VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Szn,—Your correspondent "M. A. Marshall" (Miss) has thought fit to give two instances of `• maladministration that exists in many voluntary hospitals" as a reason why " they should either close down or ask for State financial assistance as well as for expert advice on hospital manage- ment."
I have been to the trouble of investigating the facts about these two instances, under a pledge of not mentioning the names of the hospitals. What do I find ?
The male patient (" he" in her letter) whose treatment she complains of was herself. The incident occurred over two years ago. The complaint was fully gone into by the committee of the hospital, who decided that there was no justification whatever for it. I refrain from giving details. The other scandal of the nurses at a cottage hospital eating all the eggs collected on an "egg day" occurred six years ago. I find there were only five nurses at the hospital, but she tells you that they ate 1,000 eggs ! This, if it can be believed, does great credit to the appetites of the five nurses, but hardly a sufficient reason for "closing down or for asking financial assistance from experts in hospital management" More a question for the Minister of Health, or a local general pra, t itioner.
But, forgive my audacity in criticising an editor, I do wonder how the publication of such a letter as Miss Marshall's can help to a right decision as to whether voluntary hospitals should be continued or scrapped.—! am, Sir, dee., KNUTSFORD.
London Hospital, Whitechapel, E. I.
We published Miss Marshall's letter because we felt that any facts pointing to a situation in the hospitals which might be relieved by State assistance deserved a hearing ; but we are glad to have Lord Knutsforcri assurance that our corres- pondent's complaints have already received full investigation. —En. Spectator.]
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