CASE OF HYSTERIA

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 144, 15 March 1938, Page 6

CASE OF HYSTERIA

Labourer’s Claim For Injured Hand £lOO COMPENSATION The Court of Arbitration was engaged at Wellington yesterday afternoon in hearing a claim for compensation brought by David Cameron, labourer, Agahauranga, against the Wellington Meat Export Co., Ltd., for injury to. bis right hand received while stacking frozen beet into trucks through his band being crushed against the side of a truck, ilw accident occurred on October *.O, and the company paid compensation from the date of the accident until December 2, 1936. Plaintiff claimed further compensation from December 2, 1936, until such date as the court might decide Mr. Justice O’Regan presided, and had with him as assessors Messrs. M. Cecil Prime (for the employers) and Mr. A. L. Monteith (for the workers). Mr O. G. Mazengarb appeared for plaintiff and Mi. G. R. Powles for the company. The defence was that the company had paid into court £lB/3/4, being e ‘e“ t weeks’ compensation from December ~, 1936, to January 27, 1937, at the rate of £2/5/5 a week, and the company considered that this was enough to satisty plaintiff’s claim. , „ Medical evidence was given by Dr. 1. D. M. Stout, who said that Camerdn was still handicapped by a stiff little finger, which could not function with the rest of his hand. If the finger were removed it might enable him to get back to work QU Dr. e D. McK. Patterson said he examined Cameron on January o, 1931, and found that the littk finger stood off fio n the ring finger. The grip of the hand was impaired, and he was not fit for light work vet. If an operation were performed plaintiff should be ready to work in about six plained of pains which prevented him from sleeping at "ight H e considered that to amputate the little finger woul be an heroic type of treatment Dr. W. S. Robertson said he had examined Cameron several times, and considered that the condition of his hand was due to lack of use, together with a superadded hysterical element. He would definitely not recommend amputation ot tne ht Vernon e Alfred Corcoran, employed by the Wellington Meat Export Go., Ltd., said that Cameron, when he came back after the accident, said he was ail right and ready for work again “This ..case has presented a little difficulty to the court, owing to the diametrically opposite opinions of men well up in the medical profession,” said his Honour, on the court resuming after a brief retirement. "We have come to the opinion that this is a ease of hysteria pure and simple. If this man had been able to get back to work after the accident all might have been well. There were commendable efforts made to settle the case out of court. “We have decided to allow the plamtiii a lump sum of £lOO, including the money which has b.een paid into court.” Eight guineas costs were allowed, with two guineas each for two medical witnesses. '