SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3783, 14 September 1926, Page 15

SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS.

UNCLEANLINF.SS IN HOSPITAL. BOARD EXONERATES STAFF. CHRISTCHURCH, September 6. The North Canterbury Hospital Board held an inquiry to-day into the allegations of the neglect of juvenile patients at the Bottle Lake Infectious Diseases Hospital. After hearing the evidence in support of the charges brought by Mr F. Whiley, whose child died at the institution, and the evidence in rebuttal by the parents of other patients, the board exonerated the staff. The charges made by Mr Whiley vere that: “A common practice was to bath several infants in the same water, and to dry them on the same towel. Infants with severe attacks of coughing were often unattended. Vomiting was common, and no basins were provided to vomit in, and under these circumstances the handkerchiefs ■used were of a ridiculous size and absolutely inadequate. The refuse coughed and vomited by my child was often allowed to dry on her face and hands, and was picked off by her, and sores. occurred. A nightdress taken from a heap of dirty ones on the floor was used to wipe a child when vomiting. The poulticing used when 1 was present was wrong, consisting of one practically cold poultice applied for barely 10 minutes. Two children for days sat cn their beds clad only in their night attire, and eventually suffered a FelapSe. At times no nurse was in attendance. These complaints refer to the baby ward in which my child was located.” In the evidence in favour of the hospital staff it was stated that the ward was centrally heated and the children allowed to sit up were warmly clad. At the time referred to in the complaint the nursing staff was short handed on account of influenza. In the evidence in support of the charges it was stated that on one occasion the ambulance did not arrive till six hours after being summoned to convey a patient to the hospital. In the case of Mr Whi lev’s child a half hour's delay was occasioned through the ambulance running out of petrol. The board found after deliberation on the various clauses of Mr Whiley's charges that clause one was not supported by the weight of evidence and that the staff did all that was possible under the circumstances to relieve the patients. Mr Leadlcy was of the opinion that the evidence had supported the charge that infants were sometimes not attended to when they had coughing fits. Mrs M‘Combs said that it was the custom for the nurses not to interfere with the patients who had visitors. Regarding the charge that basins were not provided and the handkerchiefs were inadequate, it was decided that the evidence of at least two witnesses showed that adequate provision for vomiting was provided. The board found also that the sores on the child’s face were not due to the inattention of the nursing staff, but were brought about by dried froth causing irritation and carrying, infection in the sores. The charge that a nightdress was used to wipe a child when vomiting was admitted, and the board did not disapprove of tne action, which was deemed excusable in an emergency. The board held that the charge reariling poulticing was not borne out by the evidence. The state of the two children who were sitting on their beds Was convalescent in the board’s finding, and, therefore, they were in no danger in a heated ward. In regard to the last allegation, the board found that a nurse was always on duty. Mrs M'Combs suggested that the time had come for a resident medical officer to be stationed at Bottle Lake. Dr Telford said that it had formerly been proposed to the board that house surgeons should spend at least three months of their training at Bottle Lake. Perhaps the board would now consider the matter again. These questions were held over, and the secretary was instructed to write to the matron at Bottle Lake expressing the board's satisfaction at the work of herself and her staff, and the conduct of fhe hospital.