BOTTLE LAKE HOSPITAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1082, 22 March 1911, Page 4

BOTTLE LAKE HOSPITAL.

ABOUT A SCARLET FEVER CASE, (By Tclesraph.-Press Association.) Christchurch, March 21. A boy five years and a half old, son of Charles Tnibot, of Walton Street, Sydenham, who on the 2nd instant was admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Bottle Lake suffering from scarlet fever, managed either to escape, or to bo dceoved away from the institution on Monday, March' 13. Tho parents of the boy state that the little fellow arrived homo on tho Monday evening, having, according to his own statement, walked to town,.and then got a lift in a cart to Sydenham. The matron ut tho Bottle Lake Hospital, on tho other hand, alleges that the boy was allured away either by his parents or someone acting for them. On Dr. Finch, District Health Officer, being seen by a reporter, and asked for information regarding th-e case, he stated that the position was that if the child was not returned to the Bottle Lake Hospital by noon to-day the machinery of tho law was to lake effect. An order had been issued under the Public Health Act, calling upon the parents to place the ehild in the hospital. If this was not complied with, action would be taken under sub-section (d) of Section 33 of the Public Health Act, which provides that "eveiy person who wilfnlly disobeys an order,' or in any way obstructs or delays the prompt execution Ihoreoi", is liable to a lins not exceeding .CIO." Dr. Finch added that everything possible was dono <<i persuade the parent* to allow the child to go to the hospital, and they were told that by doing fo. whatever complaints they had against the institution would not be prejudiced. On the reporter visiting the parents' homo shortly after noon to-day lie found that the child had not' been returned to the hospital, and the parents stated they bad no intention of fending him back, though they were quite willing to have the child kept apart