44 You Have Waked Me Too Soon "
Sta,—Mr. Harold Nicolson was surely hardly fair to the humanity of our great teaching hospitals. I have recently had to spend six weeks in a public ward in a North of England hospital. Throughout that time 1 was treated by nurses and doctors alike as an adult, responsible, even reasonable, human being. I was kept informed about my treatment with explanations, and all my questions were answered fully and courteously. We were not regarded as " a series of bodies which ought to be inarticu- late." We did start our day at 5 a.m., but we ended it at 8.30 p.m., and I for one was usually very thankful when 5 a.m. arrived, followed shortly by breakfast. Although, being Irish, I am naturally lawless, I never found myself up against any petty " unnecessary regulations " (apart from a slight difference of opinion I had with my doctor about when I should start to walk). Seeing all patients impartially receiving the same loving service, I realised for the first time how very good our hospitals are.
Although the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-on-Tyne, is known to be one of the best hospitals in the country, I cannot believe it is unique. I am convinced that the other great teaching hospitals, if they cannot exceed the R V.I.'s high standard of true humanity, come near enough to it to leave their patients with no cause for complaint.—Yours
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