AKAROA HOSPITAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5589, 23 January 1879, Page 7

AKAROA HOSPITAL.

TO THB EDITOR OP TUB LYTTELTON TIMES. Sir, —In your issue of Jan. 14, a paragraph appeared headed “ Patient Drinking,” which is calculated to reflect discredit on tho management of thc Cottage Hospital here. I can only state that the female patient referred to received, in compliance with my directions, six fluid ounces of brandy in 24 hours, or in other words one wiueglassful every eight hours. For a very short time after her admission she consumed eight ounces in twenty-four hours, but this I soon reduced to the quantity above stated. What tho total cost of the stimulants provided for her may have been during tho entire time she was under my care I am not in a position to state, having had no leisure, as yet, to ascertain; but I can confidently affirm that the quantity supplied her is not In excess of what is frequently supplied in Hospitals. Tho “ surprise ” (which you have deemed sufficent to warrant special publicity) is promature, as the Charitable Aid Board is not yet in possession either of tho details of expenditure or of tho nature of tho cose, which was a very serious one. This fact must have been apparent to your reporter, and I cannot but think that you have been hasty in establishing as a fact what you knew to be merely a matter of conjecture.—l am, Ac., Jan 16. JOHN GUTHRIE, M.D. [We publish the above letter in order to give oar correspondent the fullest opportunity of defending the character of the institution over which he presides. We must say in or- own defence that if Dr Guthrie was annoyed at the fact of tho Board having been “surprised,” he need not on that account have reflected upon our report, which was a correct one.—-Ed. L.T.~\