233

W. H. POWELL.]

H.—l9b.

40. What time were you admitted on the Saturday ? —On the Saturday evening. 41. What time on the Monday did you get away ? —I got away from the camp at 3 o'clock on the Monday. 42. Tell us what took place ? —On the Monday morning I was told I was well enough to get up, and I lined up with about a hundred others. We went through a rapid examination by one of the medical men, who gave us leave varying from ten to twenty days. I myself believe that I was not in a fit condition to be discharged from the hospital. And in view of after-events I think I was pretty correct. 43. The Chairman.] Are you on leave now ? —Yes, sir. 14. Mr. Skerrett.] Can you tell me what your temperature was on the Monday or Sunday night ? —On the Sunday night I was a shade over 100, I think. 45. What time ? —I think that would be the Monday morning about 3or 4 o'clock. We used to have to start about 4 o'clock. 46. That is the day you left ?— Yes. 47. Do you know whether your temperature exceeded 100 ?—lt was one or two pionts over 100. 48. What leave of absence were you given when you were discharged from the hospital ?—Ten days. 49. Tell mo what your experiences were subsequent to leaving the camp at 3 o'clock in. the afternoon ? —I intended to catch the next steamer to Marlborough on Tuesday evening at 5 o'clock. I came out of camp into town on the Monday evening, and I felt pretty bad. 50. Did you come in by train ? —Yes. I felt pretty bad, and I went to bed in a hotel in town. On the Tuesday morning I was no better, and I decided to get up and go to bed round at my mother's place, in Roxburgh Street, which I did. I went to bed on the Tuesday, and on the Wednesday morning I called in Dr. Steele, as I was no better, and he attended me for several days. 51. What was his diagnosis of your trouble ?—He told me the other day, when I asked him to express an opinion, that both my lungs were chock-full of pneumonia. 52. Mr. Gray.] When did he say that ? —Three or four days ago. 53. Dr. Martin.] How long were you in bed ?—About twelve days, and then I was confined to my room for close on a week after that. 54. The Chairman.] You have almost just got up ?—Yes, about a week. 55. Were you twelve days in bed with pneumonia ?—I do not know whether he actually meant, I had pneumonia. 56. Mr. Gray.] " Chock-full," you said?— That is how he described it—that both my lungs were chock-full of pneumonia. Whether he meant I had warded it off Ido not know. 57. Do you think that your case was an isolated case, or do you think that pressure existed upon the doctors in charge of the tea-kiosk to prematurely discharge patients ? —I took it this way : that if a hundred men came along from the camp to be admitted to the hospital, room had to be found for them, and I took it that an equal number of the best would have to be discharged, because there seemed to me to be no room at that time to receive the number of patients that were ordered into the hospital. 58. The Chairman.] You drew the inference that there were premature discharges to make room for the patients that were worse ? —Yes. We were told to go home and get better. 59. Did you get any medical attendance between the Saturday and Monday ?—No. I wanted a laxative, but when I saw how the laxative was to be administered I said I did not want it. 60. Did the doctor come round to see you ? —No, I saw no doctors while there. 61. Dr. Martin.] Was your chest examined when in the hospital ?—No, no examination. 62. The Chairman.] AVhen you applied for the laxative did you send for the doctor or speak to the orderly ?—Oh, no ; they were bringing it round and inquiring of the men who wanted it. I wanted it, but I thought I would sooner go without. 63. Was it given out of one common spoon ? —Yes. There were measles patients two or three yards from me, and I did not like the idea of taking it after the measles patients without any sterilizing. 64. Dr. Martin.] Were there measles cases in the kiosk ? —Yes ; I saw patients there with measles myself. 65. You are quite satisfied about that ? —Yes, quite. 66. You were admitted for a cold ? —Yes. 67. And you are quite definite that there were measles cases there ? —Yes, I am quite positive there were measles cases within four or five beds of me ; and when I was on duty I saw measles cases at night, and two cases were removed. 68. They were amongst the influenza cases ?—Yes. 69. Were they removed next morning ? I could not say when they were removed, because I did not go on till midnight, but they were gone when I went on next. 70. But no measles cases were sent into the kiosk ? —No ; they developed them in the kiosk. 71. And they were removed as soon as the diagnosis was made ? —Yes. 72. Mr. Skerrett.] Can you give the Commission any information as to the sufficiency of the conveniences attached to the kiosk ? —Attached to the hospital, to the best of my knowledge and belief, there was one water-closet. The sum total of the conveniences I saw were all attached to the building or connected with the building. 73. Were there any bed-pans ? —Oh, yes ; but I was looking at it as a stationary arrangement: there were a few bed-pans. 74. What was the condition of the one water-closet, as a rule ?—Whenever I saw it it was in a filthy condition. It was littered over with the overflow. Evidently the pipe had got blocked, and it was in the habit of overflowing.

50—H, 19b.