THE HOSPITAL INQUIRY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5280, 10 June 1895, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL INQUIRY

EVIDENCE BEFORE THE

COMMISSION.

THIS DAT.

The sittings of the Commission appointed to inquire into the administration of the Chriatchurch Hospital were resumed before Dr Giles at the Provincial Council Chamber at 10.30 a.m. to-day. There WM an attendance of about sixty. Dr Macgregor, Inspector of Hospitals, and Mrs Grace Neill were present.

Mr Stringer appeared an Crown Solicitor on behalf of the Hospital and Charitable Aid D.partment, Me Loughrey for the Hospital Board, Mr Joynt, with bim Mr Hunt, for the united bodies and Miss Cameron, Mr Caygill for the Progressive Liberal Association, aud Mr Maude for the natron of the hospital.

Mr Joyct said that he would not be able to classify tho evidence so as to make it apply particularly to each several charge. He would, therefore, have to c ill it just as it was available. He called

Percy D. Jackson, fruiterer, who deposed that he was admitted to the hospital ub a patient in No. 6 Ward in October laflfr, and remained there for two months. He was under Dr Stewart, and the House Surgeon also attended to him. He underwent an operation. A patient named Kiely was in the ward, and the Houbo Surgeon, at one time, ordered hint to be placed on bread and water. Drs Stewart and Murray-Aynsley were attending to witness's foot, and Kiely was talking. Dr Murray- Ay usley turned to Sister Medium, the hend nurse, and said, "Pub that man on bread and water." Kiely was talking to his sister. The House Surgeon had previously warned him not to speak, but be did so. This was about ten or eleven ia tha morning. At dinner time he would not take the bread I and water, co come one gave him boo O puddiDg. WitneEo saw two boys, patients, put on bread and wator. They had been climbing the trees, and the house surgeon ordered them to be put on bread and water and kept in bed next day. Witneus had no complaint to make as to the House Surgeon's minner, and ho was very well satisfied with the quantity and quality of the food. To Mr Caygill : Ono night witness wbb very bad, and the Houee Surgeon was sent for and came into the ward staggering. This was five minutes to one in the morning, but witness could not Bay what the date

was. The doctor smelt of drink, but wit-

ness would not say that ho was drunk. Witness wrote to the Hoapitul Board about

the matter.

It was some months after

the occurrence that witness wrote to the Board. He wrote on April 2. Nurae Cameron's caee had cropped up then, and someone at the Hospital hcd alleged that witness had ajcnaed her of cruelty, so that he thought he bad better say wh it, he really did know. Dr Murray - Ayneley spoke to witness on a Saturday, anJ naid "Yon have got a charge against Nurse Cameron." Witness who was then au out pniiont, said he ha.A not got one, »nd asked the doctor who had said so, but the doctor refused to tell him. Witness had got a letter from the matron ou January 25, asking him to come and see the doctor on Sunday on important business. He wont on th« Monday and saw the doctor in the matron's room. The matron was there and Dr Murray-iLynßloy looked over a roll of papere, and read oat a charge which he said witness had made against Nurse Cameron. Witness denied it. Ha did nob hear any more about that charge. He wrote his letter to the Board without any fresh reason.

To Mr Loughrey: Ki^lf talked again after the doctor had told htm not to do bo. Nurse Cameron came' into the ward with the doctor to see witness at one in the morning. He had on a dressing gown and slippers. Witness remembered his leg bleeding, but he could not say whether it was before or after that the doctor came in. It was about the end of October or early in November. The doctor's usual state was all right. The general attention witness received was satisfactory. He biw the matron in the wards in the morning and evening.

To Dr Murray- Aynaley : Witness conld not cay why the doctor was sent for that night. He could not Bay whether he was doing pretty well previously. Somebody else was very bad that night. Dr Murray- Ayneley said that he wished to fix the date.

Witness, said that he knew Mb heel was bad that night.

To Mr Stringer : He wrote to the Board of his own motion. He thought he need not soy, unless he liked, whether any doctor had seen him about writing it. The Commissioner said that the witness must answer. It was not for him to judge whether it was relevant or not.

Witness said that Dr Stewart had seen him, but not in refer nee to writing tho letter. Dr Stewart had not asked him about the House Surgeon being drunk. He asked witness whether Nurse Camerou had been rough to him, but did not &ak

him about hospital matters generally. The nuraes seemed to work together well when witness was in the Hcspitil. He had not been interviewed by Dr Do Eenzi. To Mr Loughrey : Dr Stewart came twice to witnoas' shop and examined his leg, but did not ask him about the doctor.

To Mr Joynt : Witness was not f everieh, nor highly excited, when Dr MurrayAynsley came iDto the ward at one o'clock. Witness did not drink. He was s prohibitionist and a Salvationist, though, not a member of any Prohibition League. To Mr Caygill : His letter to the Board had not been suggested by Dr Stewart. It was entirely his own manufacture. *■ To the Commissioner : He had at first refused to answer the question about that, becauee he wfb not sure that it was relevant. He had thought it right to write the letter to the Board, because unfounded charges were being made against Nurse Cameron. When the House Surgeon came in at one in the morning he unbound witness' foot, and put a bit of

cotton wool on it. It was not done as

nicely as it might bare been done, but it eased witness. Nutee Cameron was night nuree. In the day time Sister Medlam and three or four other nurses were in the ward.

! Mrs Grimsey, Hare wood Road, deposed that in July last her son, Edward Strange, went to the hospital for an operation. After it had been performed he was sent out, and Boine time after witness had to call in Dr Brittin to attend him. In consequence of what he told her she took the boy to the hospital between 10 and 10.30 a.m. next day. The House Surgeon was then out-, and they had to wait till after 12 to see him. It was on a Monday, but she could not remember the date. Dr MurrayAynsley then told her ho could not attend to her, as she had not come on the right day. She replied that the doctor had sent her there, but he said he would not attend unless eho came on the proper day. She asked him what was the proper day, and he replied that it was printed up all over the place. He walked away, and ehe sat where Bhe was till one of the warders came and saw the doctor for her. He came back and said the doctor would see her. She saw the doctor again, and he was very insulting, and said that it was through such cases as this that all the trouble had been oaueed. He gave her a prescription. Her son went again on the Thursday, and when ho came back, told her something. He was now in the Asylum.

Mr Maude objected to hearsay evidence being taken.

The Commissioner said that heareay evidence of this sort was not admissible.

Mr Joynt said that the boy'a statement was very creditable to Miss Maude, but not to the doctor.

The Commissioner said he could not admit it.

I The witness continued : After that her ' eoa Eecmed unwilling to return to the Hospital, beoausehe seemed afraid of Dr Aynsley. ; To Mr Joynt: Her Bon had fits, and a I piece of bono was taken from hia head. 1 No plate was put to cover tb.9 place, and a

c strap was not pub on bis head till thre mmths sfter. On the Thursday when h( •went to the Hospital by himself b< brought back a bottle of medicine and an order from Miss Maude or Mr Corrick for a strap for his head, He had met with an accident when a baby, and whb eighteen years old. He was much tetter after the operation. She waited about ten minutes to eeo the doctor atter he bad left her on the Monday, and the warder saw her. She then went into a room and saw the doctor sitting on a table. When he told her tbat it was just such people as her who made all the trouble she replied that if ifc w.b not for her troubles and other peojle'd like hex'e ho wouid not be » required there.

To Mr Loughrey: The boy'a brother caused the ec i lent. He wee in the hospital about three weeke, and she vieited him. He did not make any complaints. To the Commissioner : Her boy did not go back to the hospital after the Thursday. Ernest Carmiohael deposed that he had entered the hospital a3 "a patient on Sept. 11, 1894, and had been ten weeks in the accident ward, No. 6. While he was there no person connected with the hospital made any suggestion to him as to making any charge against Nursa Cameron. Nur?e Piliiet once asked him what sort of a night he had, and he said that he had bad a very rou^h nighfc. He had asked Nuree Cameron to put his leg up in splints, and Bho had said " do it yourself," and then she went away, but

she came back in a few minutes and put it right. Nurse Cameron attended to him carefully after that, and was kind to him. He told Nuraa Piliiet what had happened, but not with the idea of making a complaint against Nurse Cameron. He heard the doctor order Kiely to be put on bread and water for talking while he was in tho ward ; and also heard him order two young boys to be put on bread and water. Kiely was talking | in ah ordinary way to his sister, and the doctor told him .to stop. He went on talking, but not in a loud tone. Mr Loughrey said that .the fact was admitted, but it would be explained. To Mr Caygill: An operation was performed on -witDeßß at noon, and the doctor did not come to see him in the evening. The matron did not come round the wards every night that he knew of. She came round every morning, but not every day in the evening, and then it was before eight.

To Mr Loughrey : He was treated very well, and the Food was very good. No one had seen him about giving evidence. He had come of his own accord. To Dr Murray-Aynsley : He was in pain the night after the operation, but did not tell the nuise. He was not sure whether the doctor came or not that ! night. To Mr Maude : He waa in No. 10 bed, and went to sleep about nine o'clock. To Mr Stringer : A patient named Stewart was. in the Hospital. He saw no evidence of Stewart and Nurse Cameron being on very friendly terms. Stewart afterwards Baw him, and asked him to

write a letter in favour of Nurße Cameron. That was when her dismissal from the Hospital was being considered. To Dr Murray- Aynsley : Your visita at night ate generally late. Tbe lights are turned down at eight. No. 10 bed was at the farther end of the ward. To the Commissioner: Nurse Pilliet asked him if Nursa Cameron had done anything to him, and then he told her what had happened. This was made the subject of a charge aftainst Nurse Cameron, but he had . no intention of its being followed up. Mr Caygill called Francis O'Neill, who deposed that ho had been in No. 6 ward several times, and had undergone five operations. All the nurses under whose charge he had been had been kind and obliging. He had been* in care of Stater Medlam, Nurses Cameron, Griffith?, Henry, Cockroft and Merritf. He had been on fish diet. Sometimes the fish was very bad —tainted. The cookiug was all right. He last left the hospital on July 12, 1893. He had seen cancerous mutton at the table. Sometimes the bread was sour. The Commissioner eaid that these allegations referred to a long way back. Mr Caygill as id that they were relevant, ~ap the inquiry was supposed to cover a long time back, and it was alleged that the Steward had not properly looked after the food supply. They would produce evidence that the state of the food waa nothing like what it ought to be now.

The Commissioner said that was what he wanted to know. This sort of thing should depend on evidence of. a more recent date, but he was not speaking to atop Mr Caygill. Taken with more recent evidence this would tell.

Mr Caygill said that the Steward was bound by Regulation 61 to strictly supervise all Btores.

Witness continued: Never Baw the Steward supervise the food. A man named Bowley, who bad lost a foot by an accident at Little Eivar, was brought to tho next bed to witness's, in the night. About eleven or twelve o'clock the doctor came staggering up the ward, and fell over the man's cheat. He was the worse of drink, and was speaking in a very thick voice. Witness had several times seen the doctor in that condition, but he could- not fix dates. It was late in the evening. When the doctor went to a bed to see a patient the light was alwaye raised. Witness had commonly seen the doctor smoking cigarettes in the wards, and a pipe in the corridor. The patients very seldom had vegetables. They might get one small potato, and a deßaert spoonful of cabbage or parsnip. The doctor had very seldom been round at meal times. Witness was not a prohibitionist, but had no stimulants ordered. fie used to fetch the stimulant basket, and had several times had to take back brandy or whieky bottles to the Secretary because fall meaßure was not there. Mr Miller, the secretary, treated him very insultingly on those occasions. On one morning Sister Medlam sent him to tell Mr Miller that a bottle of stout ordered for a patient had not come. Mr Miller said, "That'll do, that'll do. I'll send it up when I'm To Mr Loughrey : Witness was a labourer and barman. He went in for a crushed thigh, perhaps about 1890 or 1889. The food was always bad, as he had Baid. He had made no complaints at the time except among the patients, becauae it was no use. There was only one man who could do anything there. Miss Steel, who was matron when he went in, had several times ordered the meat to be sant back as it was bad. To Mr Joynt : The doctor came into the ward on his rounds the worae for drink. Witness had often apoken to Mr Brown, the dresser, about the doctor coming round intoxicated. Two or three times Dr Stewart and Dr Murray-Aynsley came round at meal times, and Dz Stewart tasted the soup, which was all right.

To Mr Stringer : Nurse Cameron was on duty when the dootor fell over a patient, and at other times when he was the worse for liquor. It was not the practice for the nurse to go round with a candle when the doctor came round. Witness had not complained'to Mr Brown with a view to the doctor's state being brought before the authorities. Had not mentioned it to anyone else. When he saw the notice of the inquiry he had thought it his duty to come forward j nobody had prompted him Frederick John Montagu deposed that at the end of February or the beginning of March last he met with an accidentfell off a horse— and was sent to the hospital on March Bor 9. He went in between three andf our in the afternoon. His shoulder waa out. Mr Brown received him, but no doctor came to him till next morning, when the Houae Surgeon and another doctor came. Dr Murray- Aynsley gave him three prods on the arm, and did not look at hia leg, shoulder, or arm, which were injured. He was put on milk diot, and got nothing but milk all the time he was there. He assked for beef tea and toast and was refueed. On the first day he got three half-pints of cold milk. On the third day ho asked fchreo times to see the doctor, who did not come. At eight tbat night he got out of bed, pnt on his clothes and sat at tbo door of the dispensary awaiting for the doctor. Mr

. Brown caw him and ordered him to bed, . saying that the doctor would see mm that night. He waß starving, and nothing had been done to relieve the pain in his arm and stomach. The doctor came halt an f hour aftar, and told the nurse to put some rubbinp stuff on his arm. Ifc relieved the pain. That night the night-nurse put sorao hot fomentations on his etoimeb. When he left he was weaker than when ho wont ic. Through the horae cantering over him liis Btomach had been hurt. He had told Miss Medl*m that if he was not better treated ha would leave next morning, and she Baid he could do co if he pleased. He left without telling the doctor, Baw the Chairman of the Board, and aaked ■ him to hold a Board of Enquiry over the ! doctor. The Chairman made enquiries, '

and the doctor said that if he had ordered any other diet it would have killed witness. Witness had a rump stesk on the morning he left the hospital, and it did him good. His laft arm was still powerless. Witness only paw the doctor twice when he was in the hospital. He came in once when a patient had to undergo an operation t but did not attend to witness, who did not complain to him.

To Mr Loughrey : Witness was five duya in the hospital, and met the Secretary, but did not tell him he was coming out for a square meal. He was staying now with a certain party. Ho had been in the Avon Eefuge, but had stayed out two nights without leave, and did not intend to go back. No doctor but the Houao Surgeon j saw him in the hospital. I

To Mr Stringer : Witnea3 had not been drinking before the accident, which had not baen earned by his drunkenness. He had been to the Charitable Aid Department for assistance, but who had sent him did nob concern anybody here. He did not tell the officialo there that Drs Stewart and De Kenzie had sent him. He had see/i

them both, but not together. They first saw him last month with reference to hia arm. He was sent to Dr Stewart by another doctor, but he would not say who. He did not tell the Charitable Aid officials that Drs Stewart and De Eenzie had sent him, and he did not know that they kom working up evidence in the hospital case. He did not tell the officials that those doctors had told him to remain in town.

To Mr Loughrey: He had no meanß. He had been examined by Drs Stewart and Deßenzie, through their generosity. He had been to four doctors — who, it didn't matter. He had been to Dr Hunt and Dr Micklc. He was not aware that the Charitable Aid Board had a medical officer. He had told the officials of the injury to his arm.\ To Dr Mtarray-Aynslej .- He had bean employed by Mr M'Clure, surveyor, and left him because ho could not copu with bia work in consequence of the accident. Mr M'Glure gave him a reference saying that he was a good cook aad baker. I

To the Commissioner : When he caw the doctor at the hospital he told him that he could not keep anything on his stomach. He knew that his shoulder was out, because the doctor had told him. He would have no objection to the Commissioner examining if.

Jumes Clark, tailor, deposed that he went into the hospital for au operation for fistula, in Dr Stewart's wtet, in order to get Dr Stewart's services. He went in on a Monday. Dr Stewart's name waß put on his card, and the operation was performed on the Wednesday. Dr Stewart was not there, and witness asked the matron where he whs. She replied that the House Surgeon would do the operation. No Burgeon but the House Surgeon ' was there. The matron administered the ether. The House Surgeon did the operation. It was not a success, and witness had to undergo another operation, which was performed by Dr Meares. The House Surgeon was present. The opera' ion was not successful, and witness had been operated on .privately since. The last operation was more successful than tVia nfViara

Hit) ÜbLIBIH. To Mr Joynt : Mr Brown, 'the dresser, was present at both operations. To Mr Loughrey : He was about sixteen weeks in the hospital, received every attention from the nurses, and the food was good. To the Commissioner : Dr Stewart did not see hitn, that he kaewof, till after the first operation. To Dr Murray- Aynaley : When witneßß waa operated on at home, Drs Prina an d Thomas, and Mr Brown were present.

Afternoon SirriNG.

Mrs Ada Elliston deposed that she was in the hospital in September last. She was ordered in by Dr Murray-Aynsley, who saw her for the Charitable Aid Board while Dr Murdoch was away. She went in for nourishment, and for some instruments to be used. Dr Murray-Aynsley told her she must be strengthened before the operation. She was taken to the hospital in a cab, and got there about balfpast four in the afternoon: She had had nothing before she went in but a cup of tea. She had nothing after she went into the hospital till half-past seven next morning. She was put into No. 2 ward.

Mr Joynt : That is known as the pauper ward.

Dr Murray-Aynsley said that this was not so ; it was known as the convalescent ward?

Witness continued: She bad porridge and bread and batter for breakfast, soup and sago pudding for dinner, and tea and bread and batter in the evening about half-past four. She got nothing between mealei Dr Murdoch had ordered a syringe to be used, but it was not used in the hospital all the while she was there, eleren days, and she suffered greatly in consequence. She asked Nurse Griffiths twice if she could see Dr Loniax-Smith, whose name waa on her bed-card. She did not see him. Her bill from the hospital came to £2 4*. When the House Surgeon came round in the morning he asked her how Bhe waa getting en, and that was all. When she asked him for leave-to go homo, he said that an operation was necessary. He said it would not do her any good, but would relieve her. She eaid she would go home. She had an internal complaint. She and all in the ward had to get up at 5 a.m., and she had to wash in a cold bath-room. She had to make her own bed, tfoougk she was very weak. When she told the doctor she wanted her discharge, be said that if she wanted to go she had better go. When she left she was considerably worse, both as to her complaint and her strength, than when she went in. She had since been attended by Dr Murdoch, for the Charitable Aid Board, and was considerably better. She got no beef tea in the hospital. She had no appetite in the morning. She did not think the other inmates of the ward had enough. One girl in particular, Rose Thompkins, Bhe thought, complained very much that she had not enough food, and asked her mistress to bring her food. Dr Thomas passed through the ward once, and Dr Deamer twice. Dr Murray-Aynsley went through every morning, but not at night. He never attempted to treat her. The matron came round in the morning, but not at night. After leaving the hospital witness complained to Mr Eobert Wood, who was then chairman of the Board, and told him that she had been neglected and had only had medicine, and had not been treated with the syringe. Four or five weeks after she left the hospital Dr Murdoch and Miss Maude came to see her, and Miss Maude asked what nurae had made her gat up so early. Witness could not tell the name, but described the nurae. She told them she had had insufficient food, and had not received the medical treatment that ahe had gone in for. Miss Maude said, "I don't want you in there spying on me any more," and then she left. Witness had never eeen her since. Witness had been there four yeftra ago for a similar complaint, but not quite so bad. She then got beef tea in the morning and milk between meals.

To Mr Caygill : If she missed her breakfast she did not got a chance of anything to eat till dinner time. She did not aak for anything, as she thought she did not go to the hospital to teach the people there. She went in to be treated by Ds iiomax-Smith, but never saw him. When she went out of the hospital she went

i straight to D>" ; Murdoch, who ordered hei • i to go home and adopt special treatment. ' To Mr Loughrey : When she waa in th« , hospital four years ago Bhe got fish. It '■ waa fresh. To Mr Maude: It was four or five ■ months ago that Dr Murdoch and the l matron came to see her. They went away ! together. The matron said she could not use any syringes without the doctor's orders, and that he had not given any. ! Miss Maude did not return her salutation when ahe came iv. Witness told her that the patients in the ward were shamefully treated. That was what made Mies Mande say that she did not want witness spying on her. To Dr Murray-Aynsley : The House Surgeon used an instrument on her, bat without examination. A woman was there j at the time, but witness would not tell her ] name. I

! The Commissioner cautioned the witness, who, after considerable demur, said that her name was Mrs Mortlock, who then . • lived in Durham Street. Witness did not remember sending round for her to come. When witness was in the hospital she did j not complain of her treatment. She was I I perfectly sure that she knew Dt Lomax- j , Smith. When she was leaving she said I ' she was very anxious about her house. ' Her husband was at. home, and she was ! very anxious to. get back because of him. ' She had not been told that he was break- j ing up the home. To the Commissioner : Witness told the ; matron, when she came to see her, that ' she had had insufficient food, and the J matron made a note of it. No one came [ round at meal times to ccc what the food was like. One of the nurses brought it in.

Alborb Burt, called by Mr Caygill, deposed that he was foreman atFrostick'a boot factory. He had beeii in tho hospital from Jauusry till last Saturday week. ! The fish was generally pretty bad ; sometimes badly cooked and sometimes in itself. Some of the puddirga were not sufficiently cooked. There were no eggs in them until within the last fortni^

before bo left. The fish waa mostly conger eel. He was in No. 5 ward, and j generally turned out last, about a quarter ' to seven. The turning out began, he ! understood, at five. fie got breakfast j

about twenty fiv« paat seven. Sweeping I was sometimes going oa while the food ! came round, and r,Ue dust used to settle oa the food. Witness complained to the nurse about it., but bad not heard others comp'.ain. An old man named Lennie

was in the same ward, and the House Surgeon told him he would have to leave. Lencie refused to go, aad Dr MurrayAynsiey, WhUeiaw and Hancock got him out and putf him into a cab afc the back. They used force He whs pulled off a couuh on to ti;e floor, and he refused to move, bo they got him into the cab. WitnoGH did not see that he ' was hurt, but he was resisting all the time. Witnea3 thought th»t Mr Wbitelaw went with him in the cab. Mr Whi'.elaw had told him so. Witness did not know what Lsnnie was suffering from. To Mr Joynfc: The doctor did not, as far as witness knew, tell Lennia why he had to go. Lonnie had been in the hospital before while witness was there, and was subject to fits, he believed. Witness asked to leave, and had a bill given him when he came sway. Lonnie seemed a weak old man, and had been in bed up to the day he left. Lennie did not oeem to be a troublesome patient. To Mr Loughrey: The food was not generally good. Witness had all he required to eat and drink, and the doctor attended to him carefully. He had never seen the doctor smoking in the ward. To Mr Maude : The matron went round at dinner time to inspect the food. Wifcneeß complained to her about the fish, and she said she would Bee about it. She was willing to listen to complaints. j To Mr Murray- Ay naley : The House Surgeon did for him all he wanted. Lennie said that the doctor told him to go oat because ho was all right. The nurses ware very kind to witness. To Mr Loughrey : His treatment did not differ from that of other patients so far aa he knew.