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KEW ASYLUM INQUIRY.

CHARGES AGAINST DOCTOR.

PATIENTS AND DIKTY CLOTHES.

Favouritism Alleged.

"Dr. Ellery deliberately kept the patients in the cold to inflict hardship upon them." This statement was made by a witness at the inquirj'i which was resumed yes- terday by Hr. A. A. Kelley, P.M., into charges of maladministration at thc Kew Asylum, and cruelty to patients by thc junior -medical officer (Dr. R. S. Ellery).

Hr. Kelley, who was sitting as a Royal commission to inquire into the charges, was assisted by thc assistant Crown solicitor Mr. F. G. Menzies. Mr. F. Brennan rep- resented thc Mental Hospital Employees' Association, and Mr. Ii. G. Menzies (in- structed by, Messrs. Phillips, Pearce, and Jost) watched thc* proceedings for Dr. Ellery.

Thc examination of Rosco Roper, an at- tendant, was resumed. He said:?-I am not sure on which two occasions patients were bathed in the open. Children suffer- ing from mumps were not bathed in tile open as I stated in evidence yesterday. Two cripples were bathed inside with the mumps patients. I complained to the charge attendant (Rae) that the patients should not bc brought from their warm beds insufficiently clad. 1 instructed an- other patient to take them back.

Mr. li. G. Menzies.?You swore yesterday that there was no scating accommodation tn thc drill hall and airing court?

Witness.?Yes.

Is that so??There is a movable form.

There are not three or four movable

forms that.

the court??I could not swear to | No.

done

What you said yesterday, then, was un-|. Yo true??Yes. child

To Mr. Brennan.?When I last saw thc you 1 court there were still insufficient scats for one

the patients. J)j(

Continuing, witness said that lie had Dr.

signed a petition, with 3!) other members nor 1 of tho staff, to protect Myers, an attendant, say t from the result of thc inquiry- instil

Mr. Kelley.?From what were you pro-

tecting him?

Witness.?From victimisation. It might ... ,

have been thought that Myers was trying ^v^_

to stir up strife.

Thc document was as follows: ?

"On behalf of tbe staff we authorise you, in the event of the inquiry beins held up, ad- journed, or If in any way a desire is ahnwn to withhold or suppress evidence, to withdraw from the inquiry, nnd take immediate steps to make thc matter public. Aa it is a great respon- sibility to place upon you, you should have five minutes to give a decision. Wc cipect your judgment to be in accordance with thc circum-

stances." i

Mr. F. Menzies. ? How do you find pro- tection for ymir representative in this?

Witness. ? I rend protection for bim in

it.

Did you ever hold a meeting tn discuss thc position at thc asylum? ? Ko; but 15 of ns "got together" one night.

Did you,authorise your sub-branch secre- tary (McDuff) to ask for an inquiry??

No.

In reply to Mr, Kelley witness said:?I complained to Dr. Ellery that it was too cold for the patients in the yard,' and he replied that he had reported to the medical superintendent (Dr. Hollow), birt did not know when tho mntterwould be adjusted.

Mr. R. G. Menzies. '? Who called thc

meeting?

Witness.?McDuff, an attendant.

Who was the leading speaker??McAllan, who is thc secretary of thc Hospital Em-

in tl regar

tion

airini boys, cloth Then not i

worm

cotta the t office office lying

arrar

tory.

Mr male

ployccs' Union,. was in the chair.

The meeting consisted of persons favour-

able to an attack upon Dr. Ellery??Yes. ., ...

Thc idea waa to formulate a plan of cam- rJ paign? ? Yes. \?°°

To get rid of Dr. Ellery? ? No, no.

Would you bc glad to get rid of him?

Jai id: cold

was :

limit the The

pa tic

tom panci

Mr that cloth

did ; " i b! Wi it wo

you

your

Is

No. I have nothing against him. Ho bas

done nothing to me.

You say that he is cruel, ano that the children suffer because of him.Why should you bc sorry to sec him go? ? Hell, auy

ic will improve.

Did anyone at thc meeting suggest that Dr. Ellery should bc "kicked out"??No; nor have f ever heard McDuff or McAlIan say that it would bc a good thing for thc

institution if he were.

Women In Men's Quarters.

Thomas Sheehan, an attendant, said:? Wot nnd dirty patients have been forced to remain in their soiled clothes all day. lu the Inst three months the position in regard to clothes has improved. The condi- tion of thc children in thc winter in thc airing court was pitiable. The smaller boys, in particular, sat. all day long in wet clothes, shivering and crying with cold. There was no fire, and some of them could not walk to get warm. 1 have also seen women patients in the male section (No. 3 cottage). They were unattended. I saw thc doctor and a nurse enter thc doctor's office. There was no patient in thc doctor's office. One of the female patients was lying in thc passage with her clothing dis- arranged. Others were in the male dormi- tory.

Mr. R. G. Menzies. ? Were there any male patients in thc dormitory? Witness.?No.

James Dwyer O'Grady, an attendant, id:?Conditions last winter in regard to cold and wet were very bad indeed. There was no accommodation provided, and very limited Beating inside the drill hall, where tho patients sheltered from thc weather. The floor was continually damn, and patients had to sit on the floor. The bot- tom panel of the door and the window- panes were missing.

Mr. R. G. Menzies. ? If you considered that it was cruel to carry the patients un- clothed from thc bath to their beds, why did you not order them to' bc wrapped

in blankets?

Witness. ? Those in authority knew that it was done, and I followed the precedent.

So. long as someone else has done it before you can be as cruel as you like? Is that

mr principle? ? No.

Is it Dr. Ellery's fault that the accom- modation is not all that it might be? ? I reported it 30 or 40 times to different senior

attendants.

Yes: and I suppose that it has been im- possible to get seats from thc Govern- ment? ? I do not know.

Attendants Rebuked by Ooctor.

Has Dr. Ellery over rebuked you for not attending to your work??Yes, just re- cently.

Do you know of any others who have been reprimanded??There are others.

Why were you rebuked??Because I was reading a newspaper while on duty.

Dr. Ellery directed your attention to the fact that several patients were sitting about in an exposed condition??I deny that absolutely.

There was filth in tho yards??Yes, he made me "get busy" and clean it up.

Witness, continuing, said.?Since the Ministry decided to pay overtime certain members of the staff have been given preference in overtime work. Tho pay

sheets will show this clearly.

Inspector-General Criticised.

Questioned regarding the petition con- cerning thc inquiry, O'Grady said.?The reason for drawing up the petition was that we had no confidence in the inspec- tor-general for the insane (Dr. Jones), based mainly upon a resolution passed by our union two years ago.

Mr. F. G. Menzies.?You doubted his honesty bb a judge? Witness.?Yes.

Certain evidence might not have been accepted by him??That is so.

At these meetings was nny desire ex- pressed to force Dr. Ellery out of the institution??Not so far as I know.

Mr. R. G. Menzies.?You would like to get rid of Dr. Ellery??Yes, it would be very uncomfortable here after this in- quiry. I expect "to get the sack," any-

how.

There is a good deal' of resentment against Dr. Ellery? Things arc not as pleasant as they used to be??It is less pleuant to work herc now.

Or-is it less pleasant to "loaf"??Put it that way if you like.

Duty In Yard Refused.

John Doyle, attendant, said.?In the depth of winter I was on duty in thc airing court, where conditions were very bod. One day it was bitterly cold. There were. only three scats in the court, and patients were huddled together in the drill hall. The head attendant (McCartney), when he returned to thc messroom that night, declared, "I will not do duty in the yard again for anyone. I would rather see a newspaper reporter and complain to him." Witness also gave evidence con- cerning the presence of women patients in a male dormitory, the open-air bath- ing of cripples, upomorphine injections, and thc usc of a steel instrument. Regarding thc presence of women patients in thc men's dormitory, witness said.?The girls in the passage and the dormitory were in danger of being molested by thc boys. I sent the boys away, and sent an idiot patient to find a nurse. I did not wait to sec that thc nurse'came. ?' '

Mr. R. G. Menzies.?Did Dr. Ellery de- liberately keep the patients in thc cold to inflict hardship?

Witness.?Yes, I should say so.

Could thc charge attendant not have placed a fire without asking permission?

?I do not know.

. What do you' dislike about Dr. Ellery? ?I have nothing against him at all.

During thc cold weather Dr. Ellery per- mitted tlie boys to go to bcd half an hour

earlier??Yes.

Was that good for the boys??Yes.

At the meeting did you want to get rid of Dr. Ellery??No,'there is not a. mem- ber of the staff who wants him to lose his position.

If Dr. Ellery is as inhuman as you suggest, would yon not move heaven and earth to get rid of him??No one wants him to lose his job. ~

To. Mr. F. G. Menzies.?Dr. Ellery is not solicitous enough about thc patients.

Who told you that Dr. Jones would charge you with perjury??It was in the napers. They said "conspiracy and per- jury."

Did you give any information to the press??None at all.

The inquiry was adjourned until 10 o'clock on Monday morning.

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