Child’s Death in Hospital

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 274, 22 November 1934, Page 7

Child’s Death in Hospital

Inquiry by Auckland Board ALLEGATION OF DELAY Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. “I repeat that we have nothing to hide," said Bev. W. C. Wood, chairman of the house committee of the Auckland Hospital Board, when the hearing of evidence at the inquiry concerning the treatment at the hospital of the eight-year-old son of Mr G. A. Downie, of Eemuera, was concluded. It was intimated that the findings of the committee would be made public at a later date.

Asked if he cared to make any additional statement, Mr Downie said lie wished to retract a provisional statement made last night and to say definitely that the admission of his son to the hospital had been delayed. Kegarding the question of the non-calling of a consultant, Mr Downie said he firmly maintained that it could quits conceivably have been a case where the consultant’s prompt arrival would have meant the difference between life and death.

When the allegation of delay in admission was again mentioned by Mr Downie, Mr Wood pointed out that there was no opportunity for anyone in the children’s ward of seeing the child. Naturally the sister or nurse, when the parent arrived with the child, would tell the parent to take the child to the offics for admission. Apparently from Mr Downie’s own statement, the nurse or sister carried out the usual every-day procedure. If the mother had said the child was in a serious condition, the sister no doubt would have used her commonsense and admitted him immediately.

Mr Downie: That opens up the whole question of admittance. There would have been no trouble for the nurse to have stepped outside and looked at the child in the taxi.

Dr. E. B. Gunson pointed out that the only way possible to admit patients in a big institution was through an admitting office. Nurses were not admitting officers; they had their own duties.

Dr. Pezaro detailed his connection with the case, as set out briefly, in his written statement. He said he had told Dr. Gould, .the assistant-medical superintendent, that the case was a very worrying one, and had suggested that it might be plain anaemia or some form of septicaemia. He said a blood count and a blood test were essentia! and possibly a blood transfusion. He also told Dr. Gould he was not sure of his diagnosis. In reply to Dr. Gunson, witness said he sent the child to the hospital for a blood test and examination, and,, if necessary, a transfusion. He did not send the boy in on his own statement for a blood transfusion.

The whole thing, said Mr Wood, was that the resident doctor had failed,.to notify his honorary. This had . apparently been caused by a rush of work.

-I do not think if we sat here a week we would get any more evidence,” said Mr Wood after Dr. Pezaro had completed his evidence. ‘‘We have nothing to hide; in fact, we are more concerned in bringing everything, to light. The door is wide open at all times. ”

The committee, he said, would deliberate on the evidence that had been placed before it and would later communicate its findings.

After complimenting Mr Downie ou the way he had given his evidence, Mr Wood moved that the committee should complete its inquiry in camera.