HOSPITAL INQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1924, Page 4

HOSPITAL INQUIRY.

EVIDENCE BY MEDICAL MEN. AUCKLAND, March 3. At the maternity home inquiry. Mis Rhodes, mother of .Mrs Delamore. cross-examined, said she was responsible for the Commission being set up. She claimed that Kelvin Hospital was septic, and that Dr. Hughes should have known it. “My daughter’s death '•'as legalised murder.”

Dr Hull, who Wild <alh‘«i in c-ont-uKa-Lien with Dr. MaeC’ormiik over .Mrs Delamore’s ease on November 8, said that on that date there was some doubt as to the nature of the illness. Next morning lie advised that the ease should he treated as septic. Mr Johnstone (for petitioners): Immediately you saw her you cattle to the conclusion that treatment for septicaemia should be given?

Witness: Vos but I would do so in every simlar ease for safety’s sake. It would do no harm and might do good.

With regard to telling Mrs Rhodes of her daughter suffering from septicaemia, witness said that as soon as there was reasonable eeitainly about the matter .Mrs Rhodes should lie fold, and he went on that principle. Itwould not have been wise to have told her uliile there was doubt. There was no concealment about tlie matter. What "'as done was done with the best iMention for the patient and .Mis Rhodes, wlk was aprticiilni ly attached to her daughter. It. reply to. the chairman, witness said lie would certainly make inquiries b. lore sending a case to a hospital if in saw a ease there similar to Mrs Carter’s-.

It reply to the chairman’s remark that as far as was known Mr. Delano: e’s doctor did not know there had leer septic eases in the hospital, witness said the matter of iiif.eetious diseases was a matter for the Health Department. The Chairman: Do doctors sap. ‘II r, is. good enough for Llie Health Department it is good enough for me” ? Witness: 1 should lliinff one would iel.v on the Medical Officer of Health. The Chairman: Is it not well known that the Medical Officer of Health's Department is understaffed and overworked, and therefore misatisfaetor.v m a sense? Witness: I have every confidence in the Health Department, after an expo!'.once extending out thirty years.

Witness agreed that it would he tiesitahle, if practicable, to have souk

system whereby a. medical man unthl make inquiries before : ending a patient into a hospital. In answer to .Sir Donald M’Gavin Dr. Bull said that as a rule Hie patient in maternity ease... was generally in lii jjit :i | before, the medical man "as called, Iherefore inquiries would be 100 late. Witness had previously slated that the rehiHves eoneiulL made ar-

rm.riem-entabout, la*:,pi*a!:-. Dr. I'Tlint : If a dnrtnr. v itli the a! most intuleiable hmdeu he now has In carry, were to take on making inquiries into every ease, r.s suggested, do you think" it would not make it extremely difficult for women In find a doctor who would take up their ease Witness; That is my opinion. The making of inquiries is all right ill theory, hut, in pi net ice it would not !.■> possible. Witness continued that notilmaiiott should lie as wide as possible to voineve the present b ar of septi-nemia. tlii* dismission of which before expo, lant mothers "as often disastrous. Tim hearing was adjourned.