B. HANNA.

193

H.—l9b

172. Up to a certain time Colonel Purdy visited the hospital ?—Yes. 173. And you had others as well?— Yes. 174. Can y 7 ou tell us what other doctors came there?—No; Ido not know the names of the doctors. 175. You spoke of Captain Harrison: did he come every day?— Yes. If he did not come he sent some one else. 176. And you had occasional visits from other doctors at night?—l may not have been on duty. 17.7. When you were on duty did you ever know of any occasion on which the services' of a doctor were required and could not be got?— No. 178. You have had experience of nursing for some considerable time : do you think any of those men could have been better attended to than at Berhampore?—No, I do not think so; they got all the treatment they could get anywhere. 179. Were the orderlies you had satisfactory men? —Yes. Ernest Albert Vincent sworn and examined. (No. 46.) 1." Mr. Salmond.] You were formerly a member of the" Expeditionary Force?— Yes. 2. When did y 7 ou join?—l arrived at Trentham on the 19th December. ,3. What part of the Force did you belong to?— The Howitzer Battery, Third Reinforcements. 4- Up to that time what had been your occupation ?—Previous to going to camp I was driving an auctioneer's delivery 7 -cart. 5. Were you used to open-air life?— Yes. 6. Had you been perfectly 7 well?— Yes. 7. Had you ever suffered from rheumatism?—No, never. 8. AVhen you went into camp on the 19th December where were you put to sleep ?—ln a tent. 9. What sort of weather was it?—lt, w 7 as all right that night. 10. Were you supplied with the usual equipment?— Yes; we had an issue of blankets and just, what we wanted to go on with that night. 11. Did you get them late that night?—We had to wait, some considerable time before we got, them. It was half past Bor 9 o'clock before I got mine. 12. You got straw supplied you for bedding?—Yes--13. And a waterproof sheet?— Yes. 14. How was the straw supplied : was it, ready made up into bundles for the men?-—Just one bale, issued from the Quartermaster's store to each tent. 15. And eight men divided it up?— Yes. 16. Was the straw satisfactory 7 ?—No, it was not; it was damp. The bale had sweated; it had been in a damp place. 17. Did you notice that at the time?— Yes. 18. Did you say anything about, it? —No, not, then. 19. Did you say anything to your mates about, it?— One or two thought it was not quite the thing that night. As soon as we opened it up we spoke about it; wo remarked that it was damp. We had to wait some considerable time till we got it, and had some trouble about, getting it. 20. You got it about 9 o'clock, and went, straight to bed, I suppose?— Yes. 21. Did any bad effects follow from the condition of the straw 7 ?—Not that, night. 22. Tell me what happened?—Tt was on the Monday morning it started: T woke up with my 7 right, knee slightly stiff. 1 went on parade, and in the afternoon the sergeant-major came up and asked what was wrong with my foot. I told him that my knee was stiff. He noticed it because I could not take the full pace, and he told me to report to sick-parade that, night. I did so. and was given a black pill and four white tabloids. 23. AVhat, did you complain of?—I told them the trouble was in the knee. 24. AVas anything said about rheumatism? —No. One of the Medical Officers prescribed for me, but T do not know who. 25. T suppose you took the pills and tabloids?— Yes; I took them through the night. 26. And were you all right next day?—No, slightly worse. I reported on sick-parade again on the Tuesday and told the officer there exactly how I felt, where the trouble was, and that my legs were sore in the joints. He examined me then, and I was told there was nothing wrong with me, and that I wanted light exercise. 27. Were you let off work?— Yes; T did not parade. 28. Did he give you any medicine?—No, nothing. T was worse that night, but, did not report. On the Wednesday T reported, and was so bad T could only pull my boots on without, my socks, arid could just hobble to the tent for sick-parade. 29. Did you see some doctor?—T was examined then. 30. Did the same doctor examine you again?—No, the first doctor was different; but on the second and third occasions it was the same doctor. T told him exactly what was the trouble and where the pain was. and he examined me again. He just stood me aside and put one of the medical men on to rub my legs with a little liniment, and that finished it. 31. Did he give you any medicine or any instructions what to do?— No. 32. AVhat happened then ?—I had a bad night that night. 33. Were you sleepless?— Yes, T had no sleep. T had to roll all the time; T could not, lay in one position long, and the next, morning when it, was time to get, up T could not, move my legs. That was on a Thursday. 34. Did you get up?—No; T could not get up.

25— H. 19b.