"A HOWLING DISGRACE."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1149, 9 June 1911, Page 4

"A HOWLING DISGRACE."

MORE ABOUT AUCKLAND'S MOKGUE. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, June 8. In the course of an inquest held this morning, Dr. Do Clivo Lowo made 501110 scathing remarks upon the condition ot the city morgue. lie said that it was a howling disgrace that a city of Hie pretensions of Auckland should have such a lilthv place for the purpose. Not oil v was'it in a filthy state, but it was badly conducted. That morning lie had been under the necessity of working 111 a pool of water, and while ho was at work a <quall of rain beat in, making matters worse. Xo antiseptics wero used. Iho slabs wero hopelessly obsolete, and there wero 110 means whereby, a could stei'ili=o either his hands or his nistiumenK Neither were there any sponges or specimen jars provided. ilio doctors of Auckland badly needed somo plneo where they could do such work 111 reasonable comfort. There were occasions when tho law compelled a doctor to use the morgue, and it was monstrously unfair that they should bo compelled to risk infection through its unsanitary condition, ■uul then visit confinement: and oilier can's where the danger of septic poisonin" was very great. The City leathers should be urged at once to erect a proper building as soon as possible. Tho coroner (Mr. T. Grcsham) said that three vears ago (lie ratepayers had authorised the City Council to erect a. mopnie at a cost of .CIOOO, and also to construct Hw Ciir.l'ton Bridge. The bridge was complete, but tho morgue had not even been commenced. Tho inadequacy of the present arrangements had !.h-cii a scandal for years. ' Dr. Ferguson, who had assisted Dr. Lowe, said that even if they could not get a new building at once a few noces'saries such as towels and gowns should be provided. The drainage of the floor was hopelessly bad, and even a few planks laid down would bo a blessing, n s (j K>v would at least keep (ho doctors' fret out of the water lying there, which was often badly contaminated before ,thev tinislied. Only four dirty towels wore provided, and every tiling combined to make it a matter of grave risk for a doctor to visit his patients after working at the morgue. Mr. Grosham said that he was much pleased at what the doctors had said It would perhaps ventilate a long-standing grievance.