A CASE FOR INQUIRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14976, 23 April 1909, Page 6

A CASE FOR INQUIRY.

The fatal result of the unfortunate accident at Glentunnel will presumably he made the subioct of a coroner’s inquiry, fiho facts of the accident and tho nature of tho victim’s injuries will be revealed in the ordinary course of evidence, but there were circumstances attending his removal to the Christchurch Hospital that demand particular investigation, circumstances so deplorable that we aro bound to call the attention of the authorities to them at once. According to the information gathered by our reporters, the unfortunate man Doylo fell under the wheel of a heavy cart and was so gravely injured that tho doctor at Glentunnel ordered his removal to tho Hospital at Christchurch. Ho was carried into a first-class railway carriage and left in the care of his wife for tho journey to tho city. As it happened there was one other passenger in the carriage—ia woman—-

and tho two women had to face the long and wearisome journey in charge of an injured mail, with no means of alleviating his pain and with not even a stretcher on which he could he laid in some comfort. Tlie entire absence of an ambulance equipment oil country trains is tho first fact to demand comment in this connection. At Darfield passengers from Glentunnel transfer to the Springfield train. But at the junction there were still no ambulance facilities, and the women in charge of tho injured man had to wait for assistance. But Doyle was forgotten. Tho guard, who had helped to carry him into tho carriage at Glentunnel, was no doubt busy with other matters, and tho train for Christchurch was actually leaving the station when tlie nurses realised that they were left to their own resources. They managed to stop the outgoing train, but the margin was a desperately narrow one. . Doyle at this timo was in agony, and demanded all tho attention that could be given him, so that lie came near to having to spend tho night at Darfield. At the end of the journey there was still another bungle. Tlie ambulance van was to luavo met tbo train at Addington, but it was late, and Doyle’s nurses had to choose between carrying him into the station and risking a long wait there and taking him on to Christchurch. Wo do not suggest that the dreadful journey killed the man, for his case was evidently desperate from the first, but it is obvious that his chance of recovery must havo boon gravely discounted by his experiences. Wo havo referred to tho matter not by way of blaming the railway authorities or anyone else, but so that the Coroner may see tho importance of extending his inquiry beyond tho immediate cause of Doyle’s death.