DR COLLINS'S RESIGNATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13207, 14 February 1905, Page 6

DR COLLINS'S RESIGNATION.

(Pes United Pbess Associatioh.) AUCKLAND, February 13. A letter from Dr Collins was read at a meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Tho letter etates among other things:—"l beg to forward my resignation as senior medical officer to tho Auckland Hospital, which I request may bo givon effect to on the oxoinition of my leavo of absence—March 19," 1905. It would Ijo an abuse of the occasion were I to enter into controversial matters or to criticise or refer to the proceedings before the late Royal Commission, or the circumstances which led up to the appointment of the commission. As you are aware, I tendered myself as a witness for cross-examination before the commissioners, but neithor these gentlemen nor counsel retained agaiast me had any questions to ask me. Tho commissioners' report was followed by criminal proceedings against mo in tho Magistrate's Court. The judge, in charging tho jury, told them that there was no case against mo on thoovidence in the Magistrate's Court; and tho grand jury, , haying heard tho witnesses,'• without my being represented or knowing what they said, found no bill to the indictment. I havo during my term of office had under my care 5861 patients, the percentage. of mortality being 10.04- per cent., including infectious diseases and plaguo cases.. For the care and attention of .the latter I received tho unanimous vote of thanks of tho board. I have been called upon to do 91 major operations and 254 minor, or 345 in all; deaths resulting, 20; percentage of mortality, 5.79. The major operations conBisted ofeuoh cases as appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, eitra-uterino pregnancies, strangulated hernias, amputations, head injuries', etc. In 'point of fact, derelict casee mostly foil to my lot, which are without doubt the most serious. That my percentage of mortality—viz., 5.79 per cent.—is a low one will bo seen by comparison with, tho percentage mortality of practising surgeons doing eurgical.work at the hospital prior to and during my term of office—viz., 8.72, 8.20, 6.76. .And you will find the percentage mortality in general operative worb has dropped from 8.22 in 1900 to 6.58 in 1904, and in major abdominal operations from 39.62 in 1901 to 23.17 in 1904." :