“WAIT FOB THE DOCTOR.”

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1920, Page 4

“WAIT FOB THE DOCTOR.”

DON’T REMOVE ACCIDENT VICTIMS. PALMERSTON N., Jan. 20. At an inquest held at Palmerston North yesterday, Dr Putman asked the permission of the Deputy-Coroner (Mr A. J. Graham) to make a statement regarding action taken by the public at times when accidents occurT

He said that at the time of the recent railway level-crossing accident he received a message, and at once sent a telephoned request to the hospital to send an ambulance. He himself rushed to the scene, leaving a number of patients at his consulting rooms. He found that some person had removed the badly injured person in a motorcar before ho got there. Tt was possible that the patient might be much .injured by such treatment. In this ease, there was an ambulance and a medical man in attendance, and it was about time that the public took into consideration their responsibility, and treated the medical profession with a little more consideration.

In reply to the Acting-Coroner, Dr Putinan said that in such eases people should inquire if a medical man had been telephoned for. Sergeant Fitzpatrick agreed with the doctor’s remarks, and said that it was well understood in the Police Department that an injured person sbouid not bo moved until a medical man came, because otherwise the person might be seriously injured by being placed in a motor-oar. Tho A'cting-Coroner staid the public required educating up to that view, because while they thought they wcie doing the right thing they might cause