The Southland Hospital Honorary Stall.

Southland Times, Issue 10197, 1 July 1889, Page 3

The Southland Hospital Honorary Stall.

<• — ■ TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — The Trustees desire the following to appear in your issue of Monday : — Dr Closs, in a letter to your paper this morning, denies a statement in the Trustees' report, and j says it! is very unlikely that three members of the hon. medical staff of the Southland Hospital should write to the Committee that the present arrangements worked satisfactorily and that a change was unnecessary, without the other members being cognisant of it. Dr Closs asks, " How can the Trustees reconcile their statements with these facts ?" What fact 3 does Dr Closs mean ? He certainly gives no facts in his letter, and, besides, I think his memory must be somewhat defective, as he appears to have entirely forgotten what really are facts in connection with the matter, and t which can be proved. On the 17th Nov., 1884, Dr Closs and Dr Macpherson waited upon the committee, during the meeting held that night, for bhe purpose of recommending the appointment of a House Surgeon without private practice, to be under the control of the hon. medical staff, and to place the institution under the staffs charge. At the same meeting the following letter was read : — "Having taken into consideration the present management of the Hospital as far as the nffedical staff are concerned, we are of opinion that it would not be advisable to make any alteration. We think the appointment of a medical officer as before, the hon staff remaining as at present constituted, quite sufficient for the requirements of the institution. At some future time it may possibly be found advisable." That letter was signed by Drs Grigor, Galbraith, and Wardale. Since that time neither the committee nor the present Trustees have been approached by the- hon. medical staff on the subject, and the Trustees consider that what was not deemed advisable then is not any more advisable now. There were only five medical practitioners in the town at the time, and the advice of the majorjty was acted upon. Wilfred Wolfe, Secretary S.H.T. Invercargill, 29 th June.