had to be taken. If a nurse was in difficulty her duty was to report to the matro.i. He was satisfied tnat everything possible was done to check the outbreak. The request for a soecial nurse was refused because it would not provide a fulltime job. There was danger in allowing the attending nurse to work in the children's ward. One nurse was said to be unsatisfactory, and instructions Were given- to "bump her," but the matron held that this might be construed that she was responsible. Witness did not know that the child had hot heat treatment until some weeks after its death. Witness only went into the room to close the fanlight, and stop the noise entering the passage. He did not gc near the child in the bat.i, although he saw it. "Apparently the treatmen. went beyond the doctor's orders, except in Dr. Berry's case. Witness admitted that he had denied to the parents that the children bad the disease.