Mrs Laverock's Statement.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 400, 7 January 1890, Page 3

Mrs Laverock's Statement.

Iro tSe editor.'] Sib, —In reference to the remarks in your last issue in regard to the death of my daughter Effie Spratt, I may assert that they are quite unfounded, and for the information of the public I may state that the child complained bitterly of the abrupt manner in which she was treated by the matron, and also of the frequent.use of morphia; she stated that she was in no pain whatever, and that the morphia made her vomit to such an extent that sho could neither take food nor retain anything on her atomach. In the presence of the matron ahe urged upon me to taka her out of the Hospital. Possibly the matron will remember the queation she put to Effie when I enquired if she thought the authorities Would sanction her removal home, and she aMbred me they would not. My daughter never lost consciousness and told me all that was done. On Thursday evening, the last time Dr. Pollen saw her in life she was qonecioos, and had been talking to me about an hour before he came. On hie arrival I was ordered to leave and go into the kitchen, being left to find my way there as best I could, rng a complete stranger. Why I was told leave I do not know, a* Effie never went Under any operation other than the injection fit morphia, and the reason for that I do not know, as she told me she suffered no pain since Dr. Innes sent her a small phial on Monday Bight, At any rate she never retained to ponaciouanev, When I called the matron to give Effie nourishment and the injection of leap water and turpentine she distinctly told me she would'not wake her out of her sleep to feed her, neither would she give her the Injection nnlesa tbe child got considerably better. Effie told me she wanted the injection two days before and that they had refused it to her, When I was not there she waa left alone. She was only in from Tuesday till afternoon, during which time rapant two Bights in anooeaaion as Well as the major position of the days there. I have two yonng children at home to look and Effie had said she could go to the pltal unaccompanied. She did not then W Jefit any serious illpeaa, asjhe had taken g, tolerably good breakfast that morning, and really objected to going to the Hospital at In conclusion I may state that in Effie's dying moments, simply because she rallied to talk to me for a few seconds, the matron immediately seized the instrument Bud again injected in her arm what I am positive was morphia. Upon the child screaming I remonstrated with the matron for what ahe had done, when she replied. If 1 had thought you would have kicked up that row I would not have done it” A few minutes after the child went off into a Stupor. I left, on the assurance of the inafrep that I might safely leaye for an hour or two, I was just preparing breakfast for my two younger children when Messrs Hatton and Score's butcher called to tell me that I was required at the Hospital- I at once left the little ones and got a cab from the Masonic Stebh-s. On my arrival the Matron, in a way that could hot be called bollte; told ine that Effie had died sooner pian she had expected. I . was refused permission to »ee her, and retained there more than an hour. For why I do not know, but thia I do know that matters do not appear to me to be satisfactory. An untrue statement has been made that Effie was left at home by herself ; her father was, generally speaking, home after two in the afternoon. I myself went home every evening, and remained until 11—eometimes Ml night—which I can prove. In regard to The statement gs to the water we need, we had tang water until Tuesday afterponn het for drinking purposes, and the pi...., waleEffie got for household use so at to save the tank water for drinking. Why did not Dr Pollen consult with Dr Innes When I requested him to do so ’ I always understood it waa the duty of one medico to consult with another at the parents’ jequeet. I am seriously thinking of palling a meeting in tbe ball, and giving ths public a fair insight into life in the Hospital, or rather as I saw it. I will defy anyone to say that I have exaggerated in this Utter, I Bate previously bean unaware that fl fa the enstom el any matrons to administer *wpUa.«*lam,etc,, ... . Jtwcsaw Awns Uv*M*tt,