The Feilding Star SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1889. Dunedin Hospital Scandal

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 104, 9 March 1889, Page 2

The Feilding Star SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1889. Dunedin Hospital Scandal

■ ♦ A PHiLUPiu has been delivered to, or rather hurled at, the trustees of the Dunedin Hospital bj Dr Batohelor whose attainments, and standing, entitle his opinions to something more than recognition. Dr Batcheloe's feelings appear to have carried him away, or liis facts to react against himself, when he asserts that the Dunedin Hospital, to the staff of which he has long been attached, is a standing disgrace to the community, Many of Dr Batcueloh's arguments are evidently dictated by the highest and most humane motives, but he flays too much, and spoils his case by appealing to local selfish instiucts on the advantage of having £4500 brought and spent every year by the students. In his aim to have another £8000 expended he lays open facts which are no doubt well known to the profession, but to bodies, such as Hospital Boards that seldom have medical men among them, the publication of such things will be of value. Our space compels us to allude to them in only a cursory manner and with but brief comment, but to those who take the trouble to read the text in the Otago Daily Times, February 28, 1889, it will be self apparent that unless for University purposes a large hospital is a huge and continually growing incubus of abuse, trouble, danger, expense, and mismanagement. Dr Batchllor shows that wardsmen, as a rule, are attendants who have drifted into a position in which they are far inferior to trained female nurses. This has long been better known than admitted. To the above may be added that female nurses will submit to skilled supervision that would be resented by male attendants. Dr Batchelor says: "In private practice I. cannot remember a single death the result of blood poisoning following an operation ; in hospital practice, I regretfully say, I have seen several." This bears out and supports the views of a recent writer, who points out that by separating into cottage hospitals we should, avoid that concentration of disease which leads to blood poisoning, and so seriously enhances the danger to open wounds. Dr Batchelor shows that the result of a laip e establishment provided for from the rates, has been to limit the voluntary contributions for the previous year to the paltry sum of £120. We again repeat his words : " Here no one seems to trouble his head about the hospital ; its management or mismanagement has been a matter of indifference to our citizens ; and in consequence is a disgrace to them, and oniy what they must expect and deserve." In rtoording the above from Dr Batciielob, we may call attention to the note worthy circumstance that no large institution exists in New Zealand which does not, like the public service, become unwieldy and unmanageable, and result in periodical resolutions, in which scandal and the pruning knife bear their respective parts. Our efforts should be directed towards preventing in the first instance, and then we shall not be called Upon, to cure in the second.