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-3690. You appear in the matter of hospital reform to have outdone Dr. Maunsell and Dr. Batchelor?—Yes. 3691. Now, you were asked whether you would give an opinion upon certain matters of construction and so on. You said you had no original opinion, but you referred to books. The reason that you rely on authorities in such matters is that you have not crammed up authorities about it ? —That is so. There is really nothing to cram up. Any man here who pretends to be an authority has merely cribbed his information out of the books. 3692. The Chairman.] You said you did not care how close the beds were as long as there was sufficient cubic space ? I suppose there is a reason for the authorities fixing a certain distance between the beds ?—Yes ; that is a matter of detail. It is for the easy working of the institution. 3693. If the surgical beds were close the nurses' dresses might touch first one bed and then another ?—That would be objectionable. 3694. Or if a patient getting out of bed touched another bed?— That would also be objectionable. 3695. So that really it does matter how close the beds are together ?—Well, they should not be too close. 3696. What would be a reasonable amount ?—I have not gone into the matter specially, but sft. would be a fair amount. 3697. But if you were putting two infectious cases near one another, how far apart would you put them ? —That is a matter entirely for the ratepayers. 3698. But if you were looking after the health of the patients, would you think them too close together?— Yes, I would. 3699. Would you say it would not be right ?—lt would not be right. 3700. That would be the ratepayers' guide. But suppose you have a ward, and you have two cases—one infectious and one you would be afraid would be infected?— Certainly infectious cases would be required to be placed as far from one another as possible ; but I would be compelled to be guided by the ratepayers. 3701. Then, if you had to put them closer than'what you think would be right, would it be a satisfactory state of things ?—No ; I think it would not. Dr. Maunsell re-examined. 3702. Mr. Chapman.] Do you remember the case of S M , the case operated on by Dr. Batchelor, and mentioned in the New Zealand Medical Journal '? Tell me the history of the case ? — [After looking at entry in the case-book] Yes ; I remember it now. 3703. 1 suppose you saw her from time to time ?—Yes. I believe she was in the same ward as a case that had been operated on a few days before. 3704. Would you have put down her case, which was in the same ward as ordinary cases, as one of septic poisoning due to the Hospital ? —As well as I remember that case was not in the ward in which that case of mine was. If I remember rightly, this case was in No. 7 ward with a number of septic cases for a week or two before operation. It was after the operation that it was removed dosvn to ward No. 3, which was a separate ward in which my patient was, and she was put alongside of her. 3705. Were you aware that she had been operated on before she had recovered from her puerperal period ?— No, Ido not remember that. I had not learned her previous history. 3706. Do you consider that her case was due to the air of the ward, or to septic trouble ?—I think she may have got it in No. 7 ward, but I am certain she did not get it in No. 3. 3707. Did you attribute it to that at the time?—l do not remember. 3708. Was it attributed to that by anyone at the time ?—I do not remember the particular circumstances of that case, so that I cannot state with absolute certainty. 3709. Do you remember the case of J F : the case of a sloughing tumour ?—How long ago is it since that case occurred? 3710. In October, 1887 ?—What was her age, and where did she come from ? 3711. She was sixty-three years of age, and came from Milton. Do you remember her?—No, I do not remember her by name. 3712. I see she died from "intestinal perforation and peritonitis," and that Drs. Batchelor, Maunsell, Davis, and Colquhoun, were present at the consultation ?—That must have been a long time ago—possibly three years. 3713. Then you do not remember it?—No, I do not. I might if I heard the whole of her history. 3714. You spoke the other day about a man named H . He came from Lawrence, did he not ?—I was asked some questions about him. 3715. That was a case of yours, was it not ?—No. 3716. Then it was a case of Dr. Brown's?— Yes. I was merely asked a question about it. 3717. Do you remember Dr. Brown lecturing to his students on that case, and telling them that it was a case of erysipelas from exposure in bringing the man down country ?—lt may have Deen that. 3718. Was that Dr. Brown's account ?—lt may have been the correct account. 3719. Do you remember the case of B ?—Yes. 3720. Did he make any complaints to you after his admission to the Hospital ? —No. 3721. Do you remember Mrs. T 's case : the case of an operation of the womb, a secondary operation having to be performed, and the woman ultimately dying ?—Yes. 3722. Were you present at that operation ?—I was. 3723. Did you notice her condition immediately after the operation ? — Well, her condition immediately after the operation seemed to be fairly good. There certainly was a fair amount of