EXAMINATION OF ALLEGED LUNATICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11987, 9 June 1902, Page 6

EXAMINATION OF ALLEGED LUNATICS.

STATEMENT AS TO EXISTING PRACTICE. A MEDICAL MAN'S COMPLAINT. A complaint as to the practice observed in regard to the medical examinations of per- > sons charged with lunacy was made by Dr. v '. Coom at the inquest on Saturday on the body of the man Patrick Bartley, who was . found dead on the railway line near the Mount Eden Railway Station on Friday morning last. Dr. Coom, who informed the coroner (Mr. Gresham) that he attended voluntarily to give evidence, said he con- : : sidered that as he had attended Bartley for over 12 months it was strange that he was not consulted when the deceased was lately " brought before the Police Court on a charge of lunacy. During the time witness had attended him Bartley had been unsound in .' mind, and as he was becoming worse wit- ■ y ness advised his removal to the asylum. Witness himself had had the experience of being shown into a cell to examine a supposed lunatic without any knowledge as to ; the case or anybody to supply information. » The Coroner: As you attended this roan, j for over 12 months, can you say why you : were not consulted? Dr. Coom : I know the ins and outs of the case from start to finish, and if I had ' seen the man once only, though I were next on the list I would not be consulted, the. practice being never to get a doctor who, has attended or seen the patient before. The Coroner: Or one who knows anything about his history? '•' Dr. Coom: That is so. * ; : The Coroner: I can see the argument for tin's course (meaning the possibility of collusion with relatives), but this would carry' us back to the days of Bedlam. Dr. Coom: But we are not living in those days, Your Worship. Sergeant Hendry (who represented the ■• * police at the inquiry) said that when a per- : ; ;, son charged with lunacy was remanded for . V medical examination, it was the custom of the police to use every endeavour to bring all available information before the examin- i ing doctors, such information being gathered from the person's relatives or friends or anyone who knew anything about the case. .Though it sometimes happened, it was a very .... rare thing for a medical man to go into a cell where there was a person suspected of -' lunacy and to be unable to obtain any in- > •;.'■ formation except what the patient himself could give. .- Dr. Coom said he. could refute the sergeant's statements straight away. Such*, j;thing had happened on many occasions during the last 18 years in Auckland. Be hid been in the cells for the purpose stated, and had had no assistance whatever, and had known nothing whatever abotfi the person be was called upon to examine. Sergeant Hendry said the arresting eonstable, if no one. else, was always present. Dr. Coom said it often happened that • when the arresting constable was asked for /< it was found that he was on duly elsewhereSergeant Hendry, speaking' with five years' experience in Auckland, said he considered that Dr. Coom was making a most unfair and unjust attack on the police. " the doctor could cite a case in support of his statement he was sure that the inspector would severely censure the police. Except in the case of a person who was absolutely . unknown, there was always some information for the medical man. Every other medical practitioner in Auckland who had n'j been called in in such cases would bear out. this statement. The Coroner; When a medical man &■« been in attendance upon the person charged with being a lunatic is he called in by the magistrate? . "V Sergeant Hendry said he knew nothing . i about that, but he repeated that the police used every possible means to lay all available information before the doctors. Inferring to a remark made by Dr. C" 00 ? 1 , W - the coroner, he said that as the doctor wisheC "to rub it in to them" he might state. to .-, whom he referred. . h The Coroner: We are not concerned wi [a that. The Court does not wish to "rub " in" against anybody. ~ , Dr. Coom then 'left the room. remarks to Sergeant Hendry as he rose, " I was n0 " ' talking against you, sergeant." :',.-} |J|| v ''•-;-,' '*&$,