TREATMENT OF SICK SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 245, 10 July 1919, Page 6

TREATMENT OF SICK SOLDIERS

AT FEATHERSTON MILITARY HOSPITAL SHOCKING CONDITIONS DISCLOSED By TrtiicraDh.—l'rosa Association. Auckland, July 9. Shockilig disclosures about (lie treatment oi patients in t'eatnerston Military itojpifcu were made by the Rev. J. li. Diirgin at a meeting of tho executive oi tne Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association. Serious complaints had been made anout tile rougn treatment of patterns, one consumptive hiving described tlie Hospital as "the most daugerous place he could be tent lo." 'i lie association thereupon asked .Mr. Burgin to make investigations, in .company with i(l\ J. Cuitiiyno, ol' tho Wellington Association. These two gentlemen, m company with Colonel Cowies, president i f .the Carterton Association, spent June lit) ami 3D .at the Camp Hospital', wliero there are iibout li;p tubercular cases and 40 patients with heart troubles. The chief object of the investigated was in connei'tiun with the conditions under which cimsiiinplive eases lived.

"We found," said -Mr. Burgin in making his report, "that the complaints were entirely, justified. The delegation was shocked at many things it discovered, none or us bslieving it possible that such conditions could exist at a hospital , where such victims of the var are treated." Mr. Burgin enumerated the defects as follow:—There «as a general, shortage of crockery, and all the sick men, including the tubercular cases were using badly broken and chipped enamelware or rusty tin plates, a specimen of which was produced. The sheets wera all badly stained with disinfectants, and sometimes they were used as tablecloths. One week a sheet might he used for its proper purpose and next week it was a tablecloth. The lea towels were in bad condition. Ono was issued weekly for eve/r 24 men. The food generally was good, but there was a jamene-s about, it. Fish was issued once a week. Poultry was issued oil Sundays, but litis was provided by ladies of the Wairarupn. 11l respect to clothing, no underpants were on issue, the men having to wear their pyjamas underneath tlipir blue uniform to keep warm. Singlets were of varying quality, men often receiving thick garments one week and thin ones the next. There was no issue of clothing by the Red Cross. There had been difficulty in regard to the repairing of boots, hut this had been remedied. Two men suffering from tubercular trouble had been without overcoats for some time, one for as long as six weeks. The Salvation Army had' issued one 'handkerchief a week to each, man, but the tubercular patients were not supplied with sputum rags. Only one pair of socks was issued weekly, even to men who were doing graduated exercises. Old wooden hutments used by reinforcements were used as wards, which were comfortless, only one block being considered satisfactory. Ward 5 leaked badly after every shower. One ward had no 'bathroom. There was a shortage of firewood, and the patients, including those "suffering from heart trouble, had sometimes tc carry their own wood. One was seen chopping wood with a grubber, an axe not being available. No vocational training officer had been near the hospital, and the men had nothing definite to occupy their time and keep their spirits up. Tho patients had travelled to the hospital under serious discomforts. Only ono meal ticket had been issued for a journey of twenty-one hours. Patients had arrived in the hospital in a state of exhaustion. One man suffering from heart trouble had been sent straight to the'hospital, from a transport. He had been (here for five months and had not yet seen his next-of-kin, who lived in the north.

! 'The root of the trouble," said Mr. Burgin,. "is twofold. First, there' i .a lack of co-ordination between the ninance Department and the Jtedifal Department. This accounts for delays in getting clothing and camp r.ccessaries. Secondly, hospital orderlies <<re insatisfactory." Mr. Burgin mentioned that the week before this visit General Richardson had visited the hospital and had given instructions for tertain natters, including the crockery, to 1)6 lemedied, but. no change had been made up to that time. Disgusting and insauitary plates were still in use. No iompUmt had been made about medical treatment of tho patients. One sister had said she had never heard so many complaints, but added that all were justifiable.

After the visit tlio delegates saw General Richardson, who had been most sjm- • pathetic and had given his assurance that every defect would be rectified immediately. "We were informed," concluded Mr. iiurgiu, "that in August tubercular men are to bo moved to the new sanatorium at Waipukurau, and that men with heart trouble are, fo be sent to a hospital near their home, but this action will not undo the fhocking neglect . which has been experienced by the iren. Apparently the. head of the Medical Department failed to grasp the situation and made no adequate provision for the , tubercular cases until they r.rrived in New Zealand." GREAT INDIGNATION AROUSED RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION TO TAKE ACTION. r Auckland, July 0. The revelations in regard to the treatment oi' consumptives at l'Vatheraton Hospital have aroused great indignation lucaliy. The Red Cross Society is sending goods and has telegraphed to the Ordnance Department urging it to supply other requisites. The proceeds of sales of sports programmes during the Peace . celebrations will also be devoted to the benefit of patients. "We all felt very saddened when we read the report of the way in which our men have been treated in hospital," remarked the DeputyMayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican. "What is the Returned bokliers Association going to do about the report? was a question put to the secretary of that organisation' (Mr. Andrews) this morning. "We are going to do quite a lot about it, I can assure you, grimly replied the secretary. "The report shows . that the wav the men have been treated there is absolutely disgraceful, he.added "It is not use people ruslung to make excuses. Every membet of. Parliament and member of Cabinet is responsible, as well as the. authorities directlv concerned, for the.v should !uue known what was taking place. 1 lie. report is all the more impressive coming nl a time when the people are preparing for peace rejoicings. If our men had been treated in Gcmlan prison camps in this woy everybody would ha\ e been eryiiiK out about it.