H —22a

10

4. That the fracture of the said John Donald McLeod was so unskilfully treated that his leg is now permanently injured. The supplementary list also included the following joint charges by Dr. Neil against Dr. Collins and the Board: — 1. That patients suffering from cancer, consumption, delirium tremens, and semi-lunacy were kept with other patients in the same ward, and that sufficient lavatory and places of convenience were not provided for the purpose of segregating such of the said cases as ought to have been kept apart and as ought to have been kept separate from the other patients. 2. That patients are refused admission to the said Hospital unless they produce at the same time as their request to be admitted a recommendation from a medical man, even though the case may be such as to require immediate attention, and that this practice is bad. The following charges were made by Dr. Neil against the Hospital Board : — 1. That in the month of March, 1904, I was appointed by the said Board honorary ear, nose, and throat surgeon to the Auckland Hospital under the control of the said Board. 2. That on the 29th August the said Board dismissed me from my said office without any just cause or excuse. 3. That the cost of the management of the said Hospital during the time it has been under the charge of Dr. James Clive Collins, Senior Medical Officer, has been excessive. Mr. McVeagh said he would not address the Commission, but would at once proceed to call evidence. Samuel Maunders Hill, steward of the s.s. " Gael," said he knew Wallis White, who was employed on the same steamer as cook. He remembered White being taken ill on the 17th May last. He complained of pains in his left side, and groaned considerably. Witness applied hot fomentations over White's side and stomach. White appeared to be in great pain. Next day White was sent to the Hospital in the ambulance. William Moir, a hand employed on the steamer, accompanied him to the Hospital. By Mr. Reed: Witness gave White a glass of hot brandy on board the steamer, but he brought it up again. Mr. Reed: Had he complained of anything previously?— Yes, he had complained for some weeks previously. He thought it was indigestion. Dr. Collins: What was the precise time, on the 17th May, that the patient first complained to you?— About 3 o'clock in the afternoon. He complained again about half-past 12 at night, when he woke me. The steamer was then alongside the wharf at Omaha. What did he say to you?—He said ho was in great pain, and said; " Oh, my God, I'm dying." Did you ask him where the pain was? Yes, I did, and he said " Here," pointing to the loft side. What did you do when you got to Auckland?—l at once had him sent to the Hospital. What sort of food did White get? -As a rule he would eat hearty meals, his food including stewed steak and roast mutton. Did it not strike you as strange that when he was complaining of indigestion he should eat hearty meals?— He did not always have hearty meals, but he sometimes did even after he first complained of indigestion. I was surprised when he said he was going to die. Mr. McVeagh: Where was White the night before he complained? —He was at a dance at Omaha. He danced nearly all the evening, and also sang a song. Walter Freestone, gum-digger, at present residing in Auckland, said he was an inmate of the Auckland Hospital during the present year. He remembered Wallis White being brought into the Hospital. Witness occupied the next bed to White. The beds were about 4 ft. apart. He saw Dr. Neil and Dr. Collins at White's bed the day he came in. He heard Dr. Neil ask White where he felt the pain. Mr. McVeagh: What answer did White give?—He said it was in his left side. Do you remember what the doctors did after that?— They came and stood at the foot of my bed shortly afterwards. They were talking, and seemed, so far as I understood, to be differing. Did you hear what was said?—l heard Dr. Neil say that it could not be appendicitis, or something like that. Did you hear what Dr. Collins said to that?—No, I could not hear what he said. Mr. McVeagh : This witness is also a witness in another charge, and I propose to take his evidence on that now. The charge is a joint one against Dr. Collins and the Board, in regard to the method of admitting patients to the Hospital (referred to in the supplementary list of Dr. Neil's charges). The Chairman said it would be better to take one, set of charges at a time. Mr. McVeagh said that this would mean bringing the same witnesses time after time. The Chairman: What charge do you wish to go on with now? Mr. McVeagh: That of admitting a patient to the Hospital without a recommendation from a medical man having been first obtained. The Chairman said it might be inconvenient to the witnesses, but it would avoid confusion if they disposed of one set of charges at a time. Mr. McVeagh (continuing his examination of witness): You were operated on for appendicitis in the Hospital?— Yes. Who operated on you?—l think it was Dr. Collins.