THE MATRON'S OPINION

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7661, 17 January 1901, Page 1

THE MATRON'S OPINION

The position of the unfortunate woman" whose sad \ case, has caused ao much discussion during the past week, prompted a representative of this paper to wait upon the Matron of the Christohurdh Hospital yesterday evening, and that lady kindly expressed her, willingness to supply allthe information she could regarding the matter. - "I should like to say," said the matrwvi " that I consider it extremely unkind and injudicious for members of public bodie» and others to cause to be published statements which are calculated, not only to give pain to the unfortunate woman and her children, but to unnecessarily alarm the public." ; Have you seen the patient? - . ; , ; "Yes; I went to see her this . morning, and dressed her. She is certainly very ill, though not nearly so bad or objectionable as I had been led to .anticipate from the reports \a the newspapers. During my eleven, years' experience -as a district nurse in Belfast, I have had to atteEd to scores of cases in their own homes and in cottage hospitals very much worse, and I would not have the slightest objection to attend to this patient in> her.own.home if I were free to ;do" bo. , She was an initiate' " .of this hospital five.. years, .ago,\-^hen,Qne. ; ' : of' her .arms. was. rempyed/ . She. was .th^ri ap'jwiently aljnost a^i, bad as.she is no.w," '. .?■■ Was. she. isolated then? . .■'.,*•

"No, she was treated in. the ward: with other patients, and there was no suggestion then that the case was a menace tp the other inmates; to the nurses, or to tbe public "

Would it not be dangerous for a nurse to dress the woman and attend to other patients? " That is a question for the medical men to decide. I can only reiterate that I would cheerfully attend to her myself if opportunity offered, and any true nurse would fee willingly to do her best in any such case." Is the patient quite unable to help herself?

"Oh, no; she can walk about quietly-;' but the fact of. her having lost one arm is,; ,:. ©f course, against her." „.,.. „; . ■■ . v^^rott>fchink.^e. showld>be isbla^? '"' : . "JKes- : ; even ior. her «wn.6ake..thi?;diotlld be dona. i.Thccase isu>nly ebjectionable-tb • the eye, not-totiie other {acuities,: and alt the poor w-^»ace/-as ( BlieS r fears that tte xnmpurs spread dnjuri- .. ausly. ifiect beir chiidren, ■ojie-of;'*bp^lt& aiready been di«charged by;his employer bn that account. There is not the wnrofcest comparison between attending a case of cancer and the one under notice. We have had a, case in the hospital almost as bad, and no such disturbing rumours were then circulated. The sufferer is able to dress heweW, end- oaa do many little things. Most certainly «»he does not require the conatau^ attention of a nurse. She ie well nwayi that it is unpleasant for her to mix with other people, and is only too willing to isolate herself for the nake of her ehildWii. I would suggest that it would. lmv« bwn infinitely preferable to nave quietly obtain*.-; her admission to the hospital. Tfcero ssvor was any objection to admitting her, h\\< there was no' birilding in- which the, emUo. be isolated.. Now that this matter has beep