THE WAIKATO HOSPITAL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 532, 11 January 1913, Page 5

THE WAIKATO HOSPITAL.

A PATIENT'S TREATMENT.

MRS NELSONS' COMPLAINT;

The. complaints lodged with the Waikato Hospital Board a month ago by Mrs Nelson, of Te Kuiti, regarding the treatment of her husband at the Waikato Hospital. werß answered on Thursday morning, when Dr Thomas presented the following report:— •••■•- " Charles Nelson, aged 34, waß admitted; into this hospital on Monday. October 28tb, with the history of having received an injury three days fore while buahfelling... - A limb of a tree fell and struck him on the head. He had been left exposed for twelve hours after the accident. Urn was then in ah unconscious state and was removed to Te Kuiti, where Dr Will attended a wound in his scalp. He was admitted into the Waikato Hospital in an unconscious state. At the time of the his admission 1 was busy with an urgent case, but Dr Brewis, had had arrived with another patient,attended to him. The matron saw thatvhis orders were carried out and Mr Nelson was soon comfortable in bed. Immediately I was free I made a hurried examination of his condition and found a third csae was more urgent. I saw and attended Mr Nelson at 11 o'clock two hours after his admission, and I received from Mrs Nelson the history as. above. I explained to her that such cases as his often ended fatally on account of complications which so often arose, and I therefore considered his condition was dangerous, but that be was in the right place in this institution, a good nursing was all he required to meet his present condition. Mrs Nelson explained that she was in a position to spend a considerable sum of money to bring in a surgeon from Auckland to operate if I considered it necessary. I told her I thoroughly understood his case and I knew no good surgeon would interfere, as no operation would improve matters. A day or two later Mrs Nelson told me she had of her own accord been to Auckland to consult Mr Savage, but he was away. She clearly showed me I had not her full confidence. I told her I could see she did not trust me and was dissatisfied with my treatment, and told her that if she Wished to call in Mr Savage, I certainly would not stand in her wav, but for her own sake I pointed out that it would be cheaper to take her husband to Mr Savage than to bring Mr Savage to Hamilton. She said she preferred to leave him where he was. I considered it my duty to insist upon her arranging the fee with Mr Savage herself. When I told her this she said she was quite prepared to place down a large sum at any moment if required. She left after deciding to think it over. She spoke to me several times over the telephone, each tjme appearing more anxious to have a consultation, Seeing that I should receive the whole blame if any complications did arise in her husband's condition, I spoke to her on the wire telling her that if she was still dissatisfied, to arrange the fee With Mr Savage at once and I would arrange the consultation. Pre< viously the father and mother of the patient saw me and I told them I understood their son's condition, and was doing all that could be done. They assured me that I had their full confidence and that they did not wish me to call in a surgeon from Auckland. I spoke on the 'phone to Dr Douglas, who was at Howick, and told him the man's symptoms, and he agreed with my treatment. The patient was also seen by Drs Brewis and Reece, who both agroed that nothing more could be done. On October 31st, I arranged with Mr Savage for a consultation at the request of Mrs Nelson. He arrived on November Ist and examined the patient. He then saw Mrs Nelson, and expressed the opinion that her husband would recover, providing no complications arose, and that all he needed was quietness and careful nursing. He told me I was doing all that could be done and to continue my original tieatmtnt. The following day Mrs Nelson expressed her entire satisfaction, and considered Mr Savage had been most unreasonable in his charges. Mr Nelson recovered without complications and was discharged in 24 days after admission, by Dr Douglas, who expressed the view that he had made a fine recovery. Mrs Nelson thanked me personally for my attention to her husband while in hospital, and had no idea she was still dissatisfied until I read her letter in the Waikato Times. Mr Young said that Mrs Nelson had called upon him on the matter. He was, however, unable to make much out of her complaint except that she was dissatisfied with Dr Thomas' expression of opinion that the case might terminate fatally. Mr Boddie remarked that over anxiety at such a time was natural. The board should, however, make it clear to the public that the hospital was thoroughly efficient, and that everything that could be done for patients would be done. . He moved that the board express their entire approval of and confidence in Dr Thomas in his treatment of the case and considered that the relatives, including, the lady who complained, had every reason to be well satisfied with the /final result. This was seconded by Mr Dickinson and carried.