HOSPITAL TREATMENT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 263, 26 July 1918, Page 6

HOSPITAL TREATMENT

NEGLIGENCE ALLEGED BY PATIENT'S FATHER REPLY OF THE MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT It is not usual to quote the name of a conrespondent under the heading oi "Correspondence" on I lie order paper of the monthly meeting of the Wellington Hospital Board, so that it was quite natural yesterday, when tho words "A. J. Jvellow, ro Gordon lvellow," were printed below the heading, for members to want to know what it was all about.

The chairman ordered the secretary to read tho letter in question, and it was iread. Tlio letter, which was written by Air. A. J. Kellow, of Foxton (formerly of Wellington), was as follows:—

"June 2U, 191 S. "Dear Sir,—l have the board's account for attendance to my son Gordon, 103 days' at 12s. lid. per week, and desire to acquaint the board witli the details of the case so that they may consider whether I have not a claim against the board, instead of being in their debt. On January 2G my son fell from a window in Seatoun awl broke his left thigh, and under instructions from Dr. Robertson was sent to the Children's Ward, and we wero told by tho house surgeon that it was a clean break and was well set, and Hinder the X-ray examination showed that everything was in good order, and that the boy should be out in, say, eight v«coks.

"I will state his progress March !)— 'Home surgeon advised that everything was snti.-iiactory, and the boy should bo discharged from hospital -in two or threo weeks. "March 13 and 11—Boy's mother found him looking far from well, and application was made to tho Medical Superintendent for an examination of the leg, which was promised: . "March 15—Airs. ICellow was advised that the examination proved that the bono was soft and that the leg would be short. , , . "March 16.-I was advised that it had been discovered that on each sido < f the knee a deep wound in a septic condition had been discovered, with a surface about tho size of a florin,.oaused either by the adhesive plaster or by tho local si'ilints digging into the log. ""March 21.-I was advised that after the leg had been put into splints tho bone had shifted, and had set m the wrong place, 'the lower part of the break being placed further back than the uppor part. That it was hoped that the bone would be strong enough to stand Iho boy's weight,'but that it it did not it would be necessary ro open up the ,leg, file off tho new bone, and insert a silver plate. • "March 28—We were advised that 'the bov had some red spots on his body, and had been placed in a room by hiniseli. "April I.—Wo were advised that tho boy had scarlet fever, and was removed to the I\svcV "Ward for at least six ""''May 9—Boy was discharged from the fever ward, being able to lako a i'cw "Now, 1 would respectfully submit that this is a case that requires some investigation. The following is an abstract from a letter which I addressed to Dr. Barclay on April 19:—'It is needless to say that we are far from satisfied with tlio treatment Gordon has received at .the Hospital, and are of opinion that culpable negligence has been shown by someone. . . . That the lfrg was not properly set (or liono had afterwards shifted) and'that the boy had two septic wounds just above the knee, and that theso facts wore not discovered until nearly six weeks after his admission, seems to be inexcusable, and should be very closely investigated. Tho fact that the buy developed s°«rlet fever also requires investigation, also the extraordinary circumstance that no other child before or sincc has developed the disease.' "I regret to (rouble you with this matter, and do not wish to shuffle out of my financial obligations to the board, but I have been put to considerable extra expense through what I am forced to consider wrong or unskilful treatment at the Hospital, which exnense, owing 'to the bar's condition, is still coing on, and I think that I am not asking too much when T request the board to consider the matter."

Medical Superintendent's Letter. Dr. Barclay's letter to' Mr. Iveilow was as follows;:—"I regret the (roubles that have befallen your ton Gordon, but I litill, think that if you will suspend judgment till the boy goes out, you will iiud him with «i good and useful limb, lie thai as iL may, I must deprecate your endeavour lo attribute culpable negligence to someone. The limb was carefully s-i'l. under an anaesthetic, and as shown by the X-ray picture was then in good position; (kit the broken bone afterwards was found to have moved into a worse, position is only in -accordance with what is often found in fractures, and does not imply either neglect or want of skill on the part of anyone; it is not possible to obtain a perfect result in every fracture. The two septic areas above the kuee were placed where the strapping applied to extend the limb had chafed through the skin, as not infrequently happens, and being superficial and trivial did not seriously affect, tho patient. I do not think tho rash was anything but 'scarlet fever. Certainly the sores had beeii present for some time before the : Irtish appeared, which does not look us '?if (he rash wero due to septic absorption. ' How the scarlet fever was acquired 1 do not know, but similar infections occur from" time to time in ivory children s hospital, and no one can bo blamed. . . . l'ou have asked for my opinion—l hope | 1 have not expressed it too freely; what 11 have written is what I bolieve to 1 e i true."

The consideration of the above matter was deferred by the board (after the reading of Mr. Ivollow's letter) until Dr. Barclay was present. When he arrived, the chairman asked him to make a statement, and Dr. Barclay referred to the letter he had .vritten as containing all that need be said. He said briefly that the child had been admitted with a. fractured thigh, and when he (Dr. Barclav) returned from his holidays ho saw that tho child was not looking very .well, but the fracture was progressing quite fairly. The next trouble was the development of scarlet fever, which, coming on top of the strain, had caused the parents to be so severe in their criticism and threatening in attitude that the doctor concerned had asked that Dr. Ewart (honorary surgeon) be called in to make an examination. Dr. Ewart did so. The three of them saw the child, nnd wrote to Mr. Kellow afterwards. The child was discharged on May 9. A. e tn th» r»snll of the consultation —the result was good. As Mr. Kellow's letters had beta before the Hospital Commit tee there was no discussion bv moir.bTS of the board. The secretary stated that, the committie had decided that Mr. Kellow was to he risked to pay the dues at tho earliost j opportunity.