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H.—22a

Has she not done all the typhoid work?— Yes. Has she not done work on anthrax bacilli?—No, it is too dangerous. . If I produce anthrax slides made by herself will you deny it?—l am not certain about it. She may put a smear on a slide, but that is a different thing to inoculating work, which is very dangerous. She has not worked in the way you have. Has she not made cultures?— She may have, but not in the way you have. The Chairman: Have you seen her making them?— She may have put smears on slides, but she has never made experiments on animals as Dr. Collins has. The Chairman: Well, we will call Dr. Frost, and see exactly what she does. Dr. Collins (resuming his cross-examination of Dr. Neil): Were any guinea-pigs inoculated with anthrax at the Hospital?—l believe so. Who told you so?— You will find out when the evidence is brought before the Commission. Do you know it of your own personal knowledge?—No, I do not know. Do you know of your own knowledge of animals having ever been inoculated with anthrax in the Hospital?— Not in my time of residence. You have charged me with inoculating guinea-pigs?— Yes, and I will bring you evidence. You have acknowledged that Dr. Frost has been working with anthrax, that she has been doing post-mortem work, and that she has given anaesthetics for you in your operating work. Is it not strange that you should bring such a charge against me when you yourself have been guilty of furthering these principles in the Hospital?—l have not been guilty of them. I have set my face against it. How can you say that when Dr. Frost has done these things at your request?— She has not done the same as you. You were working a long time with anthrax as compared with Dr. Frost. Has Dr. Frost done post-mortem work?— Not consistently. She has worked on anthrax bacilli?— She is a skilled bacteriologist. Dr. Collins: Do not make rude replies. It will not do you any good. The Chairman: There was nothing in that reply. He was only speaking of Dr. Frost's qualifications. Dr. Collins was proceeding with his question regarding Dr. Frost, when the Chairman said, "We are not called upon to examine into Dr. Frost's conduct." Dr. Collins: I am charged with certain things, and I am trying to show that she does them. The Chairman: That would not make it right if it were wrong. Is it a recognised thing for surgeons of the present day to work on dead subjects?—A surgeon should have more thought for the patients under his care than to consistently perform abdominal postmortem work. He must of necessity do post-mortem work at times, but at such times he should keep away from abdominal operative work. Is it not customary for a surgeon to sterilise his hands?—To do that thoroughly would take a long time. What time would it take?— Perhaps from fifteen to twenty minutes. You have said that I did operative work four days after doing post-mortem work. Would that not give me time to thoroughly sterilise my hands?— Yes, but you are very perfunctory in your asepsis. Do you consider yourself justified in saying that?— Yes, I do. Can you specify one case in which I operated in which I got suppuiation?—l have none in my mind at present, but I know of some at which you have assisted. You assisted at a number of cases in 1902, when there was a wave of suppuration in the Hospital. Was there not then a wave of suppuration throughout Auckland? —No. I can produce records to show it. Was not one of the private hospitals (named) closed in 1902 on account of suppuration ?—Not on account of suppuration. Was it closed on account of sepsis?—l have no knowledge of it. I would like to hear what the people connected with it have to say about it. In answer to further questions. Dr. Neil said that a resolution had been passed by the honorary staff to the effect that surgeons doing post-mortem, work should not do surgical work during the same week. Dr. Collins: How do you know that I did not get to the Hospital till half-past 10 in the morning?— Every one knows it. How many times have you been there before 9 a.m. since March, 1903?— I do not know. You have been there twenty times. You have signed the book that number of times. Do you know that?— That is nothing. I may have been there a hundred times. How many times have you been there between 9 and half-past 9 a.m.?—l do not know. You have been there thirteen times. The Chairman: How do you arrive at thirteen times? Dr. Collins: I have taken it out of the attendance-book. The Chairman: Do all the doctors sign that book? Dr. Neil: Dr. Frost is there at 9 every morning, and she does not sign it. The Chairman: That book must be produced. Mr. Reed : It is in daily use, Your Honour. The Chairman: Daily use or not, it must be here.