INHUMAN HANDCOCK.

NZ Truth, Issue 122, 19 October 1907, Page 4

INHUMAN HANDCOCK.

A DOCTOR'S COLD IN-

DIFFERENCE.

Refuses to Attend an Injured Man

>Yho Met With a Painful Accident.

The remarks recently uttered m the Legislative Council anent doctors, who, with an eye ever on the main chance, and who place cash above all other considerations, was not, naturally, relished by most of the medicoes of New Zealand, who, moreover, are giving vent to their complaints that there is more money owing to them as a profession than any other. This may be so, but apart from that aspect of the question, it is, unfortunately, too true, that all over the Dominion there are doctors as hardhearted and unrelenting m their demand for the dollars as ever Shylock was made to be by Shakespeare. Doctors arc only human, after all, and have to live, like everybody else, but when hard-heartedness or anything appertaining to inhumanity is alleged against a medico, people regard it with seriousness, and with good reason. The doctor, the, legally qualified man, is A PAMPERED-UP INDIVIDUAL. I His profession is shielded by the Law, and because the doctor is a benefactor to humanity, the usurper, or quack, who wants to live on the bogus curing game, gets short shrift, and the Law, which aims at the quaclc is blessed and commended by everybody. After all is said and done, the doctor has not very much to complain of, and if he should by his carelessness and disregard to human suffering be called very hard names he deserves it. This brings "Truth" to an incident which occurred at Akatarawa last Saturday, and, judging from the circumstances surrounding the matter, one Dr. ■ Handcock must riot complain at the publicity given it. Akatarawa is about 12|- miles from the Upper Hutt, and there is a timber mill there worked by the Akatarawa Timber Company. Last Saturday afternoon a married man named Thomas Morgan, Who resides at Akatarawa and who is employed by the Timber Company m question. Was working m the mill bush, and while engaged m lopping a log, it suddenly gave way and the cut log rolled over and pinned Morgan's leg against the lopped trunk, where he was left hanging by the jammed limb ! , about eight feet from the ground. Quite a number of the mill 'hands went to their fellow-worker's assistance, and nearly two hours were spent m releasing liim, and m the mjeantime a conveyance was got m readiness to convey him to the Upper Hutt/ Several attempts were made to get a doctor by telephone, but Without avail. The patty arrived at Upper Hutt late m the evening, an* one of the party, Mr 'John Sullivan, heard that DR. HANDCOCK WAS IN THE TOWNSHIP, and Sullivan promptly vent m search of him. The doctor was discovered, and, according to the information supplied to "Truth," was found m an hotel bar. Sullivan explained his mission to him and told of the painful accident that had befallen Morgan, who was m great agony. Sullivan's good offices, however, were without success, as Dr. Handcock point blank refused to attend to the injured man and reckoned that Morgan should be taken on to Wellington. Constable Nash, of the Upper Hutt, also pleaded with Sawbones, but m vain. "Truth" does not know if Dr. I-landcock has any different version to give, and if so it will willingly publish it, but at the same time we cannot help thinking that this holder of a diploma was guilty of inhuman conduct and quite foreign to the ethics of the medical profession. It seems, moreover, that he has been trying to work up _ a practice m the Hutt district, but* if this is a sample of his endeavors, then "Truth" can only say it is sorry for him. Some men take their medical degrees and set out m the world as benefactors of humanity. Handcock seems to be an exception to this rule, and it does seem an extraordinary thing that a man possessed of medical skill could not be prevailed upon TO LEAVE A PUB to attend to a man who had met with a painful accident, the result of which might have proved fatal. "Truth" does not know whether the Medical Association can interest themselves' m such a matter. If they can, Handcock ought to be called to account, because his conduct tends to lower the dignity of the Sawbones 1 profession, and the "profesh" wants to kpep what dignity it has, for if j the public lose faith m I hem, they j will be like so many Othellos s '