SUICIDES AND D.T'S

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2599, 22 October 1915, Page 7

SUICIDES AND D.T'S

OBJECTED TO AS HOSPITAL CASES. An interesting discussion arose at the meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday, out of the following resolution moved by Mr. F. T. Moore: "That after December 81 next no case of attempted suicide or of delirium tremens be admitted to tho Hospital." Mr... Moore said that he moved the resolution because a month ago the Medical Superintendent, entered a protest against the admittance of a case of attempted suicide.; Such an offence Was a criminal one, and should not bo dealt with. Drunkenaioss was also a criminal offence, and .nurses should not bo asked to handle •persons suffering from delirium tremens. In his opinion the prison was the correct place to deal with such patients. They had been making protests for a lone time, and they should now be emphatic. A hospital was too saiored a place to be degraded by., drunkards and would-be suicides. The Rev. Dr. Elliott seconded tho resolution, but thouiijit it would be better to allow the authorities to make some arrangements.' before they decided o.a a definite daW for stopping such cases. It was unreasonable to expect their young nurses ,to oome in contact with woukl-be suicides. Mr. C. M. -Lu/ke said: that the rules already. provided for the exclusion of persons suffering from delirium tremens, and the.y should' enforce the rule. Some provision. should be made at tho gaols to deal with those persons who attempted to tiake their lives. He did not : want it thought that tho board was Jacking in sympathy towards those who, under stress, • attemped to tako their lives, brofc they should urge on the Government to> make some provision. He pointed out t&iat persons suffering from jdelirium tremens had in tho past committed suicide in the hospital, and tho responsiblity l of looking after such patients shoul<J not bo cast on the board. The c'liainnan (Mr. H. Baldwin) suggested that' the.y .should give the Government nq'tico that they intended to enforco tho' rule dealing with the matter. ;

Mr. J. Smith said that while he was in sympathy with the motion they would find/ it impossible to exclude such cases untifl the Government provided aproper institution. Mr. 'B t ' It. Gardener said that there Was not.' mncli good in making repre'sentatioas. That could had been adopted in tltye past, but nothing had resulted H's' would support tho motion, provided that they gave the Government reasorcible notice of their intention to refuse'such cases. The Medical Superintendent (Dr. Barclay) .'pointed out that such cases could be erjcluded, except at the discretion of the Ittedical Superintendent. That stultified tho whole rule, because all such cases were urgent, and public scandal ivoujd be caused if he refused to admit the m. He was not prepared to take thai) responsibility. /L member: Hear, hear. Dr. Barclay pointed out that in the case of women tho police did not send aii attendant, as in the case of men, a'hd the result was that the nurses had to look after them. The tendency in l/tospitals seemed to be to provide a special ward, but in that event special attendants, who would be idlo for long /spells, would be required. He thought, in the meantime, that an effort should bo made to get tho polico to send up watchers for female suicide cases. After further discussion the motion was amended making the dato March 31, 1910, and requesting tho Government to make provision for such cases. The motion was then carried.