PATIENT'S CLAIM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17957, 8 December 1932, Page 2

PATIENT'S CLAIM

£3‘136 DAMAGES SOUGHT JUDGMENT FOR DEFENDANT A verdict was given for the defendant, Dr. Stewart Crawford, in the case concluded before Mr Justice Hcrdman and a- special jury in the Hamilton 'Supreme Court in which Eric George Hood, nightwatchman, Ilorotiu, claimed £3436 65.10 d damages from the Waikato Hospital Board and Dr. Crawford, of Eltham, for alleged negligence. Plaintiff stated that he was operated on in the Waikato Hospital by Dr. Crawford on August 19, 1926, for empyema. He was discharged as an in-patient on November 10, 1926, and in January, 1932, a tube 4-1 in. long was removed from the vicinity of his lung. He stated that during the five and a half years following his operation he had suffered a great deal of 'pain in consequence of the qircsence of the tube.

His Honor nonsuited plaintiff as against tho Hospital Board on the grounds that, qirovided the board had exercised care in the selection of its staff, it was not responsible for tho negligence of its doctors and nurses while they were performing professional duties.

After an hour’s retirement the jury returned a. verdict for defendant. Judgment was entered for the Hospital Board on the non-suit point, and for tire defendant. Plaintiff was ordered to quay both defendants’ costs.