The Hospital Commission.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 59, 7 September 1885, Page 2

The Hospital Commission.

• . FOtJBTH DAT. The Commission sat at 10 30, the Hon. W. Beeves, M.L.C , oooupying the chair. Antoine S&lvigney deposed he had been cook at the Hospital a little over three months. Signed the letter, at the request of Mr. Dudley, asking for an enquiry. Demurred to doing bo at first, but on pressure oonsented. Was tinder the control of the steward, who represented that all in the institution had signed the letter in question. Received atriot injunctions from the steward to oonduot the kitohen with the utmost economy. The steward visited the kitohen eaoh day to supervise supply. The nurses used to help themselves to things out of the kitohen until witness complained to the steward, who put a stop to the praotioe there and then. Had heard of the waßte that there had been in the kitohen previous to his arrival as oook. Miss Marsden seldom oame into the kitohen, bnt used to give orders for herself. These were oarried out. She never complained of the steward interfering with these orders. She did not say to witness that she would soon get Dndley out of the place. Witness heard it from a girl, a housemaid in the Hospital. Miss Marsden was not in the habit of ordering extravagant articles of diet for herself. On the oontrary, on the rare ocoasions she visited the kitohen, she ordered that no difference of food was to be made in her case if she happened to have some friends with her. Miss Marsden was very fond of fruit in the morning, and that was her only extravaganoa. Herman Hermanson swore that he was dresser at the Hoßpital for the last four years, under the supervision of the doctor. Never saw Dr. Chilton touch any liquor sinoe he waß in the Hospital. Had Boen him in an excited state, rather loud voiced, but could not say what was the oause. Was not qualified to say whether he was then fit for his duties or not. Witness's duties as dresser were to look, of course, to the dressing of wounds in the doctor's absence and under his orders. Lately the training sohool had taken some of this duty off his shoulders. Did not go round with Dr. Chilton on his visit to the wards. Speoial duty now was the charge of the old men's ward. Saw very littlo of Dr. Chilton. Had to attend to all j the other wards as well. Was at the pionio at Island Bay with the Btaff, and once or twice went out fishing with the dootor and others. These trips wore pleasure outings, lasting two or three hours. Only remembered going three times. In case of a sudden emergency in the absence of self, the doctor, and dL-peneer, the Bteward and Lady Superintendent were in, also nurses who would have had oharge of the case. Was one of those signing the letter at the request of the steward, who said it waa in favour of Dr. Chilton, and to see if the staff could help him, Objeoted at first to sign if it was to go to the Government, aa that was oontrary to regulations. Could not say that he had ever seen the dootor under the influence of drink. Had seen him attend patients, but did not remember ever seeing him shaky on those occasions. The doctor was always more or less loud-voiced. Th» steward did not accompany the doctor and himself: on fishing excursions. The dootor was sometimes rough in Bpeeoh to the patients when he thought he had oco&Bion to be so, but nothing to cause remark. Mrs. Caroline Guthrie, who attended of her own accord to make a statement, swore that when Dr. Chilton had been three or four weeks at the Hospital she attended with her boy for some ointment. The dootor referred to her bringing a man into Court through the boy, and told her she would not get more thar her moneys worth there. Subsequently, haying obtained a fresh order, the witness again took the boy up, when the dootor refused to attend to the boy's arm, or admit him into the institution, as ho had received instructions not to do so. This occurred a second time, when, in addition to the refusal, the dootor ordered witness to be put out, and was most insulting in bis behaviour to her. The dootor was also very rough iv handling the boy's arm when he did examine it. The witness oomplained also of some medicine given her at the Hospital for a cough mixture, which made both her and her child vomit. She had plaoed the case before the police and deteotive branoh, with the objeot of finding out what the medioine contained, but they had declined to interfere, as had also the Colonial Seoretary. George 8. Cooper, TJnder-Secretary for the Colony, deposed that what first led to the official oommunioation to Dr. Chilton asking for an explanation of his conduct was an idea of the Colonial Secretary's and his own that something was wrong, and that there had been irregularities. Then a nurse, who had been dismissed by Dr. Chilton, aooused him of being drunk on the evening when he dismissed her. Subsequently the chairman of the Hospital Committee made a statement, owing to a report from the medical staff, with the result that the dootor was sent for, and attended at the Colonial Secretary's office next day. He was then told that he was charged with intemperance, and was offered the chanoe of resigning quietly. If he did not accept this, of course an enquiry would follow. Dr. Chilton denied any knowledge of grounds for such a oharge, and asked for 48 hours to consider the poaition. This time elapsed, witness, by order, wrote to the dootor demanding his immediate resignation Miss Mawden bad represented on one occasion that two patients had fled from the Hospital and that two more were ready to do so, because of the doctor's strange behaviour, which she described as more like that of a madman than a drunken man. Enquiries were at once, as soon as possible, instituted, and the dootor was told to giro over oharge to Dr. Levinge. He did not do so at onoe, and in the meantime witness heard that the institution was in a state of confusion, and the officials insubordinate, chiefly owing to the aotion of the Bteward and dispenser. Further atepß were immediately taken to depoae Dr. ,Chilton, and insist upon his removal, and Dr. Levinge was plaoed in oharge. With regard to the nurses, had nothing further to say than was already known through the papers. The Colonial Secretary's Office was not aware of any irregularities prior to the 4th August, but witness had ofter personally complained of the extravagance at the Hospital. Never contemplated the nurses being dismissed at bo late an hour of the evening, or would have countermanded the order till the following morning. The reaulfc was really due to divided authority and the delay in action. Dr. Levinge would have been within Ma duty in. deferring the dismissal under the circumstances, though he might have felt he had no discretion in the matter, owing to the Chairman of the Committee's directions. The Hon. Bandal Johnston waa really the mouthpiece of the Government iv aolingashedid. Just about the time the complaint came from the Committee, Dr. Grabham told witness, who made enquiry, that Dr. Chilton had for a long time been in a state of chronic alcoholiem. Was not aware whether the Committee had received any previous complaints. None had, anyway, been made to witness' office. The steward did effect a considerable reduction in the kitchen expeases, bnt could not state the actual figures. The reason the steward was dismissed was because the Colonial Seoretary was not satisfied, and had reason to believe he waa stirring up insubordination. There was another reason also independent of his connection with the Hospital. His signing the letter waa not the sole or chief reason for his dismissal. Miss Marsden, who attended at her own request, was informed that evidence, consequent upon statements made by other witne sea examined since herself, would not be admitted. The witness desired to Bay that she might have been mistaken in faying that the steward was iv the habit of going out fishing, 4c, with the doctor and nurses. The impression that thiß w&s bo was due to the doctor and steward being absent at the tarns time. It was true that on one occasion witness had called up a cay nurse to help her at night, the occasion being exceptional and unavoidable, owing to the illness of another night nurse. Wißhed to point out that when witness was charged with neglect in taking proper precautions to disinfect in a case of diphtheria, this waa the same case alluded to by Dr. Cam'll, and as

he showed, Dr. Chilton denied that it was diphtheria, ana so rit-rc? was powerlees to take any precaution Witness denired to oorroot a statermiit that fhe had at'oml.d the pionio to Mwl Bay. That was befoie her time at the Hospital. »..•• " Dr. Grabham, reoxamined. said with regard to hia former evidence that he had repeatedly told the Colonial Secretary concerning Dr. Chilton'a drinking habit/. The occasions alluded to were at mere oonversations from time to time, whioh cropped up out of discussions on Hospital affairs. After witness' warning to Dr. Chilton, his conduct in respect to drink was muoh improved, and he looked a different man in health. So far as witness' report to the Government went, if he had to wtite it now he would do so in the same terms, and truly, beoause Dr. Chilton was a very efficient man, and witness had really no specific oharges to bring against him at the time. Had never seen him drunk, or mentally affeoted by drink, though he was constitutionally affeoted, and had at one time the appearanoe of a oonfirmed spirit drinker, uireouy witness noticed that the dootor was resuming his habits, and fast getting into a similar state of tremulousness, &0., he at onoe reported the fact to the authorities. This brought the day's proceedings to a close, the Commission adjourning to tomorrow morning, at 11 o'olock, when the evidence of the Colonial Seoretary will be taken.