SUICIDE IN HOSPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1934, Page 7

SUICIDE IN HOSPITAL

EVIDENCE OF “BUNGLING”

COMMENT MADE BY CORONER AUCKLAND HOSPITAL INQUIRY THE BLAME NOT APPORTIONED By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Criticism of what he described as “bungling” was made by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, at the conclusion of the inquest to-day concerning the suicide in the Auckland hospital of William Bankier, single, and aged 58. The coroner said the case was one for inquiry by the hospital board to ascertain where the blame should ba, placed. Banker, who was worried about unemployment, was found on October 30 lying in front of an open gas jet in the house where he was staying at Kingsland. He was taken to the hospital and then attempted to commit suicide a second time by 'cutting his wrist with a piece of tumbler. Bankier was placed in restraining straps. He escaped from these and caused his death by throwing his weight against a wall and forcing his spine through the base of the skull. Mr. Cocker appeared for the hospital board. The case had been adjourned from Friday. Dr. Ritchie, house surgeon at the hospital, said he was on duty when Bankier was admitted. He was informed the case was one of gas poisoning, but that was all he was told. Nothing was mentioned about the patient being violent or dangerous, and Bankier when witness saw him was quiet arid somewhat dazed. Witness ordered stimulants. _ The coroner read to the witness a passage from the evidence of Dr. T. H. Pettit, who was called to the house at Kingsland, saying that Dr. Gould, assistant medical superintendent of the hospital, had been informed by telephone that Bankier was dangerous. ' TWO SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. Dr. Ritchie said he did not know anything of Bankier’s mental condition. Bankier said he had made the cut with a piece of glass. Tiie coroner: We now have a man who has attempted gas poisoning and who attempts two hours later to commit Suicide by cutting his wrist. Dr. Ritchie said Bankier was restrain-? ed. The coroner: What was his mental condition when, he was restrained? Dr. Ritchie: At times he was quite quiet. At other times ■Within a moment or two he would become very violent, asking to be freed so that he could do away with himself. He seemed to be very furious orie minute, and quiet the next. The coroner: It was said the man was to be watched. That was all the medical attention the man got? Dr. Ritchie said that was all the attention at that time. He saw Bankier the following morning, whei! the man was quiet. Bankier could have sat up in the restraining straps. The coroner: By this time he had been 27 hours strapped up. Answering Mr. Cocker, Dr. Ritchie said he had not beeii instructed by Dr. Abbott to make the case an urgent one. There was nothing in what was said to indicate that anything but the usual procedure should be gone on with. The superintendent and assistant-superin-tendent, he understood, were generally concerned with -administrative matters. The straps were of a form commonly used. The coroner: They are not used in mental hospitals. Dr. Ritchie said he had seen patients sit up with the straps applied. WAS HE WATCHED? The coroner: If he attempted suicide a second time what would you say? Dr. Ritchie: I would still prefer to watch him. “Well, he was not watched,” commented the coroner. The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Craven, recalled, said he did not consider the fact of an attempt or a double attempt at suicide sufficient to warrant urgent steps to send the man to a mental hospital. Coupled with the report of an outside medical man that the patient was dangerous, emergency steps would then be warranted. “That is what happened in this case,” said the coroner. Dr. Craven said he considered the correct procedure had been followed in Bankier's case. There had been a case of a man who had thrice attempted suicide in the hospital and who had recovered. Particular care was taken about sending a patient to a mental hospital. Patients were restrained for their own benefit, and Barikier had been seen at least every 15 minutes. The board is not anxious to hide anything, and wishes the whole of the facts to be put before the coroner,” said Mr. Cocker. There had been some indication, he added, of criticism in not sending Bankier to a mental hospital as an emergency case. It was a serious matter to confine any member of the public in such an institution. The coroner: Not nowadays.

Mr. Cocker said the mere fact of the incarceration of a person in such an institution for even a short period had an influence in the eyes of the public. “Then the eyes of the public must be opened,” declared the coroner. “That is one of the things mental hospital authorities are fighting. There is no stigma.” The coroner added that Dr. Craven had said that had he been told what Dr. Pettit said the case would have been one of emergency. CONFLICT OF EVIDENCE. Mr. Cocker said there was conflict of evidence on that point. Dr. Gould said he was not told by Dr. Pettit that Bankier was dangerous. It was easy to be wise after the event, he said, commenting further on the circumstances of the case. The coroner returned a verdict of suicide while Bankier was in a state of unsound mind, and added: “In my opinion someone has bungled in this case—either the system or the people. I leave that for the hospital board to find out.” The coroner said he was satisfied Dr. Pettit had given information that Bankier was dangerous. Aftor referring to the facts of Bankier’s admission and his second attempt at suicide the coroner commented that Dr. Gould had apparently taken no notice of the fact that Bankier had made a second attempt. Dr. Craven said he would have acted differently had he known Bankier’s history, but he did not know that history. After commenting that a mental hospital doctor came at 5 p.m. next day the coroner said there was undue delay. Bankier had been strapped down for 40 hours, and the coroner commented on the degree of watch kept over the patient. He thought the case was one for the hospital board to inquire into to see who was to blame. He was not going to say who was to blame.