PROCEDURE CRITICISED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 422, 1 May 1937, Page 4

PROCEDURE CRITICISED

BODY SENT TO MEDICAL j SCHOOL Wellington Board Member’s Charge Wellington, May 1. At a meeting of the Wellington HospLal Board on Thursday night, Mr. A. W. Croskery said it (appeared that the hospital, in common with others, was in the habit of sending bodies to the Medical School ’l Dubedin. He had be. n asked by friends of a deceased nerton to inqirre why his body was sent to Dunedin without their being first advited; and whether

it was fair that the estate of the deceased person should be charged with the burial expem.es. The chairman, Mr. J. Glove', ruled that the cas? should go before the proper committee, whereupon Mr. Crotkery stated his intention of giving the matter publicity. “The actual facts of ihe care are these,” said Mr. Croskery yesterday. “The death occurred on December 21, 1936. On January 4, 1937, a gentleman with whom the deceased had resided for nine years received <a bill from the board for 9/-, being one day’s hospital expenses. He states he eaW the secretary of the board, who discussed with him the burial of the deceased, but failed t-o mention thij-t the body was th n in Dunedin. On January 7 deceased’s friend received a letter from the secretary asking him to call and intervi w the pathologist at the instituion and diticuss with him certain matters relative to he bur?al On January 30, he received the following let er from he secratary:—“Fuurther to my letter of the 7th instan , I am assuming that as you have not called upon Dr. Mercer, pathologist, you have no objection to rais? to the removal of the late ’s body to Dunedin for examination. . .* “The undertaker who forwarded the body to Dunedin received his instructions from the board, on Dec?mb* r 23 —exactly fiv weeks before consent 4o the removal was asked for; and had shipped the body, he s ates, by December 28. I “The- deceased person’s estate was t then charged with funeral expenses at the Dunedin end to the sum of £l7, but £4 was deducted from ••’iiis for carriage of the body, as, it is understood, the Union Steamship ComPuny, do s not make charges to the | Medical School. In addition to the | £l7, £5 10s was added for burial expenses in Wellington, nuking a total i sum of £lB 10s against the estate.”