TRENTHAM CAMP INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2531, 4 August 1915, Page 9

TRENTHAM CAMP INQUIRY

REPORT BY DOCTORS

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT IMPROVEMENTS FOLLOW. PROVISIONS AGAINST ANY FUTURE EPIDEMIC \ The Trentham Camp Commission, con'sisting'of His Honour Mr. Justice Hosting, Dr. A. A. Martin, and Mr. W. Ferguson, continued the taking of evidence yesterday. Dr. J. S. Elliott deposed that at the request of the Commission, Drs. Christie, Mason,. Gibte, Giescn. Herbert, Pattie, and ■ Elliott Visited • the Trentham Racecourse Hospital on July 19, and as a re: suit of the visit they made the following recommendations to the Government: 1. We are not satisfied with tho accommodation at Trentham for tho infectious' oases. "2. We consider that there is need for 'a change in tlie methods of medical administration and supervision.. "3. There' is urgent need for a proper System of hospital records; an up-to-date 6team steriliser; increased medical equipment; increased help to medical staff; a Eack store-louse for equipment; proper ospital. clothing for lying-down cases;' a change in the present system of wet sterilisation with formalin, which is bad, .useless, and inadequate. We.aro of opinion that all details of nursing ana equipment require organisation. "i. We are concerned that at tlio present time men are being sent out on sick ]eave who may- possibly be a, menace to the health of the community. ■ "5. We consider that it is absolutely necessary to appoint a bacteriologist to be in constant touch ■ with the medical officers of military hospitals, and who will .'too able to offer his services and help at all times. ■ '

"G. That this committee considers that the authorities , acted rightly in making the Trentham Racecourse. buildings a temporary expedient for the accommodation of the sick, but considers that more suitable quarters are urgently required for the treatment of these .very dangerous cases."

Fully Equipped Hospital Train

"7. We are strongly of opinion that a Separate hospital staff is required in every large camp in addition to the regimental and ambulance medical officers.

"8. We consider that all . the present (oases of cerebro-spinal meningitis (in .Tiew of the inadequate accommodation for present cases at Trentham) should bo removed, and, in view of the probable extension of the epidemic, we strongly recommend that a properly equipped central fever hospital should be at once ar-: ranged for. "9. As this is a matter of urgency our time to-day has been fully occupied in inspecting the arrangements at Trentham Hospital and forming conclusions thereon. Time does not permit us to offer definite suggestions as to the exact site for accommodating these patients in or near .Wellington, but we shall be pleased .to ;co-operate with the authorities in selecting a suitable site or sites.

"10. Wo consider that a fully-equipped 'hospital train should be arranged for tho conveyance of sick men from any camp to any rejjognised hospital" centro receiving from that camp. "11. Motor ambulances are urgently required both at camp and at the receiving end. "Wo want to make it clear that these Suggestions are. in no sense a reflection on the capabilities and. industry>*of;-tho medical officers, who; wo believe, did their best to oope with the situation." His .Honour: I understand these recommendations have, beencommunicated, to the Government Dr. Elliott: Yes. : ■ His Honour: You are aware that on tho following day Dr. Batchelor went as consulting surgeon? , Dri Elliott said that the doctors visited the camp hospital again on March 31, and found a very considerable improvementVin many respects. *As to the : accommodation at Trentham for infectious cases, the accommodation was satisfactory at the present timo and under present conditions, but there was no provision for subsequent epidemics, and that should be made.. As to the ohange of methods of administration, a marked improvement had been effected; and there had been a big improvement made in the . rnatter-'of hospital records. An up-to-date steam steriliser had not been provided, and the' doctors were still emphatically of. the opinion that it was required. As Jo the recommendation for increased medical equipment, this seemed to have been uiiich improved. Regarding the suggestion for_ increased help. to the medical 'staff, this was sufficient at the' present .time, and under the present conditions. : A naok store was still needed, as the soldiers' .equipment was still being taken into hospital with tliem. Proper hospital clothing for lying-down cases had not been generally provided, and was still required. | "A Very Considerable Improvement.'* i His Honour: What does that mean? I Dr. Elliott: Theso men are lying in Itheir ordinary military clothing. : His Honour: You don't mean coats and (trousers ' Dr. Elliott: Their coats are over the tajs. and the' convalescents ar« In their military trousers and jerseys., We think .ithey should have pyjamas.' ■ Dr. Elliott said that the system of sterilisation had been. imlproved, but was not even now satisfactory. As to the need • for a bacteriologist, the.v understood that one had been appointed, and, also, that the recommendation as to a separate hospital staff had been given effect to: "The 'doctors adhered to their recommendation regarding a' properly equipped infectious diseases hospital; and recommended that convalescent hospital patients ought to Jiave a. distinguishing dress, as, otherwise they were not distinguishable from ether soldiers. [ Dr. Martin: The result is that von are perfectly satisfied with the wav the patients are being treated, with the exception of the equipment? ®''. "Elliott: We a.ro satisfied there is a (very considerable improvement, but that there are still some nioro improvements •to make.. • .

„ Dr - Martin: Suppose scarlet fever Jreaks out in tho summer, is there any•■thing there to meet it? . . .Dr. Elliott: No. We recommend that | there should be an infections diseases [■hospital ready for meeting the various j diseases which may arise. ... I believe (there- are only four infectious diseases i »eds there. We had a verv favourable i opinion of the Kiosk Hospital on the ifacocourse, bat did not view the other [•buildings fcnorfi very favourably • Dr. Martin: Toii 'don't think the Kaco;course buildings would be suitable to Jnaet an outbreak of scarlet fever? ( Dr. Elliott: No. ! Br. Elliott said that there should be ttricter. supervision over "-onvalescents. 'As there was now a siding n«ar Trenlham Camp .Hospital, motor ambulances would fte 'Squired chiefly at the City end. The witness was asked for an oniniou hon the Camij Hospital, and said that it ITras not quite the kind of hosnital that required for Hie camp. It was too elaborate, and without sufficient accommodation to make it of much service. | An Infectious Diseases Hospital. .1. Ferguson: Do you think the operating room at the Camp Hospital suitable 'for military work? Dr. Elliott: I don't think so. Mr. Ferguson: . In what way is it deficient? ' Dr. Elliott: It might be better lit. Mr. T'ergusdn: By day and by night? Dr. Elliott: Yes. And I don't see any efficient provision for sterilisation. Mr. Ferguson: It is not finished yet. Perhans that is'coming. Dr. Elliott: That is so. Dr. Martin: Is that hospital large enough for a camp of 3000 men? Dr. Elliott: No; nothing lik6 large enongh. His Honour: Is it largo enough withthe Wellington Hospital? . Dr, Elliott: The Doliw. was. to. utili&i

the Wellington Hospital as much as possible, but, unfortunately, the Wellington Hospital has not been large enough. Jlr. Ferguson: Ought not tlio expenditure of public funds be in the direction of the enlargement of the Wellington Hospital rather than in the direction of another hospital? Dr. Elliott said that would, in a sense, be a solution, of the difficulty, but excellent, cheap hospit.il accommodation could bo made at. Trentham, and that was tho proper thing to do. He added that a •suitable site for an infectious diseases hospital would bo in, say, the Hutt Valley, within reach of the civil doctors. Respecting tho Trentham huts, he had recommended that they should bo lined with, canvas, or somo other material, but had been informed that they could not bo lined.

Mr. Ferguson: Who informed you that ? . Dr. Elliott: Colonel Purdy. His Honour: What is your opinion of Berhamporo Hospital for the purpose for which it was used?

Dr. Elliott: I don't think it was suitable at all. ■" Witness added, that another' doctor and he had; scarlet fever cases there in 1903, and had found great difficulty in keeping watch on some of the patients. ' Some got away from tho hospital. _ Also, tho nurses had found the place inconvenient and difficult to get about at night. His Honour: How did you regard the nursing there (for the soldiers)? Dr. Elliott: I thought tho nurses did Bplendidly under great difficulties. Dr. Martin: What were the chief diffi- . ' Dr. Elliott: Berhampore was not an up-to-date hospital for infectious diseases: that was 1 the chief difficulty. I understand that it was improvised somo years ago for plague cases, or put up in a hurry for them. ■ t His Honour: It would seem that an up-to-date infectious diseases hospital should be built? Dr. Elliott: Yes. . Mr. Ferguson: Is there not a very up. to-date infectious disease? hospital already in. existence? . , Dr. Elliott: Yes, there is a very excellent hospital, but I fm not prepared to say whether or not it is only suftcicnt for the civil population.

Good Opinion of Racecourse Buildings. Dr. Elliott said, also, that it would lie I necessary for Now Zealand to look ahead, and we must expect a good deal ot sickness (possioly infectious) when tho troops returned, after the war. His Honour: Is that the experience? • Dr. Elliott:. Yes; notably after tho South African war. Asked if there was a reasonable possibility of an outbreak ,of scarlet fever in Trentham Camp, Dr. . Elliott said there was. There were cases of this sickness in the City now, and the soldiers coining into town stood a chance of' catching it. He stated, too, that the doctors thought that, the reliance on Wellington Hospital had been the cause of a very great deal of .confusion. * As to tlio nuts, he would prefer a tent with a wooden floor to an unlined iron hut. Dr." Batchelor, consulting surgeon, at Trentham Hospital, who recently returned from Egypt, expressed the opinion that tlio race<xnir6o buildings were remarkably suitable for use in sickncss emergency, and that the authorities were exceptionally fortunate in having such a number of buildings which could be used for the sick. Tho hospital was well equipped for a temporary place. As to provision for future epidemics, _ lie thought there was reasonable provision in the racecourse buildings if those buildings could be retained. His Honour: Would it be possible for extra provision to bo made by erecting marquees? Dr. Batchelor: Quite possible. Dr. Batchelor added that. if the racecourse buildings were not available, provision should be made against another epidemic. Also, provision should be made for returned sick. 'There were ample doctors and nurses in camp noiv, but the orderlies Were not all .well trained. .The present formalin sterilising was quicker than steam sterilising, and was effective. All vital necessities wore provided. Clothing for lying-down cases was very desirable, but not essential, and its absence would not retard recovery. In a temporary, ov,.emergency,,hospital, .one did not expect'/W'hildVeverything ;.they would find in a city hospital. The'serious cases had everything they wanted in the way of clothing, but. he did not think speoial clothing was needed by men wlio were only' in hospital for a day or two. As to the hospital train suggestion,' certainly a carriage at least was needed i£ tho patients were to be taken away. His 1 Honour: Have you got everything you want; everything you asked for? Dr. Batcliolor: Yes, I have got everything I recommended. His Honour: Do you think the men are receiving the best of medical and .nursing attention? ' ' Dr. Batchelor: I think they are getting as pood, attention as men ever t;ot in a military camp. Dr. Batchelor said that if the racecourse buildings could be retained, they could be made -into a very efficient hospital'; if they could not be retained the most practicable would be to build hutments in connection with the temporary. hospital. He had seem the camp at Epsom, and Trentham was a very much more desirable site. There were more conveniences surrounding Trentham, and Epsom was wetter. With tho rain which fell during tho winter, Epsom would havo been in a worse state than Trentham. Trentham was not at .all a bad 6ite. ' The Death of Private Collej'. The Adjutant-Genera! (Lieut.-Colonel I'ilkiiigton), under whose cognisanco the medical side comes, said that he recollected no request for a telephone for Berliampore Hospital, and therefore it could not be suggested that he recommended its refusal. He had, in fact, ordered the installation of the telephone after he had visited the hospital. He liad not refused any recommendation Colonel Purdy Had maae,' ■ Ernest Edward Huir, newspaper, reporter, said that he had been sent to Trentham Cainp to investigate certain statements in a letter written by Dr. De Lautour. He had come to the conclusion that Dr. De Xautour was mistaken in. several matters, including his idea that, the hutments were to be built on a cer-' tain restricted area.

Rifleman Geo. M'Neiley, of the Trentham liegiment, stated that he found the huts draughty, and very cold in frosty weather. Tents were much warmer.

ilitteinan B. Peak, Trenthain Regiment, stated that men. on sick parade had been kept .waiting iii the cold so long that some of them dropped down. The long waits ou. parade were a serious hardship to some of the iuen. When, tie reported sick, he could not gain admission, because (he was told) there was no room. He was given a day's excused duty and a day's light duty, and .(in a weak condition) he struggled on for nearly a week, and! then was sent to the hospital. Dr. Yeates camo forward and objected that it was not correct to say that he had made sanitary inspections' by riding round ou horseback, nor that he was only in camp in the early moriiing. Ho had been in camp up tilt 11 and 12 o'clock at night, and his'dutie3 were self-imposed; he had gone to town and bought medicine out of his own money for patients. Witness wished to complain that ho had not been given enough work in camp; that ho had been thrust aside. Colonel Purdy had written a certain letter, which witness now suggested he should withdraw, in order that .witness might get away to the front, where he wanted to be. William Colley, lighthouse-keeper, Nelson, fattier of the late Pte. Stanley Colley, said that just before 8 p.m. ou Juno 11 ho received a telegram, which had been scut from Treutham at 7.12 p.m., notifying him of his son's serious illness. Ho left for Wellington as soon as possible, but his son died at. 10.15 p.m. that night. He reached Wellington on Juno 12 at about 10 p.m., and was met by an orderly, who asked him if lie would como and arrange for the funeral. Mr. Colley said that ho had questioned Sister Keith about his son's treatment at Borhampore, and sho had said, that the boy did not liavo a doctor because sho had not thought him to bo so bad. Mr. Skerrett: Did you discover what time he reached the Wellington Hospital? Mr. Colley: Yes, at 9 o'clock on tlio night of Juno 11. Colonel Purdy asked permission tostato' that one of the hospital staff had told him that lie had no doubt that Pte. Colley died of acuto meningitis. The Commission will sit at 10.15 a.m. to-day in the small Court at the Suprome Court buildings.