WAIKATO SANATORIUM.

NZ Truth, Issue 474, 18 July 1914, Page 7

WAIKATO SANATORIUM.

THE OTHER SIDE Of M STOW. AN OLD PATIENT SPEAKS % ■■ 1i : ' - ' ' ', '/\ Dr. Bernstein a Humanitarian and Clever Scientist

"Truth" justly prides itself on the fact that, on all matters with which it concerns itself m the interests of the public, it strives to be just and impartial .and to give, whenever and wherever possible, the two .or more sides to every question- . . , /For some time past this paper has been criticising, on the information placed at its disposal, the administration of Te Waikato Sanatorium and it takes, to itself the credit of having beeiLihe means, of having had . " , VERY MANY IMPROVEMENTS - „'■■• EFFECTED lit the institution m question. "As it pointed out last issue, its comments 'arid criticism are always based / O n information received, and, wherever possible, the- greatest care has been exercised to corroborate the statements made. All along we have invited the other side or sides to reply to the various questions asked, and have always reserved the right . of doubting some of the assertions which have been; made. In many instances "T^uth" has expressed its unbelief m some of. the assertions made by inmates, because some of them were incredible. it ; is only' from those who are being victimised, or who complain of being victimised, the inmates themselves^ thaj; the 'outsider can expect to gather any idea of what goes on within; and; all along, "Truth" has made it abundantly clear that it was acting on information placed at its disposal. It 'must not, however, be imagined that this paper is going back on what, at any time, has appeared m its columns. On the contrary, it believes v that it came, forward / ' ,AT A VERY CRITICAL STAGE ; m the history of the Sanatorium and that, as a result of the articles published, much has been done there which otherwise would not have been done. SHU" acting op the maxim of hearing- both sides, "Truth" has, this week, much pleasure m giving the version of' an ex-patient, a very respectable married woman and mother, wherein it would appear that the institution m question is .run on model lines arid that the Superintendent, Dr. Bernstein, far from being uncivil, uncouth, sarcastic and a cynical .individual generally, is represented as being a gentlemsLn, a humanitarian, a clever scientist and; one .devoted to his almost holy, calling- of heating the sick, particularly m caring for, and even curing, Ihe victims to the great "white plague.'*; . . ' ' 'This paper is glad to have the opportunity of thus publicly setting -forth, the grateful thanks of the patient. m question to the Superinteh- . dejit .aQd tq.the. staff of^ the, Sanatorium, m, general, for tho . DISINTERESTED CARE , AND UNI : - REMITTING ATTENTION wjiichtehe received from all during her three months' stay at the institution, which, so far as "Truth" is concerned, has been much discussed. The lady m question entered the instlflution m April last, on the advice of one of . Auckland's leading doctors, who at the time informed her that unless she did so he 'would give her but a few weeks to live, a statement, according to the lady, borne out by the Superintendent himself. "Truth" is I informed by the lady and her husband that if they had at the time read "Truth's" articles on the Sanatorium, she would not have entered the institution. • "Truth," m its turn, would like to point out that up to that time this paper had not had a word to say on the Waikato Sanatorium and therefore the lady and her husband could not and would not ■ , HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED m the slightest degree. However, while at the Sanatorium, paying two guineas a week, the patient states that Dr. Bernstein and the matron and the nurses generally; could not have done any more for her than they did. Some of "Truth's" articles, she declared, were a pack of inaccuracies. In some cases only half tho truth was told, while m others tho whole truth was told.> Those articles m which the truth was told, she declared, did a lot of good and that tho wrong things exposed were promptly righted. Just as "Truth" surmised, Dr. Borneteln had very good and perhaps very grave reasons for prohibiting tho sexes mixing promiscuously, and instances wero re\ated and others Ulntod at which "Truth" thinks justified tho Superintendent m taking the stand ho did. And for taking the stand he did, if the reasons given are the real reasons, the Superintendent is herewith complimented on his show of .backbone. If it is also true that he turned ono individual out of tho Sanatorium because he wilfully land wickedly persevered In paying attentions to females after he had been warned not to do so, then tho said individual has llttlo cause for complaint. "Truth" all along suspected that there was something of tho sort lit tho bottom of things and Is now glad to find that what it surmised Is right. \Vt> nro further informed that much of the Superintendent's finger Is OK TUB RIGHTKOUS SORT, Inasmuch as ho knows what Is good for tlui treatment of tho disease. In face of tho coiitlnuul disobedience of orders by some of the patients of the recalcitrant order anil thoso In a continual ntiUo f of discontent, the doctor was perfidy Justified In going oft pop at times. The lady In question also justifies tho doctor calling, somo of tho patients dirty beasts, or words which meant tho same, for using ouch other's thermometers nhd testing them to sco whether they were In order. At the Institution no distinctions arc made between tho paying patient and tho patient who to all Intents and purposes Is a pauper. Tho doctor treats them ail with the same care and unremitting attention, gjvinsr them all the benefits of his great experience at Home, nacrinelng everything for them and worklnK hard «ri order that he may save their lives from the WORST 13NRMY OK MANKIND. Tho doctor, tho matron nml nil tho nurses- eat tho same food n« tho patients, and that is of tho best* Thero U plenty, for all, *>ut, iC on occasion

■ — '——. ■ ■••.■'. : : V there should not be enough, the nurses go without. There are chronic grumblers, at the institution, "Truth 1 ' is told* who are becoming old age pensioners, living on. the best, and.^hat the doctor is quite right m endeavoring to get, them out. The doctor has said, that their sort are common ,m England, but he hardly expected _£o find them m New Zealand. 4 Generally speaking, the "lady is full of nothing.but the highest praise ioi the Superintendent, the matron and the nurses. 'She says that having- read nearly all the articles which appeared in '"Truth," she considered it her duty, now that she feels cured, and knows she is cured so long as she follows the course laid, down .for. her by the Superintendent, that "Truth" shouM give her side of the story. "Truth" accordingly gives ifc as ' much, if net more; prominence than' previous articles on the institution. She voluntarily gave her experiences to "Truth,' being prompted to dp so as an act of duty, m ; face of what had been said about the Sanatorium, to let the world know that she at any rate had been well treated at the institution and that she considered' the Superintendent was a man full of feeling: for the patient and actuated , ONLY BY THE HIGHEST MOTIVES *— that of rendering. service to his suffering brothers and sisters. No man could' be more kind, more sympathetic, more tolerant, more good-natured than Dr. Bernstein- With* such patients that they had, the superintendent, the matron, anft the nursing staff generally were sorely triecij yet m face of all their trials they did- their work heroically and uncomplainingly. "Truth" willingly, publishes /this woman's tribute to the care ancl attention she received at the Sanatorium. We do not for one moment doubt that she is actuated by the best motives. She is full of gratitude, as all sufferers should "be to those who have' cured them of their sufferings* While we publish her tri-

.(An Auckland Tram Troub). Up go the chains when the three gongs sound, And the car is packed and crammed, And every soul for Ponsonby bound Can wait for tho next or be —blessed; Does "Curly" care If tho girls should staro • Or "blokes" say "Mister Neville, You are so smart, you should Crivo a cart?" He just tells 'em to go to the — manager

bute, wo cannot refrain from remarkIng that the fact has not been hidden that there was much nt To Waikato Sanatorium that needed investigation. Generally this paper has not taken sides m the matter. As a newspaper with ' a policy of exposing public wrongs, Its columns were open and arc open to the patients at Te Waikato Sanatorium, and the fullest advantage has been taken of the fact.