55

H.—l

to it at the time. I thought that the turrets might cost £4,000 —there would be four of them; the nurses' home would probably cost £2,000 ; and the special ward for special cases would cost another £2,000. 1091. What was the special ward to be for?— For the diseases of women. 1092. Is there any other class of disease which actually requires a special ward?—lf the evidence which I have adduced 109"3. You must answer my question. Is there any other class of disease which actually requires a special ward?—l think not. 1094. Do you think that there are other gentlemen in your profession who differ from you on this point ?—-I have not the slightest doubt that there are gentlemen^in the profession who will differ from everything I say. 1095. But there may be another specialist who takes an equally strong view of his own speciality ? —Yes. 1096. That is simply your own individual opinion ?—This is all. 1097. How many specialists, in the sense in which you use the term, are there connected with the Dunedin Hospital?— Two, Dr. Lindo Ferguson and myself. 1098. You are for womb cases and he for ophthalmic ones? —Yes. 1099. You proposed to allocate £2,000 fora special ward?— Yes. 1100. I see you hold pretty strong views about it ? —Yes ; but then I had collected the money for it. 1101. When did you collect the money ?—At the time I delivered my address to the Trustees I had got about £500, from about twenty ladies. I felt convinced that we should be able to get a great deal more by a public appeal. I knew perfectly well that if the Trustees had backed me up we should have got all the money we wanted. 1102. That was the object of your "kicking up a row?"—lt was one of the objects. I wanted to get the money. 1103. To get money for a special ward for your own cases?— That is a very narrow view ; it must have emanated from some medical man in town. I thought that you would have given me more credit. 1104. Will you please answer my question?—l will answer your question by quoting from my address, which will give the best possible answer. I was asked that very question at the time of giving the address, by one of the Trustees : —" Mr. Solomon (senr.) :If I understand the matter aright, what you want is a gynecological ward? Dr. Batchelor : Not at all. There would not be any trouble if I wanted that. All I would have to do would be to raise the money, come here and get the Government subsidy, and the thing would be done; but I thought that would be rather selfish. It would be selfish to go in for my own speciality alone, so I thought I would take a proper basis. It is on the opinion of the public that I am going in, and I am determined to fight the whole battle." I think that that is a very good answer to your question. 1105. Have you made any change in your recommendation for a special ward for special cases, or is it still a feature of your reforms ?—lt is. I had made the appeal for a special ward for diseases of women ; and if I had asked for the money for any other purpose, it would have been dishonest on my part to have suggested its allocation to other purposes. 1106. Then you joined in the recommendation for special wards ?—Undoubtedly ; I think them absolutely necessary. 1107. How many ?—I do not know. 1108. But I want your views on the subject ?—I think there should be a special ward for eye cases, a special ward for children, and a special ward for gynecological cases. You might also require isolation wards for dangerous cases. 1109. With additions of that kind, do you think that the Hospital is sufficient for all purposes ? —Do you ask me if I think so now. 1110. Fes?—No, Ido not. 1111. Did you think so a few months ago ?—What do you mean by a few months ago ? 1112. I ask you again, did you not, until a few months ago, have the opinion that the Hospital was sufficient if these additions were made ?—I must give you an answer in my own way. I want to tell you what I do think. 1113. Will you give me a direct answer. Am I correct in saying, or am I not, that up to a few months ago you were of opinion that with the additions of a special ward for eye cases, a special ward for gynecological cases, and a ward for children, this Hospital would be sufficient for all purposes ?—Up to twelve months ago I thought that the Hospital might be sufficient with these additions ; but since I have gone more carefully into the matter, I think that it would be a very expensive way of carrying out improvements. Further, I think that in view of having a medical school here, we are bound to have here as perfect a hospital as we can make it. That is why my views are possibly more expanded now in regard to having a better hospital. 1114. Ido not quite understand your answer. Do you mean that the requirements of our Medical School have had the effect of enlarging your views ?—As I said before, you are doing a very grave injustice, not only to everybody in the town, but to the colony, if you have your Medical School attached to a hospital that is not in a reasonably perfect condition. On this point, I have given you my reasons, and I think they are very good ones. 1115. In connection with your condemnation of this Hospital, you have referred to various subjects, as drainage, waterclosets, size of the wards, and so on ? —You must exclude drainage, as I do not know anything about Jhat. 1116. Well, we will deal with the size of the wards, the lighting of the wards, superficial area, ward-floors, bed-space, cubic space, ventilation and. height of the wards ? Have you studied any of these matters in any of the other hospitals that you have visited ?—I cannot say that I have studied them. I took a glance and formed my impressions accordingly.