SOLDIER PATIENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 11

SOLDIER PATIENTS.

TREATMENT AT TRENTHAM.

REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS. EXPERIENCES OF A VISITOR; The raply made by Colonel Wylie, officer commanding Trentham Military Hospital, to the allegations made last week- concerning the treatment of soldiers in the hospital, was supported in a statement made yesterday by Mrs. Beesley, of Auckland, wife of Private W. Beesley, who spent a | great deal of time in the hospital during the time that her husband was being treated there. Mrs, Beealey said that her husband was in hospital at Trentham from August, 1918, to February, 1919, with a .break of 10 days early in September. < DurI uig the whole of that time she visited the I hospital daily, and saw nothing that could , reasonably be complained of. Regarding the complaint that the underclothing supplied was insufficient in quantity, poor i m quality, and dirty, Mrs. Beealey ! said she was sure there was nothj ing to complain of, and she ventured the opinion that many of the I men bad not been in the habit of wearing | such good clothing in civilian life. Com- ] plaint had also bean made that bloodI stained and dirty Bheete and pillowslips were in use, but Mrs. Beesley stated that | the beds were at all times absolutely ; clean. The suggestion that many of the | men contracted colds in the wards was dismissed with a smile, and the remark that some people did not believe in ventilation of any kind. Mrs. Beegley said u J"j a " faeir man y visits to the hospital she did not see one patient cutting firewood, but on one occasion two convalescent men carried wood into one of the wards at the request of a non-commissioned officer of the Medical Corps, and this did not seem to be any hardship to them, and certain.y evoked no protest. . Referring to the attention received by the men, Mrs. Beesley said that, having had years of experience as a nurse, she could say that better treatment would not be received or expected in any hospital. All the nursing was done by capable nurses, who gave the patients every attention, while the food was suitable and adequate. Mrs. Beesley said her object in mentioning the complaints was that such allegations as those made were unsettling to the patients and a source of worry to relatives, and at the same time gross' unfair to the medical and nursing staffs of the hospital x who had shown themselves anxious at all times to do the best possible for <the patients If there were any ground for the complaints made conditions at the hospital must have changed considerably since she left Trentham in February last.