MAD OR SANE?

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 326, 30 January 1908, Page 5

MAD OR SANE?

A DEFENCE OF THE HOSPITAL. A correspondent signing himself "Fair Play," who has been making independent investigations, sends us a letter from which the following extracts are made "On January 14th an extract from the Dominion was published in your journal under the heading of 'Mad or SaneV revealing to the public a remarkable story by a patient at a certain hospital who was recently discharged from Porirua Mental Hospital. The man alleged that although absolutely sound and rational in his mind, he was certified by two medical men as being insane and was accordingly committed to Porirua, where he remained for a month. He admits having been drinking heavily, but denies insanity. Setting out on a long train journey he arrived at a certain station and, feeling giddy,

he procured a cab to see a doctor who is called X. He omitted to mention in his interview that it was some considerable time before the cab driver could understand what

he required and in conversation with the writer, who has been making extensive investigations, the cab driver states that he was convinced from the first time he saw the man

that he was mad. At any rate, he arrived at the hospital and almost immediately upon his arrival there stated that he was going to expose the institution before he had any time to make observations. He complained about being kept awake while it is alleged the matron was entertaining a friend on a certain date when a Maori woman died. This, he stated in the Dominion, was a Saturday. This is incorrect, as the incident took place on the Friday. On this day a gentleman called at the hospital and in his statement says that he remained only a short time. He noticed a mysterious person walking up and down past the institution and talking to himself; this person he subsequently learned was the man . From the appearance of the man he believed him to be a bit ont of his mind.

"Investigations made reveal the fact that gave considerable trouble to the matron and the staff, and eventually the climax was reached when he was suffering from a mental delusion and imagined that a Maori woman was playiDg all sorts of tricks upon him. Then followed his being taken in charge by the constable and when leaving the institution he asked the constable to let him go and he would do away with himself, as he was tired of these bad colonials. As far as the matron is concerned this ended his career at the hospital.'' The writer then quotes the resnlts cf interviews with seven ex-pati-ents, or relatives of patients, of the hospital concerned, all of whom speak highly of the conduct of the matron, and . refuse to believe the statements made by the man. In conclusion, 'Fair Play,' who visited the locality and made secret investigations, has something to say. He had not been in the town more than an hour when he learned from some members of the Hospital Board that with one exception, they were perfectly satisfied with the manner in which the hospital was supervised. Two members threatened, if there was any attempt to "blackmail," that some startling revelations would ensue. A, cjial- | lenge is held ont and the writer-is in possession of some valuable in formation that will probably interest a certain gentleman in that locality. "In conclusion," assuming that young men visited the hospital, say after dark, what opportunity has the matron of knowing under the circumstances ? In the writer's opinion, the only way to make the hospital immune from visits of young men, assuming that the nurses are lucky enough to possess such, would be to construct a brick wall around with a liberal supply of broken glass bottles on the top.—■ Yours, etc., "FAIR PLAY."