H.—l

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5882. Was the wound opened up?— Yes, and well washed out. 5883. And closed up again ?—Yes. 5884. Were you with her after that up to the time of her death ?—Yes. 5885. You have told us that you have been eighteen months in the Hospital: How long during that time have you been off through illness ? —A whole week with influenza, but at no other time. 5886. Where have you to do duty?— All over the Hospital, except in the male wards. 5887. At what time of day?— Both night and day. 5888. Have you found the atmosphere of the wards very bad in the morning?—l cannot notice anything smelling disagreeable except the tow and the iodoform. 5889. Have you found your wards stuffy or close ? —Not in the morning. 5890. They have never made you feel sick when you went on duty in the morning?— No.

Thuesday, 11th September, 1890. Before the taking of evidence was commenced, Sir James Hector stated that he had visited the Hospital that morning before 6 o'clock, and had spent about an hour in the institution. He was alone, and no one had had notice of his visit. The morning was calm and fine, the temperature being 51°. The temperature of the main hall was 55°, and in the board room—unoccupied—it was 54°. In No. 1 ward washing floors was just begun. Five window valves were open and two windows. The air was fairly fresh, and the closets were in order. The temperature was 56°. No 2 ward had three windows open and three valves. The air was fairly fresh, and the closets were clean. The temperature was 56°. In No. 3 all the valves were closed, and only one end-window was open. The atmosphere was very close and bad, and the closet not flushed out. The temperature was 64°. The warder said they could not open the windows all the previous day, and the chimney smoked, and strong cold draughts poured in by the top ventilators. In No. 4 one valve and one window were open. The air was very close, with a very offensive smell, and the temperature was 61°. These were all the men's wards. In No. 6,three top-windows in the side and two in the end were open; the air was quite fresh, and the temperature was 56°. In No. 8 five windows were open ; the air was quite fresh, and the temperature was 55°. He had also examined the rain draintraps, and also the kitchen connections; each sink had a trap. The temperature in the kitchen was high. In answer to Mr. "White, Sir James Hector said he did not visit the children's ward. Dr. Copland recalled. Witness : [Eeport of the post-mortem on Mrs. S and the certificate of death were handed to the witness.] The report of the post-mortem is in my handwriting, but I do not know anything about the certificate. 5891. The Chairman.'] How came you to write that report out?—l wrote the report at the dictation of Drs. Eoberts and Jeffcoat, who made the post-mortem. 5892. Can you say exactly how much was written at the dictation of Dr. Boberts and how much at the dictation of Dr. Jeffcoat ?—I cannot do so at this length of time. It is almost entirely at Dr. Eoberts' dictation. A few words at the end were put in at Dr. Jeffcoat's dictation. What was put down at Dr. Jeffcoat's dictation was agreed to at the time by Dr. Eoberts. 5893. Was there any difference of opinion between them at that time ? Did they argue at all about the matter?— Yes. There were one or two little bits of argument. 5894. Do you remember on what point ? —I do not remember. 5895. Was there any final difference ? —No. 5896. Did they agree to what was written ? —Yes. 5897. Mr. Careiv.] You say that anything Dr. Jeffcoat dictated Dr. Eoberts agreed to ?—Yes. 5898. Mr. Chapman.] I see that there is a matter of opinion at the end of the report—"Cause of death, septicEemia." At whose dictation was that written ?—I cannot say positively at this time, but I think it was at Dr. Roberts'. They both seemed to be agreed about it at the time. 5899. The Chairman.] At whose dictation were the words at the end written?— Dr. Jeffcoat's, but they were agreed to by Dr. Eoberts, I think. There was no objection made to my writing them down. 5900. Mr. Chapman.] When I was absent the other day some questions were asked about Mrs. S 's chart. Are you able to give us any explanation of the fact of there being two charts ?— I think it may be accounted for in this way :On the night of the 15th —I know that her temperature was very high that night—her temperature was taken at several intervals, so I suppose it was written on pieces of paper that were attached to the chart, but I do not know what became of these slips. Her temperature was taken at intervals of two hours that night, I think. 5901. The Chairman.] Do you remember seeing two charts yourself?—l do not. The chart hangs at the head of the bed. 5902. You say that there was another paper. There was a small slip of paper which the nurse was keeping to show me. This sort of thing is often done at night, if there is any doubt about the temperature, or if the temperature is too high. 5903. You will see in the notes of the treatment that the first occasion on which the temperature went up there was nothing ordered ? —I was not in the ward that night, and did not see anything about it. 5904. Is it possible that there may have been an error in transferring the figures ?—There has evidently been a bungle here. This one has been copied from the original chart. 5905. But we had it in evidence yesterday that this second chart was the original one ?—I do not believe it. 5906. Mr. Chapman.] Nurse Waymouth admits that this is wholly in her handwriting, but she did not do any part of this [on the second chart}. She wrote the word " temperature "on each