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4007. Mr. Chapman.] What have you got to say about M ? Is there anything particular to explain about him ? —No, there is nothing particular. One of the students came straight from the post-mortem on Mrs. S , and stood and spoke to M , but I do not think he touched him. Ido not know whether that would cause his trouble or not. 4008. At any rate, you do not put that forward as an explanation?—l do not. 4009. Is there any explanation about G ?—That man was suffering from chronic Bright's disease. "He was completely broken down, and, in fact, he came into the Hospital to die. 4010. He was only in a short time? —Yes. 4011. How long?—He came in on the 19th July and died on the 31st. 4012. The Chairman.] When did he get symptoms of erysipelas?—On the 30th. 4013. Mr. Chapman.] Did he die of erysipelas?—l do not think so. He was dying before it appeared ; in fact, two days before that I did not think he would live for twenty-four hours, and Dr. Colquhoun was of the same opinion. There is another case which has been mentioned —that of Kate W . I did not put it down, and lam certain it is not erysipelas. 4014. This is a list ol post-mortems for the month of July of this year—of operations and postmortems, showing the relation to each other, and all the persons present at them. Did you prepare it ?—Yes. [Return handed in : Exhibit I.] 4015. There are a few questions which I have omitted to ask. You have heard what has been said about the stuffiness and smell in the wards. Have you any observation to make on that point ? —I have noticed the wards stuffy occasionally, especially in No. 3 ward. 4016. That is the ward over the kitchen ? —lt is directly over the kitchen. 4017. Was it ever stuffy enough to make you feel sick? —No. 4018. That has not been your experience ?—lt has never been my experience. 4019. Has it ever been anything like that? Has it been such as to make you sick or uncomfortable? —I never heard of such a thing or saw it. 4020. Until you heard Dr. Batchelor's graphic description in the witness-box you had not heard of any one being affected in that way ? —That was the fjrst I had heard of such a thing. 4021. Did you hear complaints from other medical men?—l have heard it mentioned by Dr. Batchelor, but there has never been anything in the way of complaint to me. 4022. You were generally present at consultations prior to operations ?—Yes. 4023. Have you on such occasions heard complaints from the medical staff as to the insanitary condition of the Hospital ?—No. 4024. Have you ever heard it enter as an element as to whether an operation should be performed, this question of the alleged insanitary condition of the Hospital ?—Not before the last few weeks, since when everything has been stopped. 4025. You say that everything has been stopped since the last few weeks? —Pretty nearly. 4026. Some of the doctors have told us that it has been since the last six weeks?— Well, since the erysipelas cases. 4027. Why has everything been stopped?—l do not know. 4028. Is it not the fact that since public attention has been called to the condition of the Hospital all the doctors have agreed that it is not safe?— Two or three operations have been done since. 4029. Who have performed them?—Drs. Coughtrey, Gordon Macdonald, and Lindo Ferguson. 4030. How many operations have been performed during the last six weeks there?— Six or seven, if not more. 4031. What would bo the usual number for such a time ?—That all depends on the cases that are being admitted. 4032. As a rule ?—Sometimes we go four or five weeks without an operation ; at other times we have eight, ten, and even a dozen operations. 4033. How many cases are there at the present time awaiting operation?— About four downstairs, and several of Dr. Batchelor's cases. 4034. The Chairman.} How many of Dr. Batchelor's cases are there?—l think four or five. 4035. Mr. Solomon.] That will be eight or nine altogether. How long have they been awaiting operation ? —One patient has been in three or four days ; another has been in since 14th June ; and another has been in for a fortnight. 4036. There is a patient in with cancer, is there not ? —That is cancer of the tongue ; he has been in a fortnight. 4037. Is that a case that ought to be allowed to remain without operation?—l do not think so ; but it is doubtful whether it is cancer or not. 4038. Has it been diagnosed? —There is some doubt about it. Dr. Maunsell has the man under anti-syphiletic treatment at present, and if he does not make any improvement within a few days he will be operated on. . 4039. Why are these cases not operated on ?—More on account of the inquiry now going on than anything else. 4040. All the doctors are waiting to see whether it is wise to operate on their patients ? —Yes. 4041. All except, I suppose, the anti-University section of the staff?—l do not know anything about that section 4042. At any rate, whether it is or is not a fact, there is a scare just now among the doctors as to the condition of the Hospital at the present time?— Well, I do not know that there is any particular scare, except it be in the minds of Dr. Batchelor and Dr. Lindo Ferguson, partly because they have nothing to do, and partly because the inquiry is on. Dr. Maunsell has told me that his excuse for not operating is that he has not had time to do it.

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