And in both cases, I was told by the highest
authority that the fatal result would not have happened in a London
hospital.
[Sidenote: What institutions are the exception?]
But, as far as regards the art of petty management in hospitals, all the
military hospitals I know must be excluded. Upon my own experience I
stand, and I solemnly declare that I have seen or know of fatal
accidents, such as suicides in _delirium tremens_, bleedings to death,
dying patients dragged out of bed by drunken Medical Staff Corps men,
and many other things less patent and striking, which would not have
happened in London civil hospitals nursed by women. The medical officers
should be absolved from all blame in these accidents. How can a medical
officer mount guard all day and all night over a patient (say) in
_delirium tremens_? The fault lies in there being no organized system of
attendance. Were a trustworthy _man_ in charge of each ward, or set of
wards, not as office clerk, but as head nurse, (and head nurse the best
hospital serjeant, or ward master, is not now and cannot be, from
default of the proper regulations), the thing would not, in all
probability, have happened.
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