T. HARRISON.]

145

H.—l9b.

25. Would you like to have had further time?—No, sir; I will go on. Those men were sent as convalescents to Berhampore with colds and slight bronchial trouble. 26. Could you give the date when they arrived at, Berhampore?—l could not, tell you the date offhand; it was after I took charge. 27. What history have you got about them? —They had slight colds, which developed into a more acute stage : they developed into bronchial septic pneumonia. I saw them one day when their temperatures were up, and I. considered that if they were not better next, day I would shift them to the Wellington Hospital. 28. What date would that be?—l could not tell you ; two or three days after I saw them first. The next day they weie markedly worse, and I considered it would be very dangerous to shift them from the place they were in. I considered the nursing plus the medical instruction to the nurses was absolutely all that one could do in such a condition, and that the nursing they got there was such as they could not have got, elsewhere. It was absolutely the best nursing they could get. 29. You mean from the point of view of the nurses' qualifications?— From the attention they received from the nurses, from what I saw on my visits there. 30. How was it that the last doctor who gave evidence went to see them?—l was asked one day on the telephone by some one if I would consult with Dr. Thacker about Pollard and I refused. I was rung up later and asked if I would consult with Dr. Herbert, and I said I would. 31. Dr. Martin.] AVhy did you make an exception to Dr. Thacker?—Dr. Thacker was a politician, and I knew Dr. Herbert was in practice. 32. Did you have a consultation with Dr. Herbert ?—Yes. 33. What date?—l could not tell you the date from memory. 34. The Chairman.] At Berhampore?—At 4.30 on the day before the patient died. I went to the telephone immediately 7 afterwards and rang up Dr. Elliott, and asked him to see the patients for me that night, as I considered it advisable that they be seen again that evening, and I could not see them because I was going to camp. Dr. Elliott wanted to know something about his standing with the Defence Department, and I said that was nothing to do with me—the patients had to be seen —and he said he would send Dr. Steele. 35. Dr. Martin.] Did you see the men next day?—l sent, Captain McCaw in to see them. He saw them shortly before they died. 36. Who signed the death certificate?—l did. 37. What did you state as the cause of death?— Measles, bronchial pneumonia, septic pneumonia following measles. 38. We have a return from the Commandant's office saying those men died in the Wellington Hospital?— They died in Berhampore Hospital. 39. AA'e have been told Berhampore has had no deaths, but, to y 7 our knowledge, it has had two deaths?— Yes, two deaths. 40. The Chairman.] Was this a sudden development, into septic pneumonia?—ln those two cases it was. 41. Did they become comatose before they died?—No; one was a little delirious, but they died the usual death of bronchial pneumonia. 42. Dr. Martin.] You were not at Berhampore when Col'ey was there? —No. 43. The Chairman.] Have any other deaths occurred of those who have gone to Berhampore, or those who have gone from Berhampore to AA T ellington Hospital?— There were more deaths at Wellington Hospital. There was a man named McFarlane who died in Wellington Hospital who, I heard, had been transferred from Berhampore. 44. Dr. Martin.] You did not have a man named Stafford under your charge?— Yes, at A r ictoria Ward. 45. Did he come from Berhampore?—No. 46. And Phillips?—He was not under my care. 47. Bartlett?—Yes. 48. AATiere did he come from?—He was not in Berhampore. 49. Matheson ?—Yes; he was under my care, but Ido not know where he came from. He died in the Wellington Hospital. 50. The Chairman.] You reported to Major Elliott the condition of these men?— Yes. 51. And how -was it Dr. Steele went to see them?— Dr. Elliott, had been up previously one night, to see a patient, who was bad, and T asked him would he go and see those two patients that night. Tt was merely a conversation over the telephone. He demurred about going himself, and I said I wanted some competent medical man to see them, and he said he would send Captain Steele, and 1 said "Very well." 52. Could you not have stayed in?—No; I had so many 7 measles cases to see at camp when I got back. 53. You must have been making a long day of it in those davs?—Yes. 54. Could you not get any help?— All those in camp were working at their respective duties, and the men could not be obtained. 55. Was it, not, a large order for you to live at Trentham and take charge of the measles cases there, others at, Kaiwarra and Berhampore, Wellington Hospital, and at Mr. Izard's house? —I have done much more in general practice. 56. Dr. Ma.rf.in.] How did you get, about? —In a motor-car. 57. The Chairman.] You say you had a consultation with Dr. Herbert?— Yes. 58. Ts he connected with the military?—T could not tell you. 59. Then how was it you consulted with him? —I was rung up, 60. It was some friend who wanted him? —Perhaps so.'

19— H. 19b,