South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Wednesday 4 December 1844, page 3


"PROUD MAN DRESSED IN A LITTLE BRIEF AUTHORITY."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant, C. J. CARLETON.

Sir—As the accompanying letter has not been published in the Register, upon the frivolous pretence of "want of space,"* I shall be much obliged if you will insert

it in your Tuesday's paper.

Gentlemen —It is with much surprise that I have read the false and malicious statement inserted in your paper of Wednesday, respecting the admission of a patient into the Hospital, which statement I beg to deny in the most unqualified man-mer. The man was brought up from the Port with a letter directed to Mr. Nash, which the driver asserted was from Capt. Lipson ; but my only authority for the admission of patients (excepting in cases of accident, which are immediately admitted) being a written order from the Colonial Surgeon, I directed him to deliver the letter to Mr Nash, and procure the order; and in the meantime, taking all the circumstances into consideration, I had the patient, although not formally admitted, conveyed to a bed, and before the order for his ad-mission arrived, be had been refreshed with a cup of tea, instead of enduring, as you assert," the fatigue of a drive first to the residence of the Colonial Surgeon, and then to Mr Elder's store," and being, admitted " after a tedious and perilous delay of some hours." I would likewise observe, that however Capt. Lipson may be as " Harbour Master and Magistrate," his authority does not extend, as you erroneously suppose, to procuring admissions into the Adelaide Hospital without the usual formalities, which I am bound, of course, to observe ; but if in this respect I have ever erred, I have the pleasure of reflecting that it has always been on the side of humanity. Requesting you to give publicity to this communication in your next publication, I beg to remain, Gentlemen, Your most obedient servant, C. J. Carleton, Resident Dispenser. • Mr Carleton might surely have waited for his turn. The management of the Hospital does not, we suppose, altogether rest on his shoulders, that he should have been so " touchy" in reference to a very harmless allusion to it. The letter, of the non-insertion of which he complained, and which was evidently written with a desire " to see himself in print," has been in type since Friday last, but his indecent haste about the matter, has prevented us from saying many civil things we had intended. However, it is due to the Mr Carleton's Master our respected Colonial Surgeon—to say, thai no blame whatever attaches to him, and that he is not to he looked upon as in any way ac-countable for the exhibition his " Resident Dis penser*' has made of himself.