17 0 TER EDITOR OP TER "SPECTATOR."] SIE,—Mr. Gwynn has a
high capacity for making things ap- pear exactly the opposite to what they are, hence his selection as the Nationalist literary propagandist. I affirm that be is absolutely wrong as regards the official appointments prevail- ing in the County Monaghan Asylum. The committee—all Nationalists but two, with the Roman Catholic Bishop, mark you, as Chairman—has appointed a Roman Catholic as medical superintendent, both the assistant physicians being Roman Catholics. Furthermore, the other chief appointments are held by Roman Catholics—viz., the clerk, the assistant clerk, the storekeeper, land steward and head attendant. If Mr., Gwynn wishes,' I will willingly back up my statement regard- ing the medical appointments by presenting him with £10, to be disposed of as he thinks fit, if he can prove my state.. meats are untrue, provided, if he fail to prove me in error, he will place at my disposal a similar sum, which I shall forward to the "Society for the After-care of the Nationalist Insane." Mr. Gwynn successfully misleads your readers by mentioning the appointment of a Protestant as medical superintendent in the Monaghan Asylum. This took place many years ago : a superintendent lad to be appointed. My friend Dr. Donaldson, being unopposed, was appointed. Mr. Gwynn fails to record the fact that Dr. Donaldson's salary was far lower than his predecessor's, that certain perquisites —milk, &c.—were denied him, yet these were promptly restored to his Roman Catholic successor, and very properly too. Finally, let me say that I write in no spirit hostile to my medical brethren who hold the appointments in question ; my sole aim is to prove up to the hilt that as regards these. appointments Mr. Gwynn has received, and is publishing, evidence of a wholly misleading character, and if he is free to withdraw his erroneous statements I hope he will do so.—I am, j Sir, &c., WILLIAM JOHNSON SMYTH, M.D.
Pirbright, Bournemouth.
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