HOSPITAL TREATMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3829, 9 August 1928, Page 2

HOSPITAL TREATMENT.

INJURIES UNDETECTED. A JUDGE’S COMMENTS. When summing up in an action for damages, in the Supreme Court at Wellington on Tuesday, Mr. Justice Sim commented upon the fact that a man’s internal injuries should have been undetected at the Wellington Hospital, where lie had been examined after a tramcar accident. The case was one in which Eliza Gray Needham claimed £IOOO damages from the Wellington City Corporation on the ground that negligence on the part of the defendants was responsible for the death of her husband, Thomas George Needham. “It excites one’s astonishment a little,” said His Honour, “that* a man with five of his ribs broken, three others dislocated, one lung pierced by a broken rib, and his liver torn, should be taken into the Wellington Hospital, be examined there by two doctors, be the subjoin of an X-ray examination, and then be discharged as a perfectly well man, with his injuries not discovered. I don't want to say anything disrespectful of the doctors in the Wellington Hospital, hut it certainly seems very astonishing that such a thing should happen.” Later, when the jury returned after considering the various issues placed before them, they brought in the following rider: “\Y« consider that sufficient care was not exorcised in this case by the hospital authorities.” THE OTHER SIDE. EXPLANATION BY HOSPITAL AUTHORITIES. Wellington, Last Night. la reply to Mr. Justice Sim’s remarks in connection with hospital doctors arising out of injuries received by a carter, Needham, when !.:s express was si ruck by a tram, the hospital authorities state that , the man was admitted to hospital against his wish and was seen by a ward doctor. He complained of no pain and demanded to go home.

An examination revealed nothing to suggest fractured ribs, but as il had been an accident ease the doctor persuaded him to stay the night so as to be X-rayed in the morning. The man persisted in going home, asserting lie felt nothing wrong and as an X-ray showed no sign of fracture to the doctor ex■ ambling him, he was allowed to go. If the hospital is to guard against suggestions of lack of care it would mean that anybody reporting to hospital with a mere scratch would be held there against bis will as the merest scratch might result in blood poisoning.

The man having left hospital on bis own accord, placed himself under the care of his regular medical practitioner who attended him until death. The circumstances were investigated at the.time of the inquest, and no charge bad been made against the hospital.

Sncli anomalies as occurred in this case are not infrequent. If diagnoses could be made as easily as some people suggest the practice of surgery and medicine would be much easier than it is. In this ease the X-ray was a good shadowpath, and even after the postmortem the findings did not suggest any fracture.