AUCKLAND HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2171, 5 March 1891, Page 4

AUCKLAND HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

i Wellington, March 3. The Commissioners' report on the charge against Dr. Collins of the Auckland Hospital, finds that the patient Berry died of hemmorrhage,, and states that when the means adopted of stopping the bleeding by pressure on the main arteries and tight bandage proved ineffective, recourse ought, to h&ve been had at once to more effective measures of controlling the hemorrhage, and that the extent of the surgical shock under which the patient was suffering was over-estimated and not so severe as to render it necessary to postpone amputation for some 15 hours. In reference to the charge respecting McKenzie's death, the Comimissioners say that Dr Collins' con r terition was, that in this case also the existence of surgical, shock prohibited the immediate removal of the limb, they consider, untenable. Assuming bin view of the case to be the correct one, this in their opinion rendered it more imperative on trim to proceed more speedily to the amputation of the limb, Dr Collins' allegation that he deemed it advisable to refrain from earlier amputation because he expected by conservative surgery to save the limb, they consider to be ili-judgedj Tbey are of opinion that such a serious wound as McKenzie's was not so full and surgically examined and dressed immediately on admission to the hospital as it ought to have been; That 19 hours ought not to have been allowed to elapse before a thorough examination of the wouijd} that it should have been freshly dressed- The bad smell arising from the wound in McKenzie's leg may not necessarily have been indicative of the setting in of gangrene; but may fyave been attributable to the. accumulation of decomposing pus. The wound ought to have baen attended to oftener once in 24 hours, aqd that in the pa'se of such a serious wound Dr Collins ought not to have waited 8 or 9 days before calling in consultant surgeons. They consider that Nurse ArnaboldJ ! was mistaken about gangrene having set & WDe S (De ® O &SS w & a bandaged up, though ; t did to » fatal o*tetf three days later. The Commissioners refer to the retirement of nearly all the medical practitioners of Auckland from attendance upon patients at the hospital, but consider that they were not in anywise .warranted by the terms of the Commission in enquiring into it. They, however, deplore the fact. The question of costs was left for'the Government to decide. Dr Mirbach in an addendum considers Dr Collins the victim of urskilful and inadequate administration. He submits that the system of management jaf the hospitals now prevailing in the colony might well be reconsidered in the direction of removing them from the exclusive control of elected boards.