HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1949, 4 December 1906, Page 3

HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

A meeting of the Hospital Trustees was ■hald yesterday morning at Mr Coleman s office, to enquire into the charges cf neglect preferred against Dr ott ' s ° n , b y Hertha O'sen relating to the death of her attar Amelia Olsen. There were preaent s’ Messrs Nolan (chairman)^t hews, Joyce, Johnston, E. Tuoby, J. A. Harding ,and Captain Tucker. Mr Stock appeared for Miss Herlba •Olsen, who laid the complaint. Miss Hertha Olsen, Mns Albertina .Olsen, and Dr Morrison were also present, while the Matron (Mhs Stewart) aod Nurses Findlay and Allen entered after 4hc evidenoe of the first witness kad been given. Practically ell wi 1 nesses wore in the room, and heard one another s evi- , a “he Chairman (Mr No’an) said the meeting had been called on reoeipt of a letter of complaitt with reference to the treatment of a patient who had died ra the HospTtl'. and tbry had met to er quire So the chargee. Tic letter was as *°'i'i°The Hospital Trustees; Gentlemen,— To regard to the death Of my sister Amelia X the Hospital lately, I think al matters concerning her treatment whilst there should be enquired into. My sister was a strong, healthy girl, and must have been oroatly neglected between the first and second operations performed on her, suppuration going on daring the .eight jT-ka intervening. Five weeks prior to thVlast operation 1 requested Dr Morrison "Vnn.nlt with another doctor, but he said ihcra was no need for it. .bat it would cost 4 !hont £lls and ca t a .efkction on him? and* that she was getting on alright, ri'if T w&b not satisfied tbat I bad be&ter ? a tc away from the hospital. The 1 Ln T weDt to Dr Morrison was that my siete l * said be used to pass her by day after day without going near her, in fast thn matron’s or nurses’ report aoeing for himself how she was without en matters became too Pt °ifna be’ h’mseif called in another TIZ with the sad result of being too w° t 0 ’■RsEretting very muoh to have to bring my Bad bereavement before jon./H uned) Hertha Olson.” (B '£ Hertha Olsen then gave evidence •heforc the trustees. Witness saici nu Ster was suffering from appendicitis. An operation was performed on her by D Morrison in the presence of Dis Uollins Morrison i Her sister was in the and bchumachei. f rom July October l9th. and died there. Wit29th to Uc freouontly ; three times a * e Vand s“mß Witness did week, and some treatment n , othe “.et in"hi the hospital, nor did she was ge o c la int about anyone there She told witness that the doctor near her. £ ia to the matron, and (witness) w P, Don , ti a he(the matron)

clono. Witness saw Dr Morrison at Iris house. Tho doctor told witness thovo was no nood to worry as her sistor was gott'ng on all right. This was about sovon wootas after tho first operation. Dr Morrison also told witness that to call in another doctor would bo to east arelloction on him, and if witness wanted another doctor sho could'take her sister out or the hospital. Witness saw her sistor after this conversation, and sho did not soein to witness to bo getting any bettor. Witness thought her condition 'varied very much. Witness saw the tomperaturo chart and noticed it particularly. Tho chart was very soldom the same, and the temperature scorned to be highest after tho second operation. The Chairman : Wo can get tho charts. Dr Morrison: I should like the charts produced. Tho secretary laid the charts on the table. _ . .... Witness, continuing, said her sister did

not take a turn for tho bettor after the first operation. About a month after the first operation sho was fcakon on to the verandah, but sho was really bettor. Mr W. Adair bad interested himself in the ease, and had spoken to Mr Harding about it- . .

Mr Harding said Mr Adair had mentioned tho case to him sovoral times. On that account he had taken a good deal of interest in the case. The Chairman said that Mr Adair had

also spoken to him. .1 le had first spoken about getting another doctor in consultation, but afterwards bad told hiiu (tho Chairman) that Dr Morrisson was right that the patient was improving Ho would ask the witness was this correct. Iho witness did not know. By Mr Tuoiiy : Witness did not conipliiin to any of tho trustees, and she could not say whether her sister had complained to any of the Visiting Committee.

By Mr Stock : No ono was present when witness had the co'nversatioa with hot sister about tho treatment. By Mr Joyce : A Intio girl nLmid MoGonigal had visited witness’ sister sovoral times. By Mr Johnston : Hor s'sfcor liked the nurssr, and did not make any oomplaint to them. She d:d not oara very rnuok for the matron. Albertina Olsen said that hor sister had also told her that Dr. Morrison used to pass hor, and not oomo near hor for days ; witness saw hor sister three or four times each weik, and deoeased had bold he: praoticatly tho same story as hor Bister. Captain Tucker : Has any witnoss attested to any complaint being mado to tho trustees. matroD, or doctor ? Tho Chairman : Tho ocmp.'amt had been mado to tho dootor. Dr. Morrison : Bho did not complain to me. Sbo simply asked for a oonsulSation. Tho Chairman (to witness) : Did yon moke any complaint ether than tho outplaint with Dr. Morrison ? Miss H. Oisen : No. Mr Matthews said that wiiness in her evidence had clearly stated that Bho. did not mike any complaint beoause her sister was afraid of Miss Btewart, and had asked ber not Ic. Coptain Tucker : Then no oomplaint was made at the time Mr Joyce said the Visiting Committee did not go into the ftmalo wards. Captain Tucker : If those was a complaint they would enquire into it. It is most unfortunate that no oomplaint was made to anyone at the time. Miss H. Olsen here elated that deoeased bad told her before ths second operation Mies Stewart had said, “ Wo are going to give you a whiff of chloroform and sorspo your wound, as your sister seems anxious to get you out of sbo hospital.” Captain Taoker : That was natural enough. Everybody wants to get out of Cbo boepita l . Tne Chairman : That is not our expori> etc; in all oases. Mies Stewart, matron of tho hospital, was then examined, and said she could not understand why the patient, Amelia OlseD, was afraid of her. Witness was not at all unkind to hor, and did not koow why she should have boon afraid. Captain Taoker : I do not think it meant she was afraid of you psissnaily. I think that if deoaasid had made any oomplaint, you urghs have taken notice of it, and tboie mifckt have boon anp!B39nn:be : s. Addressing Miss O.eer, Captain Tuoker said : Don’t you thic k that was what your sister meai. t when abo said ehe was afraid ot Miss Sicwa:t ? Mbs O.cen : Yes, I think that is what sho meant. Mias Btewaf, continuing, said Dr. Morrison saw the patient ovory day aad spoke to her, and examined tho wound as often as it wae necessary. In these cases it was not necessary for the doctor to soe the wound every day. Mi Johnston : Tao state of the temperature as shown on the eh-ict would show Dr. Morrison how ths patient was getting on ? Witness supposed it aid. Mr Stock : Does tho dootor oes tho temperature oba:t every day. Witness : It is hanging on the wall, and is made up ovary four hours. Mr Matthews : D.d you dross tho wound yourself ? Witness said it was not her province to do that. This was the duty cf th f e nurse in charge, and in this case it was Misses Allen and Finlay. In reply to a question witnoss said she accompanied tho doctor in his visits. When tho deceased camp to the hospital first thero was one trained nurse and five probationers, but two others arrived a few days afterwards. Thero were 25 patients in the hospital at the time. Dr. Morrison saw deceased eyery day and the latter seemed to bo doing alright, the only thing was her sister (Miss H. Olsen) said sho was a long time getting well Tho doctor did not require his attention drawn to the temperature rising above 100 as that .chart was always placed abovo the patient's bed and taken every four hours. It was part of probationers’ duty to dress wounds at times. Three operations were performed on deceased. Nurse Findlay, day nurse, said that Dr. Morrison visited the patient regularly every day, and sho did not notice any inattention on his part so far as deceased wa.-j concerned, ’ Mr Stock: When you say Dr. Morrison saw deceased every day, did he ?top and speak to her'? Witness: Yes, as far as I can remember. . Mr Stock: Every time he went there. Witness: Yes. ho always looked at her chart and sometimes look at her wounds and the dressing. Witness remembered Mr Adair coming to ace the patient, but he did not say anything to witnoss about the treatment. Mr Tuohy : Mr Adair did not say the patient was not well treated '! Witness: No Mr Stock : With regard to treatment of the patient, who gives you your instructions ? Witness : The doctor. Mr Siock : Are thiso instructions ovet variod by tho matron ? Wiiness: Yae, eomoijmes. Miss Stewart: You oanuot say.that no, in any material degreo ? -CorSomly not, ia Mr Stock: Do I understand, nurse, that vou cet intir actions from tho dootot as to t'uo treatment you get diffsiont instructions from the matron ? Miss Stewart (quickly): You cannot say ib Mr Siock (pressing his point); Is that □o, niHEJB ? , Witness: Sometimes tho matron cb.os interfere wi*b tho treatment; but it chit not occur in this case. .... * Captain Tucker: I thir.k this statement might create mi erroneous impression allowed to pa.s withous explanation. 1 would like to give Ntnso Finlay an opportunity to say whether wo are to understand that the matron would give dtamo,riea'lv epposito instructions, or simply modify tho instiue ions (turning So Nmse IFi day). Da ycu vudorsiand wha, i Mr Matthews: I think it hardly fair, Mr Chairman, to ask witness questions liko :hrsr, with tho matron and doctor nvei on-. Ido rot think it is at all tight. Mr Joyce : I don’s think so either. Mr Matthews : Too nurse should not bo pust ed into n corner. . C .pta’n Tucker : But I apprehend witness came fcete to tell the truth. Mr Matthews: That is eo; but the chairman understands what I mean without going into explanation. Dr. Morrison: This is getting away I from the question, They could leave that matter till another time, and hold another 1 inquiry into (that.

Mr Joyoo: I* might oouao friolion in tho establishment. Tlin Chairman thought Nnrso Finlay only meant that tbo dootor'a instructions underwent modification. , Nurao Allen said aho had only urosaod dco.-asod’s wounds four mornings ntlor tbo sicuud operation, until Nurse Jaody returned. Alter tho aroond operation the wound tvont baolt very badly, and a third operation was portormed, tho patient dying shroo days afterwards. Dr Morrison performed tbo operation, and Dr Collins administered the anaootbntio. Dr Moiriaon said bn bad a vory olonr j oonsoionos with regard to this owe. lie had absolutely nothing to blame hiuno f (or, and nothing that ho would not wish everyone ooncotutd to know, Tbo whole charge, aa far aa ho could one, made by Mias Olsen was largely due 10 the taoi that her sister made the statement tbai lie used So oasa her by. Aa far aa bis nnmio.y served, during tho iimo oho was m tbe hospital bo did not tail So go up to the patient and ask her bow sba was, and to fed bor pulse and look at her chart. He did not examine tho wound every day, aa ho considered that aa unnecessary, and he could only imagine that the patient hat. made tbo statement to her sister that ho bad not examined iho wound every day personally. It would perhaps help matters it be gave a history ci tho case. Mias 01-on’s was a o-uo of reuse uppoudiol.is, and on tbo first oprrattou bo found that part of tho bowel was gangrenous, with a gioat dial of suppuration, ii needed draining, and a dr.aiaago tube was put down iu.a the appendix, A fmv daya after tho operation the tube was removed, out it left behind a email traot or sinus, Wbloa m all causa of similar nature osutmuw <° discharge for sumo time. Toe sinus grad aally contracted, until it beOaUiJ.so no .11 that only a small probe could bo put down where she tuba waabefuio. Uo had several similar cases bcloro, and they were very tedious in healing, but it loft alone and kept clean they would heal themselves. lie mentioned several similar cases that had been successfully dealt with by himself at tho hospital, and pointed out that it was best to bate plenty of patience, and keep tho wound clean, as it would heal itself in time. Miss Olsen was doing very woll, was getting fatter, and they were able to place her on a couch on tho verandah, bat occasionally her temperature ran up to 100, showing Cure was still a little pus in the wound, Which would run away in time. The next thing that ho (Dr Morrison) hoard was that Miss Olson had interviewed .Hr Collins privately, and when she came to seo him (Dr Morrison) at Ins house she wanted to know if ho would consent to have a consultation. He certainly told her ho thought the consultation unnecessary, , that the patient was getting bettor, and I that a consultation would cost her more money, and would also cast a slur upon him. Two or three weeks passed by, the patient remaining very much in tho same condition, neither getting better or worse. Sho then began to get tired of being in the hospital and waiting for the wound to heal, In consequence of this he decided, against his own inclination,.to see tho patient m consultation with Dr Collins, and it was decided that they' might try and scrape tho sinus and endeavor to get it to heal. Miss Olsen had, said something in her letter about tbo second operation being left too late, bud i) was his opinion if the seoond operation had no] been. performed, the girl might have been living now. It was only through Miss Olsen bothering him and deceased worrying to get out of tho hospital that ho was persuaded iuto scraping tbo sinus, which had brought about the girl’s death, by pausing mure inflammation than acute peritonitis, which set up fever. Ho did not think any ossa evor had moro attention, as he was al ways especially interested in his appendioiiis oases, having been very suoeessful with thorn. Ho was pressed into interfering with Miss Olsen against his own judgment. Is was true that ho did noi ounsont to a consultation at tho time Miss Olsen naked him, but ha did not want his own treatment and judgment interfered wish. He ropsatad if the second operation had not taken place the girl might have been still alive. . In reply to a question by Mr Siock, Dr; Morrison said he d.d nos think it would have beou wiser !o have the second operation at the Sims Miss 0 sin spoke to him,. Ho did not object to she eonmltatno, but no had on more than one eccajiou had his trea i msnt inserfetoi with. He mentioned a case (by the way) in which a boy was brought to the hospital with a diseased leg. As soon as he saw it, he told the mother he would ha ■ c to take oil the leg to save tho boy’s life, but tho mothersaid another doctor told her that tho leg could be saved and asked for a consultation. This was done and the other doctor called in stuck to his opinion. The boy got worse, and he (Dr. Morrison) told the mother that ho would have to take off the log, but the doctor who had I interfered with him took the patient from the hospital and took off tho leg. The boy had since died, Dr. Morrison further said that it was two or three weeks after Miss Olsen asked him to liavo the consultation that tho seoond operation ws3 performed. It was a practice with some doctors after an operation, when the wound suppurated, to scrape it. owing to Miss Olsen’s importunity, toe patient’s own desire tq leave the hospital, and the second doctor advising toe operation, ho had consented to do tho scraping against his inclination. Mr J oyce asked why Dr. Morrison had allowed another doctor to alter his judg, ment, and also if Dr. Collins and he differed, why a third man was not called

in? ... Dr. Morrison said it was one of. those questions he was not strongly against as ho know it was a recognised method ot

treatment. , la reply to the Chairman, Mt btaok said he had nothing to add, but would leavo the matter in the hands of the trustees. It was advisable in his opinion that the matter Bbould be cleared up. Mr Stock, witnesses, and doctor then withdrew. The mooting then went iota Committse, and after considerable discussion on the oase and hospital management generally, passed tho following resolution, "That tho ovidoDoe does not sustain the charges i made in the letter.” Captain Tucker tried to havo the following words added, ,l and that it showed attention given to this ease was exactly the oame as the attention in other oases.” His amendment found no seoonder.