EGG DAY DREADED
INQUIRY IS CONTINUED
REGARDING SANATORIUM
MR. HAGELTHORN SPEAKS
In the Third City Court this morning Mr. V. Tanner, P.M., continued the inquiry, which was opened yesterday, into the management of the Greenvale Sanatorium – a Government institution for the treatment of persons suffering from tuberculosis– and into certain allegations made by a former patient in regard to the disposal of foodstuffs and other matters.
Mr T. G. Jones (instructed by the Crown Law Department) appeared to assist the inquiry, and Mr. H. Shelton (instructed by Messrs W. B. and O. M’Cutcheon) appeared for Dr A. A. Brown, the medical superintendent at the Greenvale Sanatorium.
Miss Florence A. Gillon, who continued her evidence from yesterday afternoon, made statements similar to those of previous witnesses in regard to the food supply.
Mrs. Dora Jean Crooks, married women, living at 60 Park road, Middle Park, whose name before her marriage was Emery, and who previous to her marriage was employed as a nurse at the Greenvale Sanatorium, was the next witness called.
Mr. Jones: Were the patients supplied with a sufficiency of eggs?–No. They were only allowed one egg for breakfast, and only about six patients would be able to have two eggs.
Was watered milk ever given to the patients?–At dinner time the probationary nurses in the dining room said it was necessary to put water in the milk, in order to make it go round.
What were the names of some of the nurses who attended in the dining rooms?–Nurses Dowling, Purnell, Tanner and Douglas.
Was the milk or cream ever sold from the institution?–Yes. Cream was taken away and sold at the dairy.
MEAT WAS BLOWN
What do you say as to the allegation that the supply of food given to the patient was inadequate? – I do not think the patients had enough food to keep them well. There was nothing but mutton and boiled eggs, and during the summer the meat was blown. Thus the patients would not eat the meat at all, and the food was returned by the patients untouched.
Albert Thomas Baker, living at 320 Cardigan street, Carlton, who was a patient at the sanatorium from December 6, 1917, till May 7, 1918, was called as another witness.
Mr. Jones: Did you find that the supply of food to patients was inadequate?–Well, during my time I got enough food.
Did the patients share the food they received from friends with their fellow patients?–Yes.
Mr Shelton: Did you in any way benefit by the treatment at the institution?–I put on 27 ½ pounds in weight.
What have you to say as to the food supply?–The doctor did give us a lecture, saying that he would have to put us upon rations, as he had run a bit over the amount allotted for the expenses of the sanatorium.
Margaret O.Donnell, employed as assistant nurse at the Sanatorium from Februray 28 till July 19, and now engaged at Coode Island, in reply to Mr Jones, said that while she was there no separated milk was served to patients, but on one occasion watered milk was reported to her, and she at once reported it to Dr. Brown.
When asked by Mr Jones as to the supply of eggs at the Sanatorium. Nurse Dowling said, “We all dreaded egg day.”
What was the cause of this dread?–Well, there was only one egg provided for each patient, and it was worrying to have to guess whether the eggs would go round. Sometimes the eggs were undercooked, and sometimes they were overcooked.
Elsie Dowling, a probationer, engaged at the Sanatorium from September 8, 1917, to February 28, 1918, gave evidence that as far as she knew there was no misappropriation of gifts sent to the institution.
A former patient, James Edward Membrey, stated that while he was at the Sanatorium he did certain light work. At no time during his stay at the Sanatorium had he seen anyone take away anything from the institution.
MINISTER MAKES STATEMENT
A message was sent into the Court that Mr Hagelthorn desired to give his evidence before the Commission at the earliest possible opportunity.
Mr. Tanner, P.M., then stated that he would take Mr Hagelthorn’s statement at once. Mr Hagelthorn entered the witness box, and after part of the evidence of the previous day referring to him had been read.
Mr Hagelthorn made a statement to Mr Tanner. About last Christmas, he said, he was very ill at his home in Malvern, and Mrs Brown (wife of the doctor at the Sanatorium) brought out to him a cooked fowl. That was the only gift he had ever had brought to him from the vicinity of Greenvale, except for some vegetables, valued in all at about 6d or 7d. These vegetables, Mr Hagelthorn said, were grown by Dr. Brown on the ground at the sanatorium, and could not be looked on in the light of gifts. They were no more than the specimens of agricultural products he often had brought to him in his office as Minister for Agriculture. Mr Hagelthorn said, in conclusion, that the only gift he had received from any public institution was a small loaf of bread, which had been made in the Melbourne Gaol.
DR. BROWN CORROBORATES
Dr. Alfred Austin Brown, who has been medical superintendent at the Greenvale Sanatorium for some years, gave evidence in support of Mr Hagelthorn’s statement regarding the cooked fowl and the vegetables. He stated that the fowls were entirely the property of his wife, who bred and reared them herself. Therefore she was at liberty to dispose of them as she chose. The vegetables, added the doctor, were given to Mr Hagelthorn to show him that such things could be grown at Greenvale, as Mr Hagelthorn had previously told him that the ground surrounding the institution would not grow vegetables.
ALLEGATIONS MADE
Daniel W. Grimwood, of Fitzroy, who had been an inmate of the Greenvale Sanatorium for about 6½ years, and who did general work while he was at the institution, was called as a further witness.
Mr Jones: Were poultry and other things ever sold?–Yes.
Grimwood said that he had on several occasions gone to the poultry yards and obtained there a pair of fowls and taken them to Mrs. Brown. At Christmas a pair of ducks would be sent to Mr Holmes and Dr. Robertson. Grimwood also said he had taken a pair of fowls to Mr Hagelthorn’s own house, when he (Mr Hagelthorn) was ill. He stated that these were not the sane fowls referred to by Mr Hagelthorn. They came from the poultry yard.
Mr Jones: Were the books and clothing sent by friends to the patients in the institution every withheld?–Yes. I have seen the clothing in Dr. Brown’s house. It was kept in a tin trunk.
The inquiry is proceeding.
Source: The Herald (Melbourne, Vic); Fri 23 August 1918 (Page 8)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242738343
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