THE HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2080, 23 October 1880, Page 3

THE HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

The following is a more detailed account of yesterday afternoon’s adjourned meeting re the Hospital Enquiry than we were able to give in our issue : On resuming at 3 p.m., Dr. Skae asked Dr. Nedwill whether he had prepared a written statement of the charges he wished to make, as arranged at the adjournment.

Dr. Nedwill said he believed Mr Hobbs had something to say. Mr Hobbs said that since the adjournment the Board of Health had considered the application made to Dr. Nedwill by the Commissioner for a written statement of charges, and had come to the conclusion that they could not accede to the request, but they had framed a letter which Dr. Nedwill would hand in. This contained a statement pf the cases they wished to be enquired into, and alto a list of the witnesses who would have to be subpoenaed.

Dr. Skae said that the letter of the Board of Health, whioh he would read, requested that enquiry should be made into the cases of Mary Koetloy, George Kirkham, Archibald M'Laren, Bennett, and Polly Morris. The first two cases it was alleged were oases of typhoid, admitted into the hospital and dying there, whilst the medical certificates of death were given as from gastro-enteritia. The third case was recorded as phrenitis. Hone of them had, it was alleged, been reported to the Beard of Health. Dr. Hodwill said there was another case he wished to add, and that was of Qaffoney, whose death was recorded as pneumonia, whilst it would be proved to bo typhoid. Dr. Skae said he thought this was satisfactory so far as defining the limits of the inquiry. Since the adjournment he had received a telegram from the Government in answer to the telegram sent by him, as follows :—“ Do you mean that Board decline pay expenses witnesses. Medical witnesses will no doubt attend without payment. Other witnesses must receive payment.” The Government paying the expenses of the witnesses, he trusted that no more would be summoned than was absolutely necessary. Dr. Hedwill desired to lay on the table the circular letter sent by the Board of Health to the medical staff, asking them to report all oases of typhoid fever to their medical officer.

Dr, Campbell would desire to point out that the question for enquiry was whether the certificates of death had been wilfully given wrongfully and to the detriment of the public. They might have been given by misadventure. Dr. Skae said they were there to enquire whether it was a fact that certificates of death from gastro-enteritis had been [given instead of from, typhoid fever. Dr. Prins said that when the enquiry was adjourned Dr. Skae had ruled that definite charges in writing should be made by Dr. Nodwill against the staff, or house surgeon. He had now departed from this, and Dr. Hedwill simply came there, not with a specific charge, as insisted on by the Commissioner, but a general one.

Dr. Skae said be took it the staff were responsible for the diagnosis made by the House Surgeon, so that there was no necessity for keeping up the distinction. Mr Hobbs said be desired to state, on behalf of the Board of Health, that there was was no bias at all. They simply wanted to see the law carried out. He said this, that on the Hospital books there would be found seven or eight cases of typhoid fever which had had never been reported to the Board, whioh showed, ho thought, that there had been a shirking. Dr. Skae—l think I can allow any imputations. Mr Hobbs sai that it seemed as though there was some c sire to put obstacles in the way of the medi J officer of the Board. Dr. Skae here said ho would adjourn the inquiry till 10 a.m. on Monday, when the case of Mary Keetley would be taken.