MISSING X-RAY FILMS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 52, 17 March 1937, Page 6

MISSING X-RAY FILMS

Not Destroyed by Borough Council MR MORSE'S DENIAL A denial that X-ray filma .belonging to the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board were destroyed -with other contents oY a shed owned by the Napier Borough Council last year, was made this afternoon hy the Mayor of Napier, Mr. C. O. Morse, who is one of the Napier members of the Hospital Board. His denial is a sequel to a statemet made by the chairman, Mr. C. Lassen, at Monday's meeting of the board when the question of missing X-ray films was being discussed. "At that meeting of the board Mr. Lassen is reported to have stated: *Dr. Fitzgerald said that the Napier Borough Council cleared out a shed where the films were lying and destroyed them, " said Mr. Morse this afternoon. "It has now been definitely ascertained that when the shed referred to was cleared out by the borough officials between Octobar 9 and 13, 1936, there was absolutely no trace of any X-ray or other films. The contents of the shed in question were not burnt, but were merely transferred to another shed on the same property. Although the matter of the loss of the X-ray films had been broiight to the notice of tho Hawke's Bay Hospital Board, some months previously, it was not until Mr. C. W. Naiah (Napier solicitor) wrote on^November 13, 1936, that a committee was set up to investigate the matter." (To the Editor.) Sir, — Several .people have asked me why the evidence taken at the Shrimpton Ward inquiry has not been published- ■ . ARhough the reasons have already been. given at board meetings it seems desirable and in the public ttnterest that the position should be made clear. From the nature of the case the inquiry was one which should have been held in private and when the board set up its committee it was clearly understood that the investigations were to bo conducted "in committee." One of the essential parts of the training of every doctor and of every hurse is to learn to observe secrecy in respect of matters coming to their knowledge in their professional capacity. At th© commencement of the examination of the witnesses they were told or led to believe that the evidence fchey were giving would not be made public, and Mr Morse while in committee endorsed this. In thes© circumstances it would be very improper to publish evidence so obtained. There are of course, other reasons — for examipe, publishing the evidence ivould disclos© the names of the children concerned and every right-minded person would say at once that would be highly improper. Too much pubiicity has already been given to this unfortunate business, and this is not for the good either of the patients in the hospital, or of those caring for them or indeed of the district. — Yours, etc., CECIL DUFF. Hastings, March 17. "EX-TRAINEE" : Your letter is too personal. — Editor. "HASTINGS PATIENT"— The same applies to your ietter as to "Ex-Train-ee's" letter although your support is for the other side. Praise or abuse lead to further personalities and we do not want these in our correspohdence columns.