CHILD'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1937, Page 11

CHILD'S DEATH

HOSPITAL INQUIRY

SUPERINTENDENT'S OPINION

(By Telegraph—Press Association.l

NAPIER, This Day.

When the Napier Hospital inquiry was resumed today the chairman of the Royal Commission, Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., announced that at the conclusion of evidence" by the matron the public would be admitted and the ban on the publication of names removed except as regards the children concerned in the disease which is the cause of the inquiry, and the parents and nurses.

Dr. J. J. Foley, medical superintendent, said he did not say that the disease was caused by medicine, but he certainly tried to "cushion over" the matter. He did say that medicine could cause irritation. There was a policy of non-disclosure. The child who died was dead when he arrived. There was nothing to suggest that she had just .been brought from a hot bath. Witness told Dr. Berry and a nurse that he would let the Coroner know. Witness was upset, as it seemed another blow for him.

A post-mortem was held with witness's knowledge, but not with his consent. His impression was that the child had been "flogged" with bathing when it should not have been bathed at all. Witness said he described the child's death to the district Coroner, whom he left with the impression that death was due to heart failure. Mr. Mosley said that if he himself had been ay/are of the whole facts he would have ordered an inquest. INCOMPLETE CERTIFICATE. Dr. Foley said that the death certificate was very incomplete, and was not a true certificate. Had he known of the special treatment he would have insisted on an inquest. Dr. Berry knew that heart failure was to be given as the cause of death. The post-mortem was unauthorised, and was carried out by Dr. Berry and witness. Asked if there was a conspiracy of silence by Dr. Berry and himself, witness replied: "I don't think Dr. Berry told me all he should have."

Death was due to hyperpyrexia, or exhaustion, continued witness. Had he been in full possession of the facts as he now knew them he would not have issued a death certificate. He unconsciously misled the Coroner. Had he known all the facts he would have lived in "holy fear" of an accident. Dr. Berry had the last say. Had witness known that no permission had been given for a post-mortem he would I not have been there. The treatment, not the disease, was the actuating cause of death.

Witness considered that the sister neglected her duty in not reporting the hot bath treatment. It was unwise to introduce an untried system without the approval of the authorities.