THAMES HOSPITAL.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1772, 7 September 1874, Page 2

THAMES HOSPITAL.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.)

Sip,—l have read all the public correspondence, comments and criticisms which have appeared „in our local journals referring to'the investigation of the Hos- j pital management, especially that part which refers to the treatment: which ; Maurice Power received whilst a i patient therein, and I must say that, to me it all seems as curious as | it is interesting, and quite as in- , teresting as it is important—important, ' because if Mr. Power lost his arm through being treated neglectfully in the Hospital, I am anxious that steps should be taken which would prevent a like occurrence happening to me or any other miner whose occupation as such brings him within the probability of meeting with such misfortune as Mr. Power did; interesting —to know what motives principally induced a public journal which assumes to itself to be the " guide, philosopher and friend" of the public, and the mining portion of it especially, to make-such malicious charges as it has done against those gentlemen who have undertaken the not very pleasing duty— that of investigation.; I say malicious, because any person of common sense would not charge even an ordinary individual with base motives for doing a thing without showing, or attempting to show, some valid reasons to support that charge ; and this your contemporary, in its strictures and abuse of the Hospital Sub-Committee, has not done. Hence the malice prepense ; and for what reasons it has done so I am curious enough to wish to know. I said!)" curious," as my curiosity induces me to desire to know what " stimulant" influenced your contemporary to p]ace itself in the uncivilised position of " a Malay running a muck," as it most certainly has done in this.case..

I would not trouble you with, this letter were it not that the writer referred to charges the Sub-Committee with a " com-

binati&V to effect somo purpose, and I believo this accusation to be as insidious as it is untrue. That it is untrue the following facts will show :-rThe complaints which caused the investigation originated with me. I sent you the letter containing them; you refused to publish it in tlie ordinary manner, until I had to come to your office from my work and personally assured you that I believed the statements

it contained were true. When tho letter came before the committee some of the gentlemen—who are now on the subcommittee in fact—ridiculed it and its contents; at all events this did not in any sense go to shew that there was any sucfe combination as that referred to by "-the Advertiser. However, to the honor of

those gentlemen be it said, that, on finding that those charges were not groundless, they did their best gratuitously to enquire into them; and, in the conscientious discharge of a public duty, condemned what they ; considered should be condemned. Those gentlemen were appointed as a SubCommittee, by the General Committee, consequently, in the usual manner, the General Committee are responsible as well as the sub-committee; and, as the general committee is. a publicly-appointed body, the reader will readily sco whether to tho deliberate statements of lhos« gentlemen or the bare assertion of tho writer in the Advertiser he will give the respect. Michael OMTaiee. ;

(Hu'siANITATIS.)