HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 11620, 2 December 1901, Page 3

HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

An inquiry into certain allegations made: against ihe management of the hospital I by Mr James Dunne, was held in the : secretary's office, Arcade, on Saturday af- ' ternoon. The Hospital Board at its meeting on Tuesday last, appointed a committee consisting of Messrs Talbot (chairimam), Hole, and Macintosh, to bfijld an ■ inquiry into these allegations, and t2 p.m. l on Saturday was fixed as the time for the inquiry. The chairman and Mr Holeattended, and had to wait, with some impatience, ten minutes for Mr Macintosh. Mr McLaren, a member of the _ Board, looked in. for a few minutes during the* course of the sitting. Dr Logan, Resident' Surgeon, Dr Munro, Assistant Surgeon, and Colonel Jowsey, House Steward,' were present from the hospital; and Mr Orwin, secretary to the Board, attended to take minutes of the proceedings. Mr James Dunne occupied a seat in the room, and the hospital gardener waited outside till called in as a witness.

The chairman said he presumed the ia- [ quiry would not be carried on strictly on Magistrates' Court lines. They would elicit all the information possible, and give Mr Dunne every chance to lay any matter before them, but there , would be no question of putting any one on oath. Mr Dunne should make his" statement, and opportunity would be given to others to ask him questions. The first thing was for Mr Dnnne to make his complaints; or should they take his letter as stating his points? Mr Hole thought the committee could only deal with the letter; they were appointed for that only. The chairman said the letter was the basis of the inquiry, but they might receive further statements. The letter was not read as a whole, but it was frequently referred to and quoted ; and statements in it were repeated by Mr Dunne. The following is the letter, which was read at the Board meeting on Tuesday last :

" To Mr J. Hole, member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Dear ;Sir, —I beg to call yonr attention, and you the attention of the other gentlemen members of the said Board, to the very unsatisfactory arrangements at present existing in the Timaru Hospital under the management of Dr Logan. I have had three children admitted to the said hospital, on the 29th and 30th of October and 3rd of November respectively; ages, Rose Mary 10, Cecilia 13, and Susannah 19. On Saturday, November 2nd, Rose Mary was reported very ill. In the forenoon the doctor told- me he would be able to tell definitely on Sunday if she would be likely to recover. I «aw Dr Munro on Sunday, and. he reported her out of danger, and also that Cecilia was improving fast, and was likely to come home at the end of that week. On Monday Rose Mary got rather worse through some unexplained cause, and on Tuesday seriously ill. I was sent for. I Dr Logan seemed very anxious to perform an operation on a swelling on the left side of the child's neck. T told him at first to use his own judgment if he was ' satisfied that he could save her life through it. Of saving her life he seemed very doubtful, and remarked that her- death was not far distant. I then said you had better not operate until after 7 o'clock this 'evening, and I will return again and consider the matter. It appears I had only left the ward when he tried his experimenting on the operation, to what extent I do not know, but I have reason to believe he exceeded what he had proposed to me, as it would have only taken about' three seconds to lance the swelling on her neck, and my sister-in-law went into the hospital ground, as I came out, to'see the child, and-was told she could' not see her, and could not see the doctor, as he was performing an operation in the fever ward that would be likely to take him an hour. She waited until she was tired out, and came away without seeing either the doctor or the child. I returned home between 3.30 and; 4 o'clock, and sent my eldest daughter back to the hospital to help the nurse in attending her little sister. She was admitted about 5 o'clo n k p.m., and found her sister in the last hour of her life, immediately after the operation had been performed, with her hands and feet both tied like a notorious criminal in a prison cell. She removed the cords with which she was. bound. The child was barely able to moan, and expired in about half an hour, doubtless from the effects of an unnecessary operation. This was November sth. On this date I was allowed without any interruption to see my other two daughters that were there. Cecilia was then a week in the ward. She said she felt all right, and would probably be able to come home in a few days. I called again on Wednesday, and on inquiring got rather a vague reply from the nurse in charge, with the intimation that she was not supposed to tell me their condition. I went to interview the doctor, but he would not see me, but sent a reply with his servantmaid that they ' were improving. On Thursday, 7th, my eldest daughter inquired and was told they were getting on nicely. The, same day we heard a report that Cecilia was seriously ill. On Friday, Bth. my daughter went to inquire aeain, and .was kindly admitted to see them for a few minutes by Dr Munro, who told her at the same time that the younger one was not going on satisfactorily, and was much worse. I called on • Saturday, andi Sunday, and got rather vague replies, and "oh one of these days expressed some surprise at the younger one getting so much worse; instead of improving. After this Dr Logan seemed anxious to sever all connection between the sick members and the other members of my family, and refused to allow any visiting member to enter the ward. On Thursday, 14th inst., my eldest daughter called, and as it was ■visiting day asked to be allowed to see her sisters. The nurse refused, and the doctor was not to be seen. Mrs Jowsey had told her on a previous occasion that it might be prudent not to enter the ward, but it was permitted to see them through i the window that was close to their beds, so she had a look through and spoke to them for a few minutes, with the result that the elder of . the sick members told her that they were keeping very ill, that Dr Logan was not giving them any _ regular course of medicine, but was continually changing, and in her opinion he was simply experimenting. On the following evening my daughter called again to inquire about her sisters, and to bring home the clothes belonging to her deceased sister. Dr Logan answered her call, refused to give her any information about the sick members, would not give her the clothes that she was told on a previous ' occasion would be ready to take away,, and ordered her off the premises, telling her that if she did not go quickly he would send for a policeman to remove her. She felt very much surprised and insulted, not being aware of any reason whatsoever why she should be thus insulted. I called at the hospital on the 16th, Saturday, inquired after the sick " members, was informed that the elder one had got another relapse and the younger one improving. I asked him about his extraordinary conduct to my daughter on a previous evening. He said she had disobeyed his orders in seeing her sisters through the window. In this he told an untruth, for he had never spoken to her on the subject previous to ordering her off the premises. He made rather a rambling statement about other insignificant matters, I presume with the hope that a bad excuse is better than none. I asked where the harm. was in looking at her sisters when she was not allowed inside. He said he would not discuss the matter; it was his order. He said nothing to me whether it was legal for me to have a peep at the window or not, and I did not ask the question. On Sunday, 17th, I went to the hospital as usual and inrp'ired for the doctor. I was told he would see me in a few minutes. I walked about for a considerable time. The doctor did not appear. Just then a niece of mine came to inquire about her relations. I told her I had not seen them, and was waiting for the doctor. We waited still longer. Getting tired of waiting. I said ' I will have a look to see if the blind is drawn; we might see them through the window.' So we went and had a look through, and spoke a few words, but was interrupted by the doctor in about a minute, ordering me to clear away from there and leave the premises. He I even had the impertinence to catch me by the

arm. to shove me, away.. I tried, to. control my temper, asked him if the place belonged to him, if it did not I would leave when I was ready. I felt, most ignominiously insulted, it« being Sunday afternoon, and a great number of visitors about, and some who had no relations in. the. ward were going to the window and was. not. interrupted. I may here, mention that I have been 24 years in Timaru, and during that period I have never be.en so grossly insulted by any man, nor have I to my knowledge given any cause,, and I regret to be obliged to record such, a disgraceful scene, the principal being one whom the public of Timaru reasonably expect to be a gentleman, of. education and good manners, and ought to know better:. I have now given a brief sketch of my painful experience in connection with the Timaru Hospital during the- past three weeks, and, gentlemen, ,1 leave it to your ; judgment if there is. not room for improvement. My principal object, however, is ■ to save the lives of my children, and for this purpose I beg to suggest for your I consideration one of two remedies. The first is that I be permitted to withdrawmy children from the hospital at once, if such a course is not considered dangerous by my medical adviser. Failing this, I beg to be allowed a local doctor, of my own choosing to attend on my children during their stay in the hospital, as. I have lost all confidence in Dr Logan." ■The letter' concluded with some personal reflections on Dr Logan. _ Mr Dunne, said there were two principal items in the letter, outside of the two requests he made to the Board. • First, the' doctor's operating without his consent; second, the doctor's refusing permission to him or his children, to visit or inquire after their sisters who were in the hospital. He did not remember exactly all that was in the letter. Dr Logan insulted' him and his daughter, and, as' far as he could judge without any reason, ordered them off the premises and said he would send foil a policeman. Dr Logan: You refused to go.—Yes, exactly. Tne chairman suggested that they would get on better if Mr Dunne were allowed to state his whole position without interruption, and then the doctor could ask any questions or make any statement afterwards. He thought it would be well to know a little about the history of the admissions—the times of admission; and for what reason they were taken to the hospital. Had they been attended ? and- who advised taking them to the hospital ? Mr Dunne : In the" first case Dr Reid advised it. He said he thought it was something contagious, and if another case occurred tliey had better be sent to the hospital. . Before that he (witness) thought it was only influenza. Next day anotner fell ill, and he sent her without the dector's advice, because the doctor was not at home. At that time he did not knew what the complaint was, except that Dr Reid had said it was something contagious, but it had not developed, and that they had better be sent to the hospital. One went on October 29th, one/ on the 30th, and two on November 3rd.

Dr Logan: A fifth, a boy, came, on the 22nd November, after the letter of complaint -was written. It was Dr Munro who admitted the patients, and he would make a statement regarding the admissions, and the history of the cases as recorded in the hospital books. 'Mr Macintosh suggested that they should treat.each charge separately, the operation and the ordering off the premises. . The chairman askedi Mr Dunne for niore detail about the operation.' What soft of operation did he suppose was to ba performed? ■ Mr Dunne said he only knew from what Dr Logan pointed out to him. (He then repeated the statements in the letter or. this, point.) .

Dr Logan: Who told you the operation took an hour?—He inferred it "from, the statement made to his sister-in-law by a servant, and her long wait. Dr Logan said he was not responsible for such statements. The operation did not take more than five minutes.

The chairman asked Dr Logan to leave his questions to the end of Mr Dunne's statement.

Dr Logan said he told him.that the child had failure of the kidneys, and also an abscess on her neck; that, opening the abscess would relieve her of one source of poisoning, but that her condition was so grave that he had no hope that it would save her life. He only did it because it was the proper thing to do. He asked if he should operate, and Dunne said he was to use his own judgment. .He said something about leaving it till 7 o'clock. But if the thing was to be done v at all,: it should be left to him (Dr Logan) to say when it should be done. Mr Dunne had no knowledge of medical science, and it would be foolish to leave it until he thought it was right to do it. The chairman: Mr Dunne does not say that he prohibited!-it. To the witness : You were informed by Dr Reid that the first case was probably some infectious disease. Were you not informed by him or anyone that it was scarlet fever?— No. I received two notices from Dr Logan—l do not know" on wliat dates—that they were suffering from German measles. That was regarding •'tie.' first two only. Two others went in on the 3rd of November. About one of these no note was sent; about the other Dr Logan in due time sent a note that it was scarlet fever. You seem to have an idea that it was not?— Yes. Because all four suffered from the same symptoms. But the onethat was said to have scarlet fever had spots on her face from erysipelas. Vo'i thought they had German measles. T>id the doctor who attended them at the house Ml you that ? —No ; only Dr Logan. All t';e information yo« got from .Dr ■p.,;,} ._.,,. tVitvt it was probably an infections disease? —Yes.

Have you any reason, other than your" own opinion, for thinking it was German measles ?—T think so. Three were bad at the same time, all with the same complaint, three big girls; one objected to go to the hospital, the other two were sent. Dr Keid prescribed for the one who remained at home, and she was all right in four or five days, and one who went to the hospital was all right in two days. All had exactly the same symptoms. Dr Munro here made a statement regarding the admissions. Cecilia (aged 13) was admitted on the . 29th November. She stated that she was suffering from a mild I form of scarlatina. The next day Rose Mary (10) was admitted, very sick, and showing the rash of scarlatina. But it was very difficult to distinguish between scarlet fever, German measles, common measles and diphtheria, in the earlv stages. On November 3rd, Susan (19) came in. He said at the time to Dr Logan that he was afraid it was a case of scarlatina. He noticed the erysipelas also. Next morning she had the scarlatina rash. On the same day Kate (27) camel to him and said that she had the same symptoms as her sisters, and she was admitted as a " probable scarlatina" case (official entry card produced); She was discharged on the sth : the disease did not develop. Mr Hole suggested that Mr Dunne should finish his case, and the chairman ' said they might get on better for being a little irregular. Dr Logan, in reply to Mr Hole, said German measles is also an infections disease, and it is necessary to send notice of it as such. He was in doubt as to which disease it was at first, as there was only a rash. Mr Macintosh : When Dr Reid saw the case did he give any indication of the class of disease —Witness, no. He recommended me very strongly to send them to the hospital, as probably it was something contagious. When you applied to the officer here for an order, did you give any indication of the class of disease?— No.

-The secretary interposed to say: When Dunne applied for admission for the first case, he gave me to understand that it was a case of fever. He did not mention Dr Reid to me. He said he thought the child had fever. When he came for an order in the second case, I thought it was serious, and commiserated him, remarking that it might go through the family. Mr Dunne: I could not have done it. Yoii are under a false impression. I only said it was a case of contagious disease. The secretary: I do not think so. Mr Dunne sau\ he had only applied for one order, in the first case.

Mr Orwin said he applied for four; he had the record in his book.

As the doctor who had received the patients, Dr Munro was asked to make a statement. He explained the first notice that the complaint was German measles, by the fact that it is impossible in the early stage to tell what the disease is. Later on, when they have developed, they can be classified. A day or two after-' wards, when they found the case to be scarlet fever, and in a bad form, Mr Dunne was informed of it personally, not by letter. The law requires the Health Officer to be notified of infectious diseases, and; he

accordingly notified Dr. Symes of it by special letter,, which required him to come to Timaru. Dr Symes was coming to Timaru on other business, and therefore did not reply to the. letter, but when he came he called' upon him. (Dr Munro) about these cases.. " •■ ■ . In reply to the. chairman, Dr Logan said he. did not send a second notice to Mr Dunne after deciding that, the cases vreie scarlet, fever. He had given notice that it was. an. infections disease, and thai was all that the la-.v required. The. operation was the., of. a superficial abscess on the neck;, tue uhoie proceeding took about five minutes,, probably not so much ; it was merely an incision about three-quarters cf an inch long. Mr Hole;:' Is it not usual to acquaint friends with an. operation ?—Yes, if one has time; and that was done in this case. The chairman: —When the next cases were admitted had you any doubt about their nature? the, diagnosis was assisted by the fact that scarlet fever had I come from the house. Proceeding, Dr

i Logan said that Mr Dunne in a letter reithe "Herald" said his children contracted the disease at the hospital. That was easily disproved. Cecilia was admitted on October 29th, 'and her statement was that Dr Reid said she had scarlatina; that is scarlet fever. Rose. Mary was admitted next day, with the rash developed. The incubation period at the very least is 24 hours, and it takes 24 hours mere to develop the rash; that is. to say, the rash does not appe_ar till 48 hours after exposure to infection. Rose Mary then was infected at least 48 hours before she came ,to the hospital.

The chairman : When a death occurs what do you do with the clothing ?—That is another question, in which the boy's case is concerned. My first conflict with the Dunnes was about this clothing. The clothing is disinfected and is then left at the main building. I told the girl so, but she insisted on going to the nurse of the fever ward for .it. By that time it had : gone out of the nurse's hands. It was : given to the boy by one of the housemaids. The clothing was properly disinfected. It is the practice in all such cases. Dr Logan made a few remarks en the slighter case of Kate Dunne, .and said that Dr Symes informed him that he saw in Dunne's house another child whose skin was desquamating, peeling off, after scarlet fever, and thet»ehild had had the fever in so mild a form that it had not been sufficient to make hep go .to bed. But the peeling of the skin proved that she had had the fever. Kate Dunne came in on her father's own application, because she had headache, and "he thought she would develop the same disease as thp ethers; and she was entered as a "probable" case. As she did not develop the disease she was allowedi to go. In regard to the disinfection of ■, the clothes, both Dr Logan and Dr Munro said jt was the general practice to disinfect, and Mr Jowsey was in charge of that duty. Mr Jowsey, called for the purpose, said it had always been the custom at the hospital to disinfect clothes before handing them back, and it was done in this case. He "did not know that this case was different from any others.' Mr Dunne asked why, when his daughter was admitted to look* after the child, she found her tied hands and feat, within half an hour of her death.

Dr Logan said she was delirious, and at times had convulsions. It was usual' in such cases to use- a "restraining sheet;" a sheet .tied at the .corners, so as to keep 1-the patient in bed. • In this- case a blanket was used. ' What Mr Dunne, called' "cords?—with a view to make things asbad as possible—were • flannel bandages tiedv to the'wrists (and also the legs) to restrain the child's movements. It was not unusual. The bandages had wool beneath them, and they were loose and would not (be felt when the child lay still. Mr Dunne thought it very unreasonable to tie up a child like, that when she was at the point of death. Dr Munro said it was usual tc " restrain" patients. There were at that moment three patients in the kespital rnc!er such restraint.

Dr Logan: If a patient has a specie. nurse it is not necessary.

Complainant said he did not think.it reasonable in this case at all. Mr Hole made a remark about German measles not being considered dangerous, and.Mr Dunne said he was told the first cases were German measles, and several persons in the neighbourhood had had it in their houses, and told him there was ro danger if care was taken. . Attention was then given to the second charge, of rude treatment of complainant's daughter and himself by Dr Logan. * Complainant said he understood that relatives were admitted to see patients on visiting days ; —four days a week, he ncderstood. His daughter went to the hospital for tlfe clothes of her deceased sister, and went to the ward for them, supposing that the nurse had charge of them. Dr Logan came to her and told her to clear off the premises, or he would send for a policeman to remove her.—(The chairman said the girl ought' to have been brought to give this evidence herself; they ought not to accept hearsay.)— One reason given ,fcr keeping her out of the t ward was that she had given the children chocolates, and in consequence one of them vomited 24 hours or more; The fact was that she gave one of them two chocolates, and these were taken from the. child by the nurse.

The chairman again objected .to heaisay, and the complainant went on toj his cwn case, respecting the statements i.i the letter, and protesting against it. , He went im to see the doctor, to inquire about his children, and after waiting a long time went to the window. To Mr Macintosh-; "Was not 'aware that the doctor had been annoyed by his daughter's conduct previously; he ought not- to have beer. There were two other men there who, he presumed, had no friend in the ward, looking in the window, and Dr Logan said nothing to them, while he caught his (complainant's) arm to shove him away. • Dr Logan gave his version of this affair. The first time he had reason to complain was on the nurses's report that the o-irl gave chocolates to one of her sisters, with the result that she was> vomiting for 48 hours, and was in very grave danger of exhaustion. Then he heard—the nurse should not have allowed,it —that the same girl had stood at the window some half an hour talking to both children, who sat upin bed, and one of them got inflammation of the shoulders. The next time he came in contact with the girl was outside the ward, when she said she had come for her sister's clothes. He told her she should not be there, but should apply at the mam building fpr them. He told her she had no right to be there, but she refused to go, until he threatened to send s foAi policeman to remove her. He told her she could not get the clothes that day. Her father came next day. and he told him what lie had told the Board—about- the chocolates, the talking at the window and their results. He supposed these were the " insignificant matters " referred to in the letter. Mr Dunne asked if he might look through the window at his children.—(Mr Dunne: I never said anything of the sort.)— Told him no, he could not permit it. He said Mrs Jowsey had permitted it. Said he gave no authority for it. The next be heard of it was that Mr Hole, rang him up about it, asking if Dunne could not see the children, even if only through the window, and he. said no. Ine next day, when in the ward, he received a message asking him to see Dunne, but he could not go out just tnen, and sent a message to Dr Mwiro askmg him if he would see Dunne. Some time after he saw Dunne standing at the window. He went out to him, and saw that he bid three people with him, evidently biougnt by hfm, one his niece, tmy other two men. These men left immediately lie spoke to them, but Dunne refused to go; asked.if the place belonged to him (Dr Logan), if ■ not he would stay as lons as he liked. i The telephone to the police not being . available on Sunday, he sent a messenger ; for the gardener and porter to remove him, and Dunne then went away.

Complainant said Dr Logan had told a. deliberate lie (the chairman protested ao-ainst such Lmcruagel—in his account of their conversation. He had never asked whether it was rieht or wrong for him to look through the window, but only about his daughter's doing so. Mr Hole said he ranrt up Dr Logan, for Dunne, and told the latter that it was a serious matter, and he must_ keep away from the ward, and the window Complainant asked whether the doctor has sole control of the" institution, and the chairman said that so far as the patients are concerned he has. Dr Munro said the rule in regard to infectious disease wards in hospitals at Home is that there must be a high wall 150 ft away from the windows of the ward, and" no one is allowed in tEat space. Complainant made a remark about the danger of Dr Logan conveying infection to hinr, -when he- came" straight from the

I ward and put his .hand upon his arm. — |Dr Logan replied that precautions were I always taken after touching a fever pa- [ tient. Complainant mentioned that he had previously had two children in the hospital with fever, and they were treated in the general ward with no danger to others. Both doctors said they were typhoid patients, and these are not isolated, as typhoid is not infectious—the contagion is not carried aerially. Complainant asked how iti was that his children, suffering from a disease said to be so dangerous as scarlet fever, were treated in the same ward as others with German measles.—Dr Logan said they were not. They were in the same building, but not in the same room; .there was a passage between them. Mr Macintosh: It is a question of accommodation.

Dr Logan said they had had two cases of German measles in the same ward, and they had not - contracted fever. Mr Hole: You asked the Board to allow you to withdraw the children. You do not ask that now? —Not if they are; suffering from scarlet fever. Dr Logan remarked that in his letter of the 18th complainant said he had lost all confidence in the hospital, yet on the 22nd he brought in a boy said to be suffering from diphtheria. He was told in the forenoon to send the boy in, but did nob bring him till 11 at night, and the boy said he would not bring him in daylight. Complainant: You cannot substantiate that.

Dr Logan said he could. He had a telephone from Dr Reid early in the evening, about 4 o'clock, telling him about the case, and asking if the patient had come in. v ■'.-'<

Complainant said that could not be the case, for he could not find Dr Reid till 9 p.m.

Dr Munro corroborated Dr Logan about the telephone message. There was some threat of wrangling about this, and the chairman put a stop to it as irrelevant.-

Complainant said he had now put his complaints before them. Dr Munro made a statement he had prepared about thg admissions, and afeo to refer to the letter which'Mr Dunne had written to the " Herald "of . that day. This statement dealt with the diagnosis of the cases; the dates of admissions and the condition of each patient at the; time, to prove the impossibility of the patients having, as complainant asserted, contracted the disease in the hospital. With reference to the son, he that complainant had committed a breach of the Public Health Act in sending for him from Christchurch, where he was earning good wage's, "to come home to attend to the ant was understood to contradict the statement.)— That the boy caught the infection from his sister's clothes was impossible, as there was not time, for its incubation between the day he got the clothes and his bding sent in as a patient. Dr Munro enumerated patients who had passed through the ward and had not been infected, .whereas on the other hand Dr Symes had informed him that one of the children at home was peeling, and she had ne,ver been ill enough to go to bed. The public need not have the slightest fear regarding the safety of the hospital on that 'ground; The ward was most thoroughly disinfected after • every use of it.

Referring to the difficulty of diagnosis in the early stages, Dr,Logan mentioned that besides •the: case bf the boy being sent in as" .a..case jof diphtheria. Dr Hcgg.had sent in two cases-'as". profeably .'scarlet' fftyer,' which turned out' to be German "measlesV but these errors were no. reflection skill of thbse"gentlemeii, it being impossible to distinguish in the early stages. "- his contention was that he was not informed in the change of opinion about the disease.

Dr Munro: I told you myself that Rose Mary had it. Complainant: You told me it was German measles.

The incident of the Sunday was again referred to, and J)r Munro mentioned that he passed complainant three times while the latter was waiting for Dr Logan. Complainant said he understood that he was to inquire of Dr Logan and no one else. ' Dr Logan said he treated complaman. civilly enough, but he refused to go. The gardener was called to give evidence of what occurred when Dr Logan sent for : him, but his evidence was not very material, as the complainant was moving away when he arrived. He did not see any inciyility on either side. Some further discussion and semiwrangling took place between complainant and Dr Logan, the former concluding by asking whether the doctor was a Czar of Russia, whose word -was law. The chairman said that in a hospital the doctor's word is law. Mr Hole said he gave complainant plainly to understand that his daughter must not go to'the window, and he should have applied that rule to himself also, but he appeared not to have done so. Mr Hole remarked that the inquiry should do good in removing any doubts that might be afloat regarding the condition of the fever ward; and he thought Mr Dunne would now be satisfied that everything had been done for the best. The room being cleared the committee conferred for about three-quarters of an •hour, and agreed upon a report which will bTpresented* to.the* Board on Wednesday. The committee thought it would be improper to publish their findings before piesenting them to the Board. The proceedings, occupied • about three hours. ■ / -