CHARGES ABOUT SANITORIUM
INQUIRY INTO MANAGEMENT.
MELBOURNE, Tuesday.
Mr. Tanner, P.M., in the third City Court, continued the inquiry into the management of the Greenvale Sanatorium, a Government Institution where persons suffering from tuberculosis are treated, on account of certain allegations, including the disposal of food-stuffs.
Henry Hest, sheet metalworker, and an inmate of the sanatorium from July 3, 1917, till November 29, 1917, said that the treatment he had received at the sanatorium was very good, but the food supply could have been better.
The milk was good when he first went there, but towards the end of his stay it was watered.
Barrington Johnson, a patient at the sanatorium for seven weeks from July, 1917, stated that the milk was undoubtedly watered.
George Langan, a returned soldier, who entered the institution in February, 1916, said he did not receive an egg while there.
Patients had eggs brought to them by friends, and the eggs were marked with their names, thus making it easy to recognise their own eggs when cooked.
Judging by appearances the milk was adulterated freely with water, and he complained about the whole food to the doctor, “but” said the witness, “I only got abused. He told me to go to Hell, and said that all returned soldiers were blackguards.”
The meat supply, witness continued, was not good.
“Sausage skins,” he did not know what they were filled with corned beef and sawdust.
Robert Zelly said the milk supply was scarce.
Every day a gallon of milk used to go to the doctor’s house to feed opossums and dogs.
Other witnesses gave similar evidence. The inquiry arose out of charges made by Mr. D. P. Russell, who contracted consumption as a result of neglecting colds, caught while contesting Flinders against Sir W. Irvine; also in the Grampians by-election, as a Labor candidate.
Russell, when in the sanatorium, complained of petty peculations of the officials.
He left the institution owing to the feeding.
The matter was brought before a Parliamentary inquiry instituted but long delayed because of the low state of Russell’s health.
Mr. Russell’s evidence was taken by commission.
“SAWDUST” SAUSAGES.
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