7

H.—22a

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

The Royal Commission appointed by the Government to inquire into matters connected with the management of the Auckland Hospital held its second sitting at the chamber room of the Supreme Court on the 18th October, when the taking of evidence was commenced. The Commissioners present were District Judge Ward (Chairman), Mr. Richmond Beetham, ex-S.M., and Mr. S. E. McCarthy, S.M. Mr. J. R. Reed (instructed by Messrs. Hesketh and Richmond) appeared on behalf of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, Mr. S. Hesketh being also present part of the day. Mr. R. McVeach (Messrs. Russell and Campbell) appeared for Dr. J. Hardie Neil, who lodged a number of complaints against the hospital management and the Senior Medical Officer. Dr. Collins (Senior Medical Officer) appeared in person, and Dr. MacGregor, Inspector-General of Hospitals, appeared on behalf of his Department. Amongst others present during the whole or part of the day were Dr. Roberton (President of the Auckland Division of the British Medical Association), Mr. G. J. Garland (Chairman of the Hospital Board), Mr. J. Stevenson (Acting-Secretary of the Board), Messrs. J. McLeod, J. R. Walters, A. Bruce (members of the Board), Drs. McDowell, Craig, King, Savage, Parkes, and Bull. On the Commission opening at 10 o'clock, the Chairman said that the Commission had decided to first take the charges made by Dr. Neil against Dr. Collins. Mr. Roed asked permission to cross-examine witnesses called in support of the charges against Dr. Collins. Most of the charges against Dr. Collins, he said, also involved charges against the Board. . The Chairman said the Commission would agree to what Mr. Reed asked. Dr. Roberton asked whether, as the charges against Dr. Collins were to a certain extent connected with the charges made hy the Medical Association against the management of the Hospital, he could also cross-examine witnesses called in regard to the charges against the Senior Medical Officer. The Chairman signified that there would be no objection to this. Mr. McVeagh said he would first proceed with the charge in relation to the operation performed on the late Wallis White. Mr. Reed asked the Oommision if he could be furnished with a copy of Dr. MacGregor's report to the Minister on his recent inquiry at the Hospital, but the Chairman said the Commission could not comply with the request. The following list of charges made by Dr. Neil against Dr. Collins, Senior Medical Officer at the Hospital, was submitted: — 1. That Dr. James Clive Collins, Senior Medical Officer in charge of the Auckland Hospital, infringed Rule 21 of the rules and regulations for the management of the Auckland Hospital, as adopted by the District of Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in January, 1902, inasmuch as he performed a certain major surgical operation on one Wallis White on the 18th May, 1904, the said rule requiring that the honorary surgeons shall perform all the major surgical operations. 2. That the said James Clive Collins performed such last-mentioned operation without a previous consultation of at least three members of the honorary staff, and that the performing of such operation under those circumstances was a violation of the said Rule 21. 3. That the said James Clive Collins did not take sufficient care before performing the said operation to obtain correct clinical history of the case, and that in violation of Rule 51 of the said regulations he did not see that the bed-chart of the said Wallis White was filled up with full particulars and history of the case. 4. That the said James Clive Collins recognised that the case of the said Wallis White was a desperate one, and, notwithstanding that, took as his assistant in the performance of the said operation the Junior Medical Officer of the said Hospital, as to whose previous experience in assisting at abdominal operations the said James Clive Collins had no knowledge whatever, and who he was aware had charge of septic and infectious cases'. 5. That the said James Clive Collins made two incisions in the large intestine of the said Wallis White, and that there was no reason or justification for so doing. 6. That the said James Clive Collins made a statement to Dr. MacGregor (the Inspector-General of Hospitals) at a formal inquirymade by him that he, the said James Clive Collins, did not make two incisions in the intestine of the said Wallis White, whereas, in fact, he did make two such incisions. 7. That the said James Clive Collins stated to the said InspectorGeneral at such last-mentioned inquiry that there were three ulcers in the stomach of the said Wallis White, whereas, in fact, there was only one. 8. That the act of the said James Owe Collins in making the incisions into the large intestine of the said Wallis White resulted in great loss of time during the performance of the said operation, and very seriously prejudiced the chances of the patient's recovery. 9. That the said James Clive Collins violated Rule 21 of the said rules and regulations on the 3rd August, 1904, by performing a major surgical operation upon Arthur Duke at the said Hospital, that the said operation was performed without a previous consultation of at least three members of the honorary staff. 10. That the operation that was performed upon the said Arthur Duke was entirely unnecessary and unjustifiable.