CORRESPONDENCE.

West Coast Times, Issue 59, 19 October 1865, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE KDITOK OP Till! " WEST COAST TIMfeS." "

Sib, — Ilavo tho goodness to allow me a small spaco in your columns to correot some erroneous impressions undor which you labor, iv common with a largo proportion of Ihe publio, respecting my duties as hospital surgeon } and likewise regarding what would appear from somoreinarks in tho Leader of Saturday's issue, my inhumanity in refusing admission to a patient dying of incurablo organic disease. I havo no recollection of tho particular caso you refer to ; but if you had applied to me, instoad of two cases, I could havo furnished you with a dozen — in fact, not a week passes but I am .obliged to refuso admission to cases in every fes'peot suitable for hospital treatment. But I defy anyono to say that I rofused to admit a deserving caso if I had a bed for him in the house,- or could get a tent and find room far him on tho hospital grounds. Unless you expect me to work a miracle — to make two bodies occupy tho sumo spaco at tho same tima, you do mo a gross injustice in holding mo up to eonsuro, and I beg to givo tho most enipliatio denial to the statement of ono of tho witnosses at tho inquest, viz., that the patient reforred to was rofußed admission becauso ho was unablo to pay for his treatment ; and I think that nftor such a stateniont tho coroner should havo sent for me and takoii my ovidenco. To the bc3t of my recollection only two patients havo contributed towards thoir support in tho hospital since its foundation, and iv both tliO3o enscs tho patients themsolvcs offered (o do so voluntarily, and in no caso has it beon made a condition of their admission ; and lam not awaro of any patient ever having been asked to pay for his trcatmont in the hospital. With regard to my apparent remissneas in not

having visited tho deceased, as requested by Mr Side, I have in the first place to state that it is not a part of my duty us surgeon to the hospital to visit patients at their own houses, or in tents in the bush at a distance from tho town ; and, • although Mr Sale it appears wished me on this occasion to do so, it was expressly understood between us that it was no part of my duty, and it is not tho custom of hospital surgeons to do anything of the kind even when their whole time is devoted to hospital duties and they aro / well paid for it, which is not the coso hero. ' Notwithstanding, I am almost daily in tho habit v of doing bo, and on tho occasion in question I expressed myself willing to go, but the party who laid the information at the camp could neither fix a time to meet me either at my own residence or at tho Hospital to point out tho patient's habitat; and I failed to find it myself, although I looked for it. But, say you, why not go at once and spe the unfortunate man in " the throe 3of dissolution ?" To Jthis I answer that I knew nothing £f in 'this caso moro urgent than in 'any one of the twentytwo cuses in connection with the Hospital which I had to attend on the day in question ; and I saw no reason why I should leave patients which ' I know to be in a really dying state, to attend a v case which, as faros I knew, was no more urgent than any*of tho [cases it falls {to my lot to be called to sco every day of* my life. I have simply to state, in conclusion, that if tho grievances you coniplain"of have not been redressed, nnd if tho Hospital is not at present what a community like this have a right to expect, it is through no fault of mine. It is not becauso I have failed in the duty incumbent on me as surgeon to the Hospital, for I have again and again in my published reports and in my private official communications commented upon them, and I have tho satisfaction ot knowing that my suggestions are likely to be carried out in the new hospital about to bo erected ; and my successor in office — for my appointment was only temporary, will reap the benefit, and I sincerely hope will find the offico a more pleasant one than I have. — lam, eto., • J. ROTnERFORD RyLEY, Surgeon to tho Hospital, pro tern. October 15th, 1865. [The Doctor would imply that we stated it ia his fault that the hospital is not more suited to tho requirements of the district whereas we did nothing of the||kind. Wo mado absolutely no comments on Dr ltyley at all,' and merely quoted the sworn evidence of a witness at the inquest, adding thereto that the man in question died ere Dr Ryley oould find it conveniont to visit him, which ia literally the truth.— Kd. "W. 0. T."]