Doctor's Reply

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 128, 16 June 1937, Page 6

Doctor's Reply

DID NOT PRESCRIBE HOT BATHS Denies Charge of Lack of Attention "ABSOLIJTE NONSENSE" A complete denial of the allegation that he failed to prescrihe treatment for the affected children in the Shrimpton Ward was given yesterday afternoon hy the honorary physician to the Royal Commission investigating the management and administration of the Napier Puhlic Hospital. He further denied the charge made by the sister of the ward that he had failed to give the children attention, and characterised one of her statements as absolute nonsense. When questioned concerning the hotbath treatment, the doctor said that it was one that he would not have recommended, for he regarded the temperature of 120 degrees as being a dangerous heat. The doctor expressed his coniidence that there was lattle ljkelihood of the children who were affected, with •vulvo-vaginitis having any further complications. In evidence the doctor stated that on the morning when he was informed of the outbreak of the disease he was quite definite that he.gave instructions to the house surgeon and the sister in chaTge. He discussed with the sister the precautions to be taken to prevent the spread of the outbreak. He prescribed 'a treatment to be applied. He discussed with the house surgeon as far as he could details of the treatment to be' carried out. He did not know that liis cases had been having a hot bath. He did not see the patients wrapped up in bed after just having had a bath. He certainly would not have prescribed that treatment.

Rumours After Inquiry. Mr Foden; Following the inquiry you heard rumours about your prescribing? Witness; I had a conversation with a member of the board. I was very annoyed and in the heat of the moment I dashed off a note of the treatment. Mr Foden: In regard to the inquiry at the hospital, you wrote a letter on Novemb'er 7 which deals with the bath treatment? Witness: The baths were not given with my knowledge or instruction. Mr Foden: The sister 'e evidence is to the effect that the doctor was indifferent to the treatment that the children were receiving, and that his attitude was almost perfunctory. In regard to visits to the hospital by members of the honorary staff, witness had never received any instructions. Mr Lawry: Did you know that there is a by-law of the Napier Public Hospital which states that the honorary staff is to sign tho attendance book? Witness: No. A couple of months ago an old book was placed on the table, but there were no signatures in it. 1 have not seen an attendance book at the Napier Hospital. The chairman: There probably will be one after this commission. Mr Lawry: The sister told the commission that she was under the impression that the children suffering from the infection were not getting the close attention from your hands that she would have expected. She freely admitted taking upon herself tho rosponsibility of giving the treatment to your patients which was being given to another child and had been doing good. What is your attitude concerning children euffering from vulvo-vaginitis? Doctor's Attitude Witness: How do you mean? Tho chairman: The doctor's attitude would be to cure it as soon as possible. .. Mr Lawry : The sister haa suggested that the doctor considered the infection a disgraceful disease. Wiitness: Absolute nonsense I When visiting the wards. did you iuspect" the children EVery time I passed through the ward I saw every cliild under my care. I did not see the -other children. " According to the ward book, some of your children were bathed on the day

of your visit. Did you not see anythnng unusual about them? — "Not to my recollection. I am taken round by the sister of the ward, and she should take me to all my cases." If the sister said that when you went to the side rooms where the children were you just looked in the door, would that be right? — "I say that in my visits I would look to see the aspect of the patient df for nothing else." Mr Harker: Should not the giving of these hot baths have been entered upon the charts? Witness: I think that anything of a special treatment should have been entered. By whom? — "By the sister in charge of the ward, who should fill in all the details. ' ' What do you think of the duration of a bath at the temperature that has beon given to a child of two to three years? — "1 should expect a dangerous condition of hyperpyrexia to develop." What do you think of the practice of maintaining the temperatures of 105 to 106 degrees by hot baths and hot water-bottles ? — ' ' I think it would be wrong. I would not lxke to see a temperature of 105 maintained." « "Dangerous Heat." What do you think of the high temperature of 120 degrees? — ' 'Speaking from my own personal experience, I tried dt in my own bath. I like a really hot bath. I tried to get into the bath at 110 degrees, and 1 found it so hot that I could hardly get into it. I could hardly sit down in the bath. Would you consider 120 degrees a dangerous heat to apply to a child of two to three years?— "I should think. yes." Mr Grant: Are there likely to be any after-effects? Witness: I should say none whatsoever. The disease is a chrondc one, and extends 4>ver several months, but eventually clears up. There would be no future complications, The sister said to me that she considered she was justifled in giving the hot water treatment for your patients because you never examined them and you did not appear to take any interestf — "i can say that I have definite recollections of examing one of the children at least." You are particularly interested in heart trouble? — "Yes. In one of the children I took several elector-cardio-grams. Was the sister present?— "She ought to have been." She would see you with the child? — , "Yes, ehe should have done." After a few questions of a technical nature put by Sir James ElLott regarding the care of patients by members of the honorary staff, the session was adjourned until this morning.