INVESTIGATION OF CHARGES.
Alleged Gifts to Ex-Minister.
Mr. V. Tanner, P.M., sitting as a Royal commission, resumed his inquiry yesterday into the allegations made in Parliament by Mr. Hogan, M.L.A., regarding the treatment of patients at, and the conduct of, Greenvale Sanatorium, a Government institution for patients suffering from tuberculosis.
Mr. T. G. Jones is conducting the inquiry on behalf of the Crown Law department, while Mr. H. S. Shelton (instructed by Messrs. W. B. and O. McCutcheon) is appearing for Dr. Brown, medical superintendent of the institution.
Florence A. Gillon, who was a patient at the sanatorium between January and June, 1917, said that after the first fortnight that she was there the meat was always fly-blown during the warm weather.
Mrs. Dora Jean Crooks, 60 Park road, Middle Park, said that before her marriage she was a nurse at Greenvale Sanatorium. She went there in September, 1917, and remained five months. She stated that when the milk used at breakfast was poured on the porridge it went sour. Patients often refused porridge on this account. The probationary nurses used to say that at dinner time they had to water the milk to make it go round. She had been told that cream was sold to the dairies. Poultry was given only at Christmas. In her opinion patients did not get enough nourishing food, and there was not sufficient variety. Owing to the meat being fly-blown in the hot weather, many of the patients constantly refused to eat it and sent back their plates untouched. Referring to food brought by friends of patients, witness stated that nurses were told by Dr. Brown to take these parcels away and not to allow patients to eat “rubbish.” As a matter of fact, these instructions were never carried out. So far as she knew, books sent to patients were given to them. When Dr. Bird was superintendent there was enough milk to go round without the addition of water, plenty of vegetables, a variety of puddings, and honey, and jam. When Dr. Brown took charge the supply of milk and meat was cut down, and the honey and jam were stopped.
Mr. Shelton put in as exhibits a long series of menus which, he said, showed that the food supplied was much more plentiful and varied than Mrs. Crooks had indicated.
Nurse M. O’Donnell, assistant nurse at the sanatorium from February to July, 1918, said that all the patients dreaded “egg day.” There was only one egg apiece, the eggs were not always properly cooked, and there was always the fear that there would not be enough. On one occasion the milk was watered, but this was reported to Dr. Brown, who expressed disapproval. There was always enough vegetables, though the cooking might have been better.
Elsie Dowling, probationary nurse at Greenvale from September 8, 1917, to February 28, 1918, said that when Dr. Bird was at the institution there were too many eggs, but later, when Dr. Brown was in charge, there was not enough. Vegetables were usually plentiful. Meat was fly-blown on only a few occasions. Patients were not expected to eat it when in this condition.
Frederick Hagelthorn, M.L.C., stock and station agent, at this stage obtained permission to make a statement. Mr. Hogan, he said, had declared that he (Mr. Hagelthorn) had been guilty of an impropriety in receiving presents from the Greenvale Sanatorium. He had received no presents whatever. The charge probably had its origin in the facts that when he was ill last year Mrs. Brown brought out to his house at Malvern a cooked fowl, and that, when he was Minister for Health, Dr. Brown brought into his office a few vegetables worth perhaps 6d. or 7d. He (Mr. Hagelthorn) had tried to discourage Dr. Brown in frowing vegetables on what he regarded as poor land, and the doctor brought in these specimens to show him what could be grown. When Minister for Agriculture, he had often had similar specimens brought to his office. On another occasion Mrs. Brown took out to his house a pair of ducks. He was not at home at the time, but in any case he would have accepted the present, because he took it that the ducks were Mrs. Brown’s private property. The only other gift he ever received from a public institution was a loaf of bread from a gaol. (Laughter.)
Dr. Alfred Austin Brown, superintendent of the Greenvale Sanatorium, confirmed Mr. Hagelthorn’s statements. The vegetables given to Mr. Hagelthorn were grown on the institution’s land, while the poultry was the private property of Mrs. Brown.
Daniel W. Grimwood, a patient of the sanatorium for six and a half years, and formerly a billiard marker, said that he once took out a pair of fowls to Mr. Hagelthorn’s house. These fowls, which were not those referred to by Mr. Hagelthorn, were taken out of the sanatorium’s poultry-yard.
Mr. Jones. -Have you ever seen any poultry taken away from the institution?
Witness. -Yes, I have seen a pair of ducks sent to Mr. Holmes and Dr. Robertson.
Mr. Jones. -Do you know anything of clothes not reaching patients? -I saw clothing in Dr. Brown’s own house in a tin trunk. There were suits of clothes, collars, pyjamas, and so on. Nearly all were marked “Gunnersen.” I was promised a suit of clothes and two silk shirts by Mrs. Brown, but didn’t get them. (Laughter.)
In answer to Mr. Shelton, witness said that five or six times he heard Mrs. Brown say that poultry had to go to Mr. Hagelthorn.
Mr. Shelton. -Do you know if it went?
Witness. -No.
Mr. Shelton. -Then it might have been the same old duck Mrs. Brown was referring to each time? -Yes.
At this stage the inquiry was adjourned until 10 o’clock on Monday morning.
Source: The Argus (Melbourne, Vic); Sat 24 August 1918 (Page 17)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1435993
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