DEATH OF A GIRL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 108, 8 May 1923, Page 7

DEATH OF A GIRL

ALLEGED DELAY AT THE HOSPITAL

CORONER SUGGESTS INQUIRY

"SHE SACRIFICED HERSELF."

As the result of evidence which came out at the inquest this morning concerning the death of Phylliß Porter as the consequence of bums received at the Grand Opera House on Thursday evening last, the Coroner (Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.) stated that he would immediately write to the secretary of the Wellington Hospital Board suggesting that the board should forthwith hold an inquiry iuto charges that there was undue delay in admitting the patient to the Hospital, and in according her treatment. The evidence was given by Miss A. A. . Barber, wardrobe mistress of "The Peep Show" Company," and Mr. John. Furrell, manager oi the company, both of whom went to the Hospital with the injured, girl. In the course of the evidence that was called, at the inquest, Mr. L. M. Davis, chief mechanician with the company, stated: "She sacriHeed herself, to save the other girls. There is no doubt about that. Had she run to the other girls she would have set them all afire, but she ran away from them, and outside. She was wonderfully calm."

The first indication at the inquest that there were likely to be questions raised was given when the Coroner, at the conclusion of the evidence of Dr. Colin C. M'Laurin, asked: "Was there any delay?" The doctor replied: "Unfortunately, there was some." The doctor said he was not the one who received the patient or gave her her initial treatment.

Before other evidence wa s called, Mr. Farrell stated that it had been intended to say nothing about the delay, as it was hoped to keep from the relatives in Sydney any idea that everything had not been done for the deceased. The members of the company had, however, insisted that the facts should be inquired into. His Worship said this would be fully inquired into, and if other people were implicated they would be given a chance to explain. Miss Barber said they were met at the Hospital door by a doctor, who sent them to the children's ward, where the girl was taken from the car, but on being told that the girl was 19 years of age, the nurse sent them back to the main building, to which they carried the girl on a stretcher. She was then taken to No. 2 Ward. They said they, had no bed there, and could not admit her, and they were told to take her to No. 1 ward. There was little distance between these wards, but there was a very cold draught in the passage in which she was kept waiting, and witness tried to protect her from this.

His Worship: "And in the meantime she received no attention at all. She should have" been taken in to the main building and treated immediately." Mr. Farrell: "The doctor who met us did not even inquire whether she was man, woman, or child."

Witness said the doctor wanted tc fee] deceased's.pulse, but this could not be done, as'the girl was wrapped up, and was still out in the cold in the car. "It seemed an age to me before the girl finally got attention at the Hospital, but after that she was most carefully treated and we had no complaints, as the care was wonderful. The girl should have received medical attention as soon as she arrived."

His Worship:. "I think so, ioo. The Hospital authorities will have to bo asked to explain this."

Witness said thai on the way from the children's ward it was raining, and she had tried to protect the girl's burnt face by placing her hands above it. •

John Farrell, in his evidence, gave impressions similiar to those of Miss Bar. bar. Witness, before they left the theatre, had the Hospital telephoned to, saying there was a very serious case on its way. It could be seen ■on arrival that they were expected by the porters. A porter got a stretcher, and a man they understood was a doctor came out. He then said: "Take her to the children's ward." The uurse, on hearing her age, rang the doctor, refused to allow witness to speak to the doctor, and said to take her to No. 2. At No. 2 they absolutely declined to take her in, and they went to No. 1, where they were also refused, but,were finally admitted. In the meantime the girl was in all sorts of draughts, and witness, getting desperate, asked for something to be done. The giri said: "Yes. Ask them to put me to sleep, j so I can get out of this pain." Though I it was hard to calculate time in a case like this, he thought it was from. 20 minutes to half an hour before the doctor arrived. After the doctor saw the patient, witness told' him was he thought of j'him, and learned that he was the doctor l who first received them. Witness told the doctor that if they ran their business as the Hospital was run it would be a failure. His Worship: "I will write a letter today to the secretary of the board telling him what I have heard here, and asking him to have an inquiry before you people leave town. It is not for me to mike any coXment unless I have heard something from the other side. My letter and the publicity this matter will get will probably "result in something being ' done." Senior-Sergeant O'Hara, who represented the police, said the charges were entirely new to him, and the attendance of the doctor concerned had not been considered necessary. He had not been called on to give evidence.