Medical "Mistakes."

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 164, 16 June 1883, Page 3

Medical "Mistakes."

~ m ,■-■.■■ There is evidently, an advance m the ritrbt direction wJieQ, we hear ot aninvrttigation about to be instituted, as to the edifications legally held by our rettaUt medical practitionersi In lookjng back on the history of some of the many bad cases which hate <*nded tatally and not quite satisfactorily, .m spite oibeing attend^ by bur mbst eminent medical men. more than one of whom a believe are on the present Medical Board, it •eems only justice and humanity to hope that the wbdle medical system will be so revised and amended that we shall hear of no more loved and valued lives being sacrificed through ignorance M d blundering. Is it consistent with common sense, or is it iar removed fiom^palpable murder; when •■• doctor is called m to, » jonng «nd delicate suffering lady, whoee nervous system has been shaken by continued maternity; to prescribe for her such medicines as shall induce a new disease, :•« bromism/' w hicb produces " coma?- -and^ to the great horror of ter distracted husbanii «nd friends, doses the scene withoiit; even a word or Icok of recognitiotf? The nurse was blamed lor not^" having candidly ■ spoken.^' The dotetor still flourishes and visits the bereft family. Again, a- poor fevered patrent bad, after three weeks' close confinement to the sick /room, nearly worn out the nurse, and the doctor, instead of relieTing her with a helper, after a consultation with a brother " medico," gave a prescription for a sleeping draught (which the nurse copied). After a great deal of hesitation the nurse administrated it, and before she could replace the weary head on the pillow, as he wildly clung to her, a fear.nl spasm crossed his features, and, with a reproachful look, he gasped and passed *WBVi '■■■''■'■ ■' ■■■' ■ 1 "'/ ! A bright young happy oreature, going on beautifully after an accouchment, suddenly becomes . ill and dies. : The medical man implores forgiveness of her parents aad husband, and begs them not to prosecute him, but he still flourishes m the Sydney suburbs, " licensed "to perpetrate come more fearful .mistakes . * A ybung man arrives m Sydney fr< m New Zealand, becomes indisposed m the morning, takes medicine preecrib d jfor him, after being told he was sufff /ing Vrom" typhoid.' 1 On the same afternoon he died, and was husiledoiFto his grave without any investigation for fear of infection or wh.att> < : A lady who was suffering- from milk fever, took one dose of medicine, and feeling very ill after." it, begged, to be scared a repetition, bat her wish was overruled, and another dose was given. She died a few minutes after. The' doctor told her friends it was the worst fever he had known, and she was to be buried at once, or they would all have. was buried before quite cold.; Why such indecent haste? A man suffering from muscular rheumatism seeks relief from pain, and has applied to hie hip] and thigh the «' actual cautery," which, destroys all the tissues and plexus of nerve in' the limb, filling the house with

disgusting odour of roasted human fleih.; Three or four more important cases of a similar character can be supplied if needed, to prove that so-called 'medical science m its heroic traatment, .is by n > means far reinored from absolute barbarism. Why are i these men allowed to escape With' impunity from being publicly , calif d upon to account for these things', and' when called upon, why is the result not made public too, instead of being hushed up among the regular few who are so privile^ed : and protected ?— " Inquirer, 1 ' m Town -and Country Journa 1 . ........