H.—l9b.

86

[_". R. PURDY.

299. Did the AVellington Hospital at any time refuse admittance to patients who had already arrived? —Not to my knowledge. I am not quite clear about that, but if it was so there was a misunderstanding, and it was soon put right. They refused patients from the camp, but I do not think they ever refused a patient from Berhampore. 300. To your knowledge no patient has ever been refused admittance to Wellington Hospital from Berhampore?—No, not from Berhampore, I cannot recollect any case. 301. You never heard of the sergeant having sent cases there and then ringing you up subsequently and saying that they were not admitted? —If it was so it was soon put right. I cannot remember any instance. It is all vague to me, but I know it was not of a serious nature. 302. Do you consider it a right thing for a hospital containing infectious cases not to be visited daily by a Medical Officer? —In measles cases I do not think it necessary to send a Medical Officer every day. 303. Say chicken-pox?—ln a small number of cases. You do not do it in civil life. 304. AVhen "you left for the South on the 2nd June you left the hospital in charge of Major Elliott ?—I asked him to stand by if wanted at all. 305. You instructed him to look after the patients?— Yes. 306. And Major Elliott would have complete power to do whatever he wished during that period ?—Yes. 307. And if he wished to put a Medical Officer on duty he could have done so?— Yes. 308. He knew that? —I told him distinctly. 309. Do you think he understood that he had complete power at Berhampore during your absence? —I should imagine so —he had a perfectly free hand. There were no serious cases there. 310. Mr. Ferguson.] Did you telephone instructing him, or see him face to face, or write to him about it? —I think I saw him personally. 311. Dr. Martin.] You say you communicated with the Health Department about the overcrowding at Berhampore?—No. I communicated with the Health Department in the first instance early in April, and asked them to get us a place. 312. You asked the Health Department to arrange accommodation for measles cases? —Yes. 313. You w r rote to them?—No, telephoned them. 314. Who received that message? —Dr. Finch. 315. You spoke to him personally? —Yes. 316. What action did they take?— They did not do anything at that time. 317. What was the reason? —In a conversation I had later with Dr. Frengley he then told me for the first time they had wanted before to open Berhampore for infectious cases, but that they had been turned down by the D.M.S., Colonel Will, and I never knew anything about that. 318. Early in April you rang up the Health Department asking them to help you? —Yes. 319. And the Health Department would not give you any help?—l would not say that. 320. Did they give you any help?—No; they said I could do it myself quite well—why could 1 not open Berhampore myself. 321. The Chairman.] The help you wanted was to find a building?— Yes. 322. Were the officers of the Health Department colonels or captains?— Captains for special duty. 323. They could not issue orders to colonels, 1 suppose, could they?— No. 324. Dr. Martin.] You say that at the end of May is the first instance of overcrowding? —Yes. 325. There were 104 patients there? —Yes. 326. That is before you left for the South?— Yes. 327. Do you admit that is overcrowding?—l do. AVhere the trouble came in was that it was a very wet week, and a lot of those men came in late in the evening, and they could not be turned away into the street. The hospital could not take them, and we had to do the best we could to house them for the time being till we made other arrangements. We could not, do anything else. 328. You admit there was overcrowding? —Yes, I said so at once, and that it must be put a stop to. We established a marquee hospital in the camp -five marquees to hold eighty patients —and we sent convalescents back the very next day. They started going back on the 3rd June. By the morning of the 6th June there were not sixty people in Berhampore Hospital. 329. There was overcrowding at the end of May?—No, not specially. 330. You said there was no overcrowding till the end of May?—No; on the Ist and 2nd June there was overcrowding. 331. That was before you left for the South?— That was the day I left for the South. 332. Did you take any action in that matter? —Yes. 333. By putting up two extra marquees? —I put up marquees on the Ist June —first one, and then another, and then two extra. They were all put up about that time. 334. The Chairman.] Before the 2nd June?— Yes, so as to be ready. 335. Dr. Martin.] And you are satisfied that met the difficulty?—l am certain it did. Sixtyfour men could be accommodated in those marquees. We could easily accommodate ninety people without overcrowding. 336. Mr. Ferguson.] You never had more than 104?— No, never had more than 104. That was for one day, practically. 337. Dr. Martin.] When you left for the South there was no overcrowding?— Yes, there was* the day I left. That was why I brought Sergeant Yallop down. He came on the Ist June, T think. 338. You pointed out to Major Elliott that there was overcrowding when you left?—No, I did not. I did not say anything specially about it, because I had given orders that that overcrowding would be remedied almost immediately, and it was the very next day.