HOSPITAL PATIENTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9855, 24 July 1914, Page 7

HOSPITAL PATIENTS.

SHOULD THE RICH EXCLUDE THE EOOR? AUCKLAND, July 23. The wisdom of admitting persons of means as patients to the Public Hospital for operative treatment waa called into question in a communication from Dr. G. Gore Gillon, surgeon, received by the Auckland Hospital Board. The writer stated that three weeks ago he operated at the hospital upon an aged farmer from outside the Auckland district. The patient, he declared, wat worth £20,000 at the time. Recently another farme%had come to Dr. Gillon from Taranaki. "He went to'a private hospital in order to be operated upon. On the following day the surgeon went to perform the operation, but found that the patient had gone. Next day he found him in the Public Hospital, and there he operated and cured him. That patient then returned to Taranaki, where, the writer asserted, he owned 'BOO acres of land.

In the subsequent discussion, Mr P. J. Nerheny said the board could not draw the line. They must not make it appear that the hospital was only for paupers.

The medical superintendent (Dr. C. E. Maguire) said th«t anyone who presented himself at the institution was admitted, irrespective of whether ho had a medical certificate or not.

Mr P. M. Mackay said the InspectorGeneral of Hospitals had ruled that that was the proper principle. Personally, if he had his way, the Public Hospital would be free to anyone at all. Mr M. J. Coyle said there was something radically wrong. Patients were being refused admittance. It was not right that a man worth £20,000 should occupy a bed to the exclusion of a man who could not afford to pay. The communication was sent on to the Hospital Committee.