The letters of Mr. Alexander Fiddes, F.R.C.S., Edin. considered and refuted, his misrepresentations exposed, his calumnies and innuendoes set in the light of truth, his various statements in the press and otherwise weighed in the balance and found wanting / by Lewis Quier Bowerbank ; together with documentary letters and papers, tending to expose a professional conspiracy, and to afford the public in the colonies, and in Great Britain, correct judgment as to the controversy now existing on hospital matters.

  • Bowerbank, Lewis Q.
Date:
1865
    COR£?.ESP»0]SrDEISrCE. To the Editor of the Colonial Standard. Kingston, 23rd January, 1865. Sir,—As several of my friends have requested me to lay before the public, a statement of the circumstances which led to my re- signation of the office which I recently held in the Public Hospital, I have been induced to accede to their desire, not from any wish to obtrude my official conduct on the public, but chiefly with the view of correcting certain misrepresentations which have been circulated, with regard to the reasons which induced me to sever my connec- tion with this institution, in which, for a period of nearly three years, I have served as one of its Chief Medical Officers. It has been alleged that I was induced to tender ray resigna- tion of office, in consequence of the recent alterations or changes which the Grovernor has thought fit to make, with regard to the pe- riodical retirement of the Medical Officers, and that my inability to remain in the Hospital, as a permanent member of the Medical Staff, was the principal cause of my resignation of office. But such is not the case. I never had, and have not now, any particular de- «ire to act in such a capacity ; but «n order to show this more clearly, it is necessary that I should enumerate somewhat in detail, the circumstances which first led to my late official connection with the Institution. On the occasion of the vacancy in the Hospital Medical Staff, which occurred by the death of Dr, McGrath in 1858, I was re- quested to put forward my claims to that appointment, and received eveiy assurance of being elected to the office if I desired to hold it, I declined, however, and left the way open for Dr. Bowerbank, who had signified his desire to obtain the situation. He canvassed the votes of the Hospital Commissioners, in whom the patronage was vested, and he did so unopposed by me, and if I remember rightly, by any body else. The Commissioners, however, for reasons best known to themselves, did not entertain iiis application, and from the moment of his rejection, Dr, Bowerbank commenced his famous Hospital Campaign, which after a duration of four years, was tem- porarily suspended, but not terminated, by the removal of Dr. Scott, from his office of principal Medical Officer of the Hospital. This gentleman's connection with the Hospital, terminated in Marcli 1862, and on the 20th of that month Governor Darling wrote to me requestiug that I would agree to act as Dr. Scott's successor. At that time I had become so disgusted at the discreditable manner in which the Hospital controversy had been conducted, that I felt no desire whatever to form any official connection with the Institution, *iid this feeling on my part seems to have been pretty well under- A
    Mood, for early in the morning of the 218t March, the day after I had received Governor Darling's letter, Dr. Bowerbank and Dr. Campbell called upon me at ray residence, and urged upon me the propriety of stepping forward and occupyin.^ the vacant \)Ofit in tlie Hospital, and among other inducements which these gentlemen held out to me, was the important one, that in future everything would go on pacifically in the Institution. But I had not made up my mind on the subject, and it was not until I had a personal interview with Governor Darling and discussed the matter with him that I con- Bented to act. 1 accordingly entered upon my Hospital duties, cer- tainly, not without misgivings, but still with the hope that in the conduction of the Institution I would not encounter factious or vex- atious opposition. Towards the end of that year, a new hospital bill was passed by the Legislature, and came into force early in 1863. This bill was drawn up by Dr. Bowerbank by direction of Governor Eyre and his then Executive Committee. The formality was gone through of Bhewing the bill to Dr. Dunn and myself, prior to its final reading in the House of Assembly, and being struck with the extraordinary nature of some of its provisions, I suggested some six or seven al- terations, but as I had reason to anticipate, uot one of my sugges- tions .was carried into effect. Early in 1863, Governor Eyre consulted me personally with re- ference to the working of the new Act, and at this period I Avas so impressed with its anomalous character, that I tlicn stated to his Excellency that I had no particular wish to continue longer as a Medical Officer of the Hospital, and that if he knew of any gentle- man who might be desirous to fill my situation, I would not stand in his way. His Excellency seemed desirous, however, that I should remain in the Institution, and still entertaining a hope, that the hospital machinery might work properly, I consented to do so. I had not yet ascertained fully that a Government which had been held by a Metcalfe, an Elgin, and a Grey, had actually fallen into the liands of a man of so feeble a capacity, that he could not or would not use the ability with which Providence has endowed him, but like a young schoolboy, was necessitated to repeat his lessons under the dictation of his nurse; but I was soon undeceived, for early in May, 1863, I found Dr. Bowerbank (who had been elected to the office of Chair- man of the Board of Visitors under the new law) engaged in fanning the flame of a hospital conspiracy, got up with the special object ot crushing one of the Resident Medical Officers. True it is that i found this honorable and straight forward gentleman maintaining a corrcspo ndcnce with the individual who had initiated the conspi- racy, supplying him with writing materials and otherwise inciting him to prosecute his charges, without myself being in any way in- formed of the existence of any complaint, although I was several hours daily in the wards of the hospital, and was accessible to any patient who might have grievances to urge. On ascertaining the facts connected with this reprehensible transaction, Dr. Dunn and myself immediately protested against so Vuwarrantalile a procedure on the part of Dr. Bowerbank, and w^
    eoTijointly eubmittted to the Board of Visitors the following letter on vile subject :— Public Hospital, 6th May, 1863. ■ Sir,—Asa special meeting of the Board of Visitors vfill be held to-day to enquire into certain charges preferred by Allan McRae, a patient, against Dr. Stern, Senior Resident Medical Offi- cer, we think proper to direct your attention and that of the Official Visitors, to the anomalous course of procedure which has led to the institution of this enquiry. " We are aware, that by the provisions of the Hospital Law, any member of the Board of Visitors may call and inspect the hos- pital at any time, and may examine any officer, servant, nurse or inmate, as he may think fit; but we do not perceive that the Act has invested any member of the Board with power to act as the Chairman has done ii^ the case which is to be the sulyect of investi- gation to-day. " It would be premature to say anything now with regard to the charges made by the patient McRae against Dr. Stern : these will be, doubtless, examined carefully, and judged impartially ; but wo must be permitted to observe that the whole of the preliminary pro- cedure between McRae arid the Chairman, appears to have been irregular, inasmuch as the subject of McRae's complaints was ini- tiated, and carried to where it now stands, without reference to either of the Ordinary Medical Officers, or to the Inspector and Director. " We submit that the adoption of a practice like this, would re- duce the position of the Medical Officers, and that of the Inspector and Director to a niillity ; it would subvert all hospital discipline, and speedily effect the demoralization of the Institution. " We object to any member of the Board of Visitors sanction- ing or holding an outside correspondence with patients in the Hos- pital, particularly in cases where the responsible officers of the Insti- tution have received no intimation of the existence of any complaint. The question of interference with patients, by members of the. Board of Visitors, is very important, and the extent and limits of such interference should be settled definitely without delay. " We are willing to carry out the duties of the hospital to the best of our ability, but we have no wish to hold our appointments on any other terms than such as are compatible with professional propriety ; and we object to act under any systern of Hospital Gov- ernment, which would tend to keep the Institution in a state of per- petual disturbance. " We have to request that you will be good enough to lay this letter before the meeting of the Board of Visitors to-day, and that you will also transmit a copy of it to his Excellency the Lieutenant Crovernor." " We are, " Your obdt. servants, ANDREW DUNN, ALEXANDER FIDDES, " Ordinary Medical Officers. ^' To D. P. Trench, Esqr., Inspector and Director."
    The Boaril of Visitors sat lor seven consecutive days, to iuvesti- gate the subject ol this inquiry, and at one of tlieir meotinfrs on tlie 20th May, I individuaHy tendered to them the following letter, with the view ot pointing out to the Board the improper course which the Chairman had pursued :— " Public Hospital, 20th May, 1863. " ^irs—As the visiting Medical Officer of No 2 division of the hospital, which is under the care of Dr. Stern and from which the patient McBae preferred the charges against this officer, which are now the subject of enquiry by this Board, I have to crave your in- dulgence for leave to make a few observations with reference to this case. " It is certainly no business of mine to interfere, either by words or by deeds with the functions which this Board exercises accord- ing to law, and it would not be fit or proper in me to make any re- marks which might appear calculated to influence the members of the Board, or to prejudice their decision in regard to the charges which have been advanced by McRae against Dr. Stern, but I may be permitted to observe, nevertheless, that the matter of this com- plaint- which has now occupied the attention of the Board for four days, and which has also demanded the attendance of all the Medi- cal Officers of the hospital during that time, might probably have been settled equitably and satisfactorily in a few minutes, if a pro- per course of procedure, in the first instance, had been adopted. "The plan which hospital patients should follow to obtain re- dress of real or imaginary grievances, would be to speak to the Ee- fiident Medical Officer in charge ; but if the complaint happen to be against this officer himself, the complainant should apply to the ordinary Visiting Medical Officer, and should he not succeed in ob- taining redress from him, he should appeal to the Inspector and Di- rector ; and, in tire event of that application also failing, the complainant would act properly in applying to any member of the Board of Visitors. " But in the case which is now the subject of investigation by this Board, the course here indicated was not pursued. McRae made no complaint to the Visiting Medical Officer of his ward against Dr. Stern, although he had every opportunity to do so, neither did he mention any grievances to the Inspector and Director, but at once opened a correspondence with the Chairman of this Board, outside the hospital, which necessarily led to the enquiry which now en- gages your attention, an enquiry which Dr. Dunn and myself, in our letter of the 6th inst., (now before the Board) designated as anomalous and irregular, inasmuch as the preliminary procedure attending it has been contrary to the rules and usages by which all well-regulated hospitals are governed. "I may be permitted to state, that since my appointment as a Medical Officer of the hospital, now rather more than a year ago, the period of my daily attendance" at the Institution has ranged from one to five hours—the average being probably from two to three hours. I submit that such period of daily visitation is ample to al-
    low every patient full opportunity to speak with me on grievances, or on any other subject: and, consequently, that statements like those made by McRae, if communicated to parties outside the hos- pital, without reference to the responsible officers inside, should be viewed with suspicion and distrust, and it will generally be found that patients making those irregular charges against Officers of the Institution, have been influenced in doing so, either by malice and ill-will, or by a propensity to provoke mischief and stir up strife. It should be borne in mind that among the inmates of tho Kingston Hospital, there is always a considerable number of bad characters—sailors who have broken their engagements, and left their ships, and men who, when out of hospital, pass a good deal of their time in prison, or in the General Penitentiary; and in corro- boration of this statement, I may mention that during the last few weeks there was treated, as a patient in the hospital, one of the most incorrigible scoundrels who has figured in the annals of the latter penal establishment. " If these and other analogous facts be duly considered, it will, I think, be allowed that any interference with patients, by members of the Board of Visitors, tending to lessen the authority of the re- sponsible officers of the Institution, cannot have a wholesome or sa- lutary effect on the management. " I leave the important question herein involved with the Board, and with the Government, for consideration and settlement, feeling assured that the decision which will be made in regard to it will be such as may tend to uphold the discipline of the hospital, and to promote its general welfare ; but I would be wanting in duty to my- self, to the hospital, and to the profession to which I have the honor to belong, if I failed.to protest against any repetition of that unusual mode of hospital management, upon which 1 have now been neces- sitated to give my opinion. "I am, your obdt. servant, "ALEX. FIDDES, " Ordinary Medical Officer of the Public Hospital. "To the Chairman and Members of the Board of Visitors." During this investigation the Board was always fully attended, there being present. Dr. Bowerkank, the Chairman ; His Lordship the Bishop, the Rector of Kingston, the Rev. Mr. Edmondson, the principal Medical Officer of her Majesty's Army ; the principal Me- dical Officer of her Majesty's Navy, the Hon. George Solomon, and Charles Levy, Esquire. After a full and patient enquiry, these gentlemen framed a Re- port, in which they unanimously agreed that the charges made by the patient McRae against Dr. Stern, were unfounded and vexa- tious, and that there was no ground whatever for the entertainment of his complaint. To this Report Dr. Bowerbank dissented, and considered it ne- cessary to furnish a Report of his own, with the object apparently of making a wild and unjustifiable attack upon every Officer of the Institution. His Report was duly forwarded to Government, along with that of the Board of Visitors; and if Governor Eyre had pos- sessed the rudiments of Governmental knowledge, he would have