Skeleton Bought by Auckland Hospital

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 146, 23 June 1936, Page 9

Skeleton Bought by Auckland Hospital

AN INDUSTRY IN LONDON The Auckland Hospital Board has a .keleton in a cupboard. Lest misapprelension may arise from that statement, ho skeleton represents no discreditaolc jt humiliating fact to bo concealed from traugers states tho New Zealand Jerald. It is a thing of bleached and polished bones, skilfully articulated by wire, gluo and brass screws. As part of their training, nurses will take it from its cupboard and pore over its vertebrae or identify parts of it as clavicle, or tibia, femur or just plain funny bone. In short, it is a complete nospitul skeleton just purchased for £22 10s. i It came originally from England, for all skeletons purchased in New Zealand for thew use of institutions come from abroad. Dr. J. W. Craven, superintendent of the hospital, explained when asked regarding its source that although the hospital conducts autopsies or has patients dio without relatives or friends, remains are disposed of in the orthodox manner. The Otago Medical School has legislative authority to obtain bodies for dissecting purposes, but no bones arc sold by tho school. Tho Auckland Hospital's purchase came from an Auckland firm which supplies surgical and other appliances. It in turn imported tho framework from a firm in London which specialises in skeletons, skulls and other humau bones, and issues a brightly-illustrated catalogue on the subject! “A Splendid Job.” But where does the London firm obtain its original supplies? No one from whom information was sought appeared to know. A representative of the importing firm thought it might have come from Abyssinia, but ho appeared rather vague on that point. He brightoned up when ho spoke about its condition. It was a splendid job, he said, a credit to a skilled trado that was ex’pert in bleaching, polishing, if necessary the fitting and adjusting of several sets of bones into one complete framework. There must be no bones missing, or even teeth, for doctors and ’ others interested in skeletons from the professional aspect are rathor fussy about that. I There is no big trade in skeletons, he added. His firm had only sold four in Auckland, so far as he knew, although occasional business was dono in skulls, St. Helens hospitals once buying two for demonstration purposes. Even when tho needs of hospitals, St. John Ambulance Brigades and art schools were fully met, it could hardly rank as a bread-and-butter line. It appeared quite outside tho scopo of a New Zealand industry. Loss of Significance. There was a twinkle in his eye when he said that Hamlet might plunge himself into tho most profound melancholy ! over an unearthed skull, but a trade skeleton, bleached, varnished and jointed, seems to lose all its original s gnilicance. Art students invariably use the school skeleton irreverently as si hat rack and medical students, if tho wellknown play, ‘‘The Wind and the Bain,” gives a true picture, carelessly clutter up boarding-house cupboards with human bones. Even tho nurses at the

Auckland hospital when the latest skeleton is produced in class are scarcely likely to ponder with sentiment over the fact that it is continuing in service after its life of usefulness appeared to have gone. Perhaps its best requiem is that of tho pagan and materialistic-hearted schoolboy who translated ‘‘Do mortuis nil nisi bonum" into, ‘‘Of the dead, nothing is left but tho bones.” large tree, and under it spent tho night. They were numb with cold. On the following morning tho sun was shining, and the girls wore able to set out in tho right direction. They reached the coast about five miles west of the lighthouse and struggled home. In the meantime search parties were scattered over a wide area, and it was not possible to acquaint them with the news of the girls’ return. However, all searchers returned except three horsemen, for whom anxiety wa3 fell for a day. They had spent the night beside a creek without having the benefit of blankets, but they lighted two fires. They found their way to tho lighthouse without difficulty next morning, but they were thoroughly exhausted by their ordeal. “Nightmare Journey.’* Tho transport of Betty Hardy to hospital presented unusual difficulties. A chair stretcher was improvised, and bushment, holding tho long poles on which tho chair was mounted, worked in relays. They had to carry the sick girl over high sand dunes near the cape, along several miles of soft sand on the beach, and then over moro dunes. Aftei this journey of seven miles she was placed in a motor-truck for transport for 20 miles further to Cann fiver.. Tho truck became bogged 17 times, and the whole journey from tho lighthouse to the hospital occupied seven and a-half hours. The truck had to negotiate patches of marshy; ground,

and at times 30 men were required to lift it bodily on to firmer ground. In other places trunks of fallen trees had to be chopped and cleared away before the vehicle could pass. The nightmare journey imposed a toriflic strain on the girl, and it is feared that she will be an invalid for several months, particularly as her heart is reported to have been affected. Monica Hardy has recovered fully from the cold and exhaustion which she suffered.