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4111. Speaking generally, and as a further illustration of the same view, in surgical wards you must be particularly careful about your ventilation ?—Yes, particularly careful. 4112. By the way, do you belong to the University or to the non-University school?—I do not belong to any school. 4113. We have heard that, in the Dunedin Hospital, instea3 of being particularly careful about the ventilation you are particularly careless ? —Well, we do the best we can with the building. Still, the ventilation is not by any means perfect. 4114. You have stated that it has been the practice here, from time immemorial, to put erysipelas cases into medical wards : Is that a proper thing ? Is it safe, so far as the other patients are concerned, especially where the wards are overcrowded?—l suppose it is not what it should be. It certainly ought to be remedied. I think that a special ward for erysipelas cases is wanted more than anything else. 4115. You would isolate dangerous cases of erysipelas?—l would. 4116. Mr. Chapman told us yesterday that Dr. Batchelor's complaints are grossly exaggerated. Can you say, after what you have told us as to the defects in the Hospital at the present time being of such a serious character —grave and serious—as to endanger the patients, and to require immediate remedy,—can you honestly say that there has been any exaggeration whatever in his complaint ? Mr. Chapman : That is not what I referred to. Mr. Solomon : Allow me, please, to put my question in my own way. Mr. Chapman: I say that the original complaint against the Hospital is an exaggeration. Mr. Solomon: In your address yesterday you said that the statements of Dr. Batchelor were "grossly exaggerated," and you afterwards characterised them as exaggerations. 4117. Mr. Solomon.] I will get it out in another way. You have told us-this morning that the ventilation is by no means safe. Do you agree with Dr. Batchelor about the walls and ceilings ?— Yes. 4118. Nobody can deny that, I suppose? —Nobody'cau. 4119. We have been told that it is necessary that the floors should be specially made to discourage the reception of germs ? —Yes. 4120. We have also been told that the floors of the Dunedin Hospital are made in such a way as to encourage the reception of germs; that they are made of soft wood, which is almost as good a home for germs as you can get ?—The wood is very soft, no doubt. It is as good a floor as you can get to collect germs in. 4121. Now, in the face of what you have told us — that the ventilation is by no means perfect, that there are too many people in the wards, that there has been a suspicious number of erysipelas cases breaking out during the past eighteen months, and that the floors are bad—can you say that it is in any way an exaggeration to say that these defects are of so serious a character as to be a source of grave danger to the patients ?—These defects do increase the risk. 4122. I want you to say more than that. Can any man say that it is an exaggeration, to say that these defects are of so serious a character as to be a source of grave danger ?—From what I have seen, they do not seem to be such a grave source of danger as has been attempted to be made out. That is my answer. Still, I believe them to be a source of danger. 4123. Are they not a source of great danger ?—They are a source of danger. 4124. I want you to tell me whether they are not a source of great danger ? —1 can only say that they are a source of danger. 4125. Do they call for immediate remedy?—l think that they should be remedied. . 4126. Do you think it is safe to leave them as they are ?—I do not know how to answer that. 4127. Did you hear Dr. Deßenzi say that he hardly saw any septic trouble or suppuration in the Christchurch Hospital owing to their improved hygiene ?—I heard him say so about septic trouble. 4128. W Tould you be surprised to hear that of a list of 200 cases in the Dunedin Hospital sixty cases are associated with septic trouble ?—I should most decidedly be surprised, and should like to see how that list is made up. 4129. The second name on the list, Bessie A , had septic symptoms: " Discharged for a time ; abscess " ? —She had suppuration when she came into the Hospital. 4130. It does not say so here ?—lt was the case, nevertheless. 4131. The next case is given as " Septic symptoms from the time of admission"?— That case had suppuration when it came in. 4132. The next case is " Abdominal section ; patient became delirious next day "?—I suppose that that is put down to septic causes. 4133. The authorities say that that is the strongest symptoms of septic poisoning?— That patient died of exhaustion. I see in the list a case of " perforation of the intestines ; " but that has not been done : there was no operation. 4134. " Mary D ; abscess in the loin " ?—That started before she came into the Hospital. 4135. " Hugh A ," the tenth case in the list. What about him ?—There was no erysipelas there*. 4336. I will not go through the list. But in a list of about fifty cases there are about a dozen of erysipelas ?—You may expect that, for a considerable time at any rate. 4137. Here is a list of Dr. Gordon Macdonald's cases [read]. Is that a normal condition of things ?—The unfortunate thing about it is that Dr. Macdonald gets nearly all the suppuration which comes into the Hospital. * They come in with suppuration. 4138. Now, as to Mrs. T : Was there anything to suggest a reason why the temperature should go up as it did?— Not in the operation itself. There was, however, a good deal of handling of the parts, which might cause bruising. 22— H. 1.