DR. HOSKING- IN DEFENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5584, 20 February 1879, Page 3

DR. HOSKING- IN DEFENCE.

We publish the following extracts from a letter from Ur. Hosking to the editor of the Wairarapa Daily, in defence of his conduct in respect to his action in connection with the late Donald McLennan’s case. It will be remembered that his conduct was impugned by our Greytown correspondent : “ Sir, —A number of stelements, untrue and utterly at variance with each other, having appeared in different papers, censuring my conduct in connection with the fatal accident to the late Donald McLennan, X deem it my duty to state the facts of the case

“McLennan was brong'... my house in a brake on the evening of the accident. Being dark, I carefully examined the man by candlelight. I found him in a state of collapse. There was a severe, gaping, lacerated wound on the right arm, from which considerable venous bleeding had taken place. I removed a handkerchief which was loosely bound round the wound, and felt for the brachial artery, and re-applied the handkerchief very tightly in order to prevent a possible recurrence of bleeding. On examining the chest I found the skin over it and the rest of the trunk was corpitaut and considerably puffed up, which I made the brother feel. I explained to him that these symptoms were due to air having escaped from the lungs which had been wounded by broken ribs. I also examined a scalp wound ou the back of the head, which was of a comparatively trivial nature. The men accompanying the brake informed me that they had called at the hospital building on the way down, but had been refused admittance, as the building was unfinished and still in the hands of the contractors.

“ Being aware that such was the case, and that the man, if he did rally from the collapse, would inevitably have to undergo a severe and prolonged illness, which covdd not be properly treated in a draughty, unfinished shell like the Masterton Hospital building, I advised that if accommodation could not bo procured iu Mastertou he should be taken at once to the Wairarapa Hospital at Greytown while still insensible. I offered to attend the man if they found a room in Masterton. I append the statement of Mrs. Merredew and Mrs. Purcell, who were standing by the brake, unknown to me, during the whole of the time, and heard and saw all that passed. “In conclusion I may state that Mr. Kenneth Campbell, of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, uncle of the deceased, has personally assured me that he has duly considered and entirely approved of my judgment throughout the whole case under the circumstances.—l am, &c., W. H. Hosking.”