The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-29 00:00:00

THE NORTFTEIrq TIMES. LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY

THE WEBT DERBY UNION.

THE " ITILE HES BONES OVER THE STONES"
-INVE3TIGA.TION.

Yesterday the guardians of the ab we Union were
summoned together at the Board Boom, Mill lane, Everton,
by the following circular:—

•'7 WEST DERBY CrigioN.
2, Elliott street, Clayton square, Liverpool,
23 rd , Apt il, 1837.
Sir,—l have this morning received-from Mr. Hanwaring,
poor law inspector, an intimation of his intention to hold an
enquiry at the Board Room, on Tuesday, the 28th instant, at
ten o'clock, into the sufficiency of the medical arrangements in
the workhouse, and into the allegations made by Dr. Nevins on
the subjeetT and I am directed to inform the guardians thereof.
—I am, sir, your obedient servant,
, WILLIAM CLEAVER, Union Clerk.
Shortly after ten o'clock, Mr. Manwaring, accompanied
by the undermentioned guardianv, entered the Board room
for the part:llse of hearing ihs investigation—the R.v. W.
Badpall, Messrs. Abrahaml, Ledger, Medcalf, Wilson,
Wni•by, H. Edwards, and J. Birch.
L Mr. Inspector Manwaring briefly opened the proceedings,
-by stating that -he vas there in compliance with a resola-
lion .sent up from that board to the General Board in
London. •

The usual documentary evidence having been read, or
taken as read.

Mr. J. B. Nevins was sworn, and gave the following
tea imony';—l have: been a medical offi,mr of the union
nearly eleiven years. When I was first appointed my
salary was £5O per annum. It continued so about two
years, when it was increased to £BO, and in about
two years more it was increased to £lOO, and in
+brae or four years it was increased to ..El2O
Thit was iri Roptembor, 1R it Tt is an now. At
the time I first entered on the duties a the office there
were only forty-five beds; at the present time there are
'2A and the increase has been steady and progressive
since 1849, when they were sixty ; in 1850, eighty ; in
1851, eighty-two; and in 1857, they were 218. The total
accommodation 'of the house is 800 beds; 197 for the sick,
forty -ono 'of which were double nes. The chapel was
conveited into a sick ward, with thirty doubly bed=, and
.j.t was in-Consequence of tharincrease that my salary was
raised the first time. After that, some two or three years,
the building that had been erected for fever eases was con-
verted into a lying-in ward and a sick ward. I do not
know the accommodation, but I should think about th rty
beds. About the same time, a ward was built for sick cases
among the, children, with about twenty double beds. I
do not know the date Of the-last alteration, hut should say
ftbout three or foir years since. The lying4n 'ward, the
infant ward, and the girl's idiot ward, were then trans-
ferred to the new bailding, which had in part been erected,
.and were much larger. This raised the total number of
beds to 177,- of which forty-eight were double, from the
time the increase in my salary took place.
Inspector : How came the double beds to be introduced ?
Witness : From the increased number of children. Until

1855 I had no assistance given me, except by having a
yery:intelligent boy (Parker) in the workhouse, who did
-.all the unimportant dispensary. For about twelve mouths,
he has been in the sick ward, and I lost his services,
-:Which have not been replaced by any other boy or man.
In 1855, on my application, in the early part, I had the.
assistanceU_dAtfaiapenser, a chemist and druggist (Pees),
granted me at the expense of the guardians. He remained
with me three or four monlhs, as the sickness had fallen.
In November of the same year, I again applied to the
gnardiitni for assistance by a printed circular, addressed
to each guardian, as follows :
West Derby Workhouse, November 19, 1855.
Dear Sir,—l beg to lay before you, in this circular, the
following s:aternent respecting the increase of sickness in
this workhouse, in order that you may be able to consider
the subject at leisure, before I -bring- it formally before
the board. In consequence of the great and permanent
increase in the number of patients sent into the house by
the guardians,*the time which was formerly sufficient for
attending to them is now very insufficient, and the patients
suffer iii consequence; and I wish to lay before the board
a proposal, by v hich I may be enabled to make such
arrang6ments, as will allow of my devoting to the sick the
time which is necessary for proper attention to them,
but which -I am not able to bestow under existing oircum
stances. When I was first appointel medical officer to
the workhouse, there were only 45 beds for the sick; but
a now ward was added soon afterwards, by which the
number was increased to 78. Since then the guardians
have added continually to the sick wards ; and by
arrangements which have been made respecting the dis•_

tricts,-and by the. general increase in the population of
the union, the number of sick sent into the house has been
so much increased, that there are now 255 sick beds,*
which are at present occupied by upwards of 200 patients.
This increase, although of course greatest during the
winter is permanent, and not merely a temporary one;
for whilst the number used formerly always to fall below
a hundred in summer, it has never been lower than 143
this year ; and taking the average of the last twelve months,
the number constantly in the sick wards has been 181.
The increased amount of sickness which has been thus
pat upon me is so great, that I have long been almost
Unable to attend to it, and it continues to increase so
much that it has now become impossible for me to bestow
proper attention toeach sick person; for the time which was
sufficient for a hundred, is quite insufficient for the two
hundred patients now in the house; and I can only devote
more time to them by giving up some of my work out of
the house. It will be evident however to the goardians,
that 'I cannot give up other work in order to attend to the
increase put upon me by the board, unless I receive a cam•
pensation for the loss of income which I shall sustain there
by ; but if the board is willing to make such compensation,
I am prepared to give up an appointment out of the house
which I have held for many years, and devote the extra
timel shall thereby gain to the patients in the workhouse.
To myself it is a matter of indifference, in a pecuniary
Point of view: whether the board approves of my, sugz,es-
tiod or not, as the loss from the one appointment will
merely be made up by the increase from the board ; but
to the patients sent in such numbers into the house it is
of great consequence, as it is impossible for any one
medical officer to bestow proper attention 'upon them,
without sODlQ_Sitch_gmangement being, made. If instead
of enabling me to make the arrangement which I have
proposed, the board prefers appointing a second medical
officer to the workhouse in consequence of the permanent
increase of sickness, it will meu, with no opposition on my
part; but as the guardians have permanently increased
theiwork, and are daily adding to it still more, it has
become inevitable that additional attendance must be
provided by the board, or the patients must suffer. When
there were only 45 beds my salary was Fifty Pounds a
year, and it was raised to Eighty Pounds when there were
78 beds ; but, although it has been twice raised since then,
the increase has borne no proportion to the increase of
work, for the sick beds have been raised from 78 to 225,
whilst my salary has only been increased from sf 80 to £l2O

a year. Ti therefore intend, as early as practicable, to
bring the subject formally before the guardians, in order
that the sick may not suffer for want of proper attention ;
and that I may be enabled, if the board approves of my
proposal, to make the necessary arrangements for giving
up the engagement to which I have alluded, and devoting
to the sick the time which I shall gain thereby.—l am,
dear sir, your obedient servant,

J. tIIIKBECIE NEVINS, M.D.
* The real number is 177 ; but 48 are double beds, and there are'
two patients at present in nearly all of them.
In that I asked for a second medical officer, or for
such an increase of salary that would enable me to give
up a public appointment which I then held. Theguardians
then ordered thirty patients to be sent from the workhouse
to the new hospital, which reduced the number of patients
to 170, and they again voted the assistance of Mr.
Pees as a dispenser, and he acted as such
until April or May, when the sickness abated. He
left with my concurrence. Daring the summer the boy,
Parker was in the sick ward, but he returned to assist me
when Pees left. In the summer of 1856 I did all the
work myself, the boy having- returned to the sick ward.
When the winter came on, the number of cases again
increased, .chiefly by admis,ions of sick sent in by ihe
reli ping officers,
and about the middle of December I
again applied ,or some assistance. The boy was not with
me then. At that time there were 210 patients. I applied_
then for a second medical, officer, which was considered by
the guardians, and refused. I was not present; hut I knew
the result from the minutes of the boatd, and from the
newspapers. I can't say whether I received any direct
communication from the guardians on the matter. On
the 26th of Dec. I sent this circular to the board, from
having seen the report is the newspaper, in which the
reasons were assigned by the guardians for :retuning my
application, and accounts for my having used the words
mentioned in the circular. A copy Was sent to each
guardian, but Ido not know the exact date. I also sent a
copy to the poor law board. Assistance was voted to me
for one month by the recommendation of the visiting com-
mittee. Ido not kn w how I applied for that assistance,
whether it was to the guardians or to the visiting c ,m-
-roittee, but from an entry in the book, I find on the 30th

Dee. assistance was allowed me for one month, at 20s per
week. I employed Dr. Wilson, and after a month I again
applied personally to have the assistance renewed, which
wes done.
.This was on 'the 17th of February. At that
time there was a long discussion at the board, and the
assistance was granted for one month. I had ata'ed that
I could'not retain the assistance of a medical man subject
to one month's notice, but. I could for three months. The
consideration of the appointment was postponed for a week.
On the 25th of February the subject was again discussed,
when I pointed out the necessity, from the remarks that
had been made, of having a properly qualified practitioner.
That was in consequence of the severity and number of
the sick cases then in the house. The guardians resolved, on
the motion of Mr. Shaw that the duty of the assistant
should be limited to dispensing medicine. My assistant,
Dr. Wilson, then declined to retain the office, or to assist
me under the terms of the resolution; but at my urgent

request, he consented to do so for one month, in the hope
that the guardians would erase a portion of the resolution,
and substitute the word " assistant" for "dispenser," as he
would not attend, because he should lose cast as being
considered as a mere dispenser of medicine., On the 3rd
of March, I again applied to the visiting committee, and
informed them that I had been to every respec'able
chemist and druggist in the neighbourhood, and they all
declined to take an appointment of a month's notice
or 304 a week, with one exception, Mr. Tierney, who acted
for one day, and then threw it up, because he
said no man could do the work for the money, or at a
mouth's notice. The guardians declined to comply with
the request. The Poor Law Board subsequently sanctioned
the appointment of a dispenser of medicine. The whole
case is, that the board voted a sum of money for a dispenser
which I could not obtain, and I thou engaged Mr. Wilson
myself. I did not ask the guardians to let me have the
304 per week, and let me employ whom I liked. Dr.
Wilson knows when ha first came to the house, but I do
not. On the 26tti of January I sent a circular to such of
the magistrates as are ex-ojicio members of the West
Derby Guardians, about, thirty-six in number. Theywere
sent by post. My object in sending to the magistrates
was to gdt their inferrer once !o procure a sufficient atten-
dance for the sick poor in the workhouse. That letter
was as follows :

To the Guardians of the IVe3t Derby 'Union.

Gentlemen,—ln the (1- Lte which took place last
Wednesday, respecting the appointment of a second
medical officer to the workhouse, some statements were
made which I think it necessary to bring before your
attention in this manner, as they appear to have caused
the rejection of the proposal by misleading' the board
entirely as to the facts of the case. It was stated that I
had no ground for saying that the increase of work was
mare than I could attend to, because I was sometimes at
the workhouse only an hour. and a half a day ; which
implied that an hour and a half a day was all the time
devoted by me to attendance upon rue sick in mne nouse.
It is true that on some few days I have been in the work-
house an hour and a half only, or even less; but had the
gentleman who made the statement reported alittle more
carefully, he would have added that on other days I have
been four, five, aril even ten hours in the day and night,
occupied by the sickness in the house. The remuneration
was said to be so liberal that the board had a right to
expect more of his time than your medical officer bestowed
for it. When I was first appointed to the workhouse
there were only 45 beds, and the salary was £5O, i.e , a
pound a bed. The beds were increased to 78, and my
salary was raised to £o,—still a pound a bed; and it
has since increased to £l2O, for which 120 beds would be
a fair egalvalent ; but I have now for years had from 50
to 100 extra patientS, without any remuneration for the
additiorfal work. It was also implied last Wednesday
that I had fewer patients under my care than the medical
officers of the other hospitals in the town, especially the
Liverpool Workhouse, where it was said there were 837
patients and only two medical officers. In that institu-
tion there are two non-resident medical officers, two who
reside in the houie and devote their whole time to it, and
one dispenser ; making a staff of five officers for 837
patients. The table below shows the number of patients
to each officer in the various hospitals in the town :

Liverpool Workhouse 837 patients, 5 Officers, or 167 patients to each.
Royal Infirmary 213 9 24

Northern Hospital 120 „ 8
Southern Hospital 80 „ 6

*We t Derby Workhorse 2 p s
I believe that the West Derby Guardians stand without
a parallel in imposing upon a single medical officer so large
a number of patients, and .with these figures before them
the board will judge whether it is likely that your sick
can possibly receive adequate attention from him single-
handed. I therefore respectfully urge the necessity for
assistance of a permanent character, that they may
receive such attention in their sickness as they have a
right to look for at the hands of the guardians of the
poor.—l am, gentlemen, your obedient servant,
J. 131111EBECK NEVINS.
225, Oxford-street, January 26, 1857.

* The number has risen to 253 since this circular was sent—
March 9, 1847,.
Inspector : After that you sent a letter, or a document
to the NORTIIEMN, Timm ? Witness : Yes, on the 10th of
March.

Inspector : That was without waiting the result from
the circulars sant to the ex-officio, guardians, as it was on
the day that they would receive their circulars. Witness
It was, and the reason was that I wished to have my
charges before the guardians before they would meet, that
they might have time to consider it. The board met oh
the same day.
The Inspcctor . That was an anonymous article ?
Witness : It was.

The Inspector : Why did you not sign your name to
it ? Witness : The editor tobi me tb st it was not usual
to have naves signed to leading articles. He told me
that if I left it, it should be inserted as a leading
article.
The Inspector ; When did you place it in his hands ?
Witness: On the Saturday.
Th 3 Inspector: Well, now tell me what you mean by
some of it ? What is the meaning of
" Rattle his bones over the stones,
He's only a pauper, that nobody owns ?"
. .

. .
Witness : I wished to bring it fo:ward in such a shape
that it would attract the eye of the public and of the
guardians.
The Insp3ctor:' For what reason did you wish to
attract the attention of the public ? Witness : That
they might influence the guardians.
The Inspector : How do you make th it applicable to
the subsequent nart of the statement, and how could it
act on the ex-officio guardians ? Witness : To influence
them.

The Inspector : Bit this latter was written before the
circular was sent—Who wrote ? Witness : I wrote it'
myself. It is written in the style of an editorial article.
The Inspector: At the time you wrote it you had not
sent the circular; to the magistrates, although you put in
the words " lately seat ?" Witness : I wrote it on the
Saturday, and it was not published until twelve hours
alter I sent the circulars.
The Inspector : Are I,ou an ex officzo guardian, Mr.
Chairman ? The Rev. W. Badnall : No, sir.
The Inspector: Nor is there one present? The Chair-
man : No, sir.
The witness, in regard to the statement that, at the
time the 'article was written, there were 251 sick paupers
in !the wards, then referred to the method -book, from

which it appeared that the number of the sick had been
from 230 to 250 during the week ending the 7th of March,
and that they included the sick, the 91d, and the
infirm. Here the doctor gave a detailed report of the
cases that were then in the house, from which it appeared
that 101 of the cases were the most severe that were
ever contained in auy ten wards in any hospital in the
kingdom. There is no rule set down for my attendance
at the workhouse, but my custom is to attend daily. 'I
always attended on those cases which I knew required to
be attended to. I always gave it to them, and asked the

rest how they were. gian-y of them were too ill to com-
plain, but the nurse directed my attention to them. Ido
not show in the book the patients, I attend and visit
daily. I leave the columns blank, and write across them
twice during the week, " every day." I mean by that
that I attend in the sick wards ; but I do not mean to say
that I have attended all the patients in the ward.
The Inspector: What do you mean to draw from the
inference that " sometimes the sick died before they had
proper medical attention ?" Witness: Because they
had not proper attention; but I had no reason to com-
plain until Christmas.last, having had all the assistance I
had ever asked for before that time. I had never, only in
1855, more sick ; but in the spring ef that year there were
206 sick cases in the ward, but they were less severe.
The Inspector: But what do you think the public had to do
with it, and howdid you think the public would interfere ?
Witness : That they would speak to the guardians on the
subject, as they had done before, and influence their
opinion.
The Inspector : Has that been done before. Witness :
It has.

The Inspector : Then you have no explanation to make
as to why you did not wait for the result of the: opinion
of the ex oilicio guardians? Witness : I have not, only
that I felt satisfied that the board was not aware of the
severity of the case.
The Inspector : And do you think that it has had any
result ? Witness : I believe there is a different opinion
amongst the guardians in consequence of that letter.
The Inspector : I suppose you have not seen any
results ; that is, that the guardians have not come forward
asd appointed an assistant? The Witness : They have
nut done so.
The Inspector : Well, you go on to say that "the British
public has lately been horrified by hearing of the flogging
Of women, that children had been starved," &a , , &cand
then you go on to say that " it appears that the sickpoor
are .ont
in positive crowds into the house—the sick wards
we were about to say, bat truth compels us to alter the
phrase, for it seems that the wards are too limited to
contain the candidates for admission, and that patients
have even died before they could be accommodated in a
sick ward at all. When a bed is required, the answer of
the nurse is frequently after this fa4hion We have not
one -so is dying, and his bed can be
used
present, poroesoennt, asbuht:ois_angdone.,
In the language of the
magistrates—'lt has frequently
had to wait for another
to d
bed; and instances have
happened nedtothat the
one county
sc man has
occurredbeforeinh
whichecouthlde hate
a patients have died without ever
being able to get a bed in a sick ward at all.' We can
fancy what a cheerful prospect it must be in sickness to
look forward to the revcr&ion of the dyjil man's
bedding, and think, after entering into possession,
that some one else is anxiously waiting for our own exit,
that he also may share in the comforts of the place." Now
I should like to know what you mean by an that? Did
you mean to cast any reflection on the guardians ?

Witness : By that I meant merely to infer that there was
a great shortness in the accommodation for the sick.
The Inspector: You-say that there have been cases in
which the sick have not been able to get a bed at all.
How do you know that ? Witness : From the nurses.
The ;nspector : What nurses? Witness: Oh, several
—Mary Parker is one, and there are many others who
have told me so.
The Inspector : Are they paid nurses ? Witness : No,
they are paupers who act as nurses. We have not a paid
nurse in the establishment.
Mr. Cleaver : Oh, yes —we have three. Witness : I
never knew it before, and if it is so they do not attend
upon the sick.
The Inspector : How is that?
Mr. Abrahams: The Governor will be able to explain
that poin+.
The Governor was then called, and he stated that there
were some paupers who were paid for their services—one
for cooking and scrubbing, and another for something
else, and they were employed as they always had been.
The Inspector : Did you ever think of recommending to
the board that they shou.d have paid nurses, hr surely
there is great responsibility attached to a nurse ? The
Witness : No, I never did, because we have a better staff
of nurses than any similar establishment.
The Inspector : Well, what about " he can fancy what
a cheerful prospect it is in sickness for the reversion of a
dying man's bed ?" &r. The Witness : Tne whole article
was written in a ea:irical style, and therefore must be
judged as such on the whole; and what I stated in these
words was only meant as a satire.
The Tnspecror) A 3 a satire on the guardians.

Mr. Shaav : Of course it was.
Tha Witness : Very wall, as a satire on them, if you like,
and the 'intention rrf the article justified the in taking that
position ; but all I wished to infer is contained in the last
paragraph, to which I wish particularly to call your
attention. Ib I
Wo lid vo vviliten, in POl2lO clogrce, as
if thim were a matter for jesting—bat sometimes a dart
will pierce where a 'ball recoils and if our ver iion of
recent proceedings, which is faithfully correct, 011411 con-
duce to the benefit of the sick, oar efforts will not have
been usehiss, nor shall we regret having devoted our pages
to be the medium thrcugh which good shall have accrued
to those who are in distress."
The Inspector: Then there is this remark—" ' Oliver
asking for more' has become a proverb in the English
language ; and we rug •et to say that an officer, of whom
we desire to speak with respect, has, like him, dared to ask
for more. The medical officer has declared that, although
he has long spent four, five, and even ten hours in the day
and night in attendance upon the sick in the workhouse,'
he is not able to do justice to the unprecedented increase
of sickness sent in by the guardians,' and he has actually
dared to ask for more—assistance. Can presumption go
farther ! His duties are a mere bagatelle, and yet he says
he cannot discharge them properly. He has only to visit
and preserib for 250 sick patients in the wards, and com-
pound the whole of the medicine they may require, to
superintend the general hygienic condition of the house,
and regulate the diet of every patient under his care;
besides attending to sundry other nameless requirements of
a large establishment like the workhouse, and yet he has
the audacity t , ask for assistance, and to think that the
West Derby Board of Guardians will believe hint deserving
to receive it. But his fate has been such as his presumption
deserved. The visiting committee of the hospital, who
may be supposed to know the condition of the house and
the necessities of the case, recommended that the assistance
should be granted, but the general board stood aghast at
the monstrous demand. What! not able to attend to only
250 patients—paupers to boot! ' Why, any old woman
can attend to them.' "
The Witness: That alluded to my having
.asked for
assistance. I never said anything about an increase of
salary.' I asked for assistance—the visiting committee
recommended, but the board refused to let me have it;
therefore I had a right to say that the guardians were
reckless about the sick, particularly as I, their medical
officer, had recommended that such assistance should be
got.
The Inspector : Then you complain of not having had suffi-
cient assistance afforded you when you applied for it ? Can
you point out any case of death_that has resulted from it ?
The witness: I cannot refer to a single case, but I have no
doubt but that there has been cases that ;rose from
my not having been able to pay proper attention to them
But that is not alone the point, and if you can find out
what is the cause of this opposition to me, you will deserve
some credit. The whole of this opposition has been
against the good of the sick, and to the injury of the
interests of the rate payers, and must have arose from
some per-oral motives against myself.
Mr. Shaw : I must protest against such language being
made

The witness repeated hie belief as above.
The Inspete or : Then I suppose that you infer th at the
guardians want to get rid. of you, for you say—" The
reason for thinking that the doctor had better go. Ha
was too experienced—too high in the profession—too
Wit—in fact too little under the thumb of the board—' A
young man, just beginning business,' whose"services they
could (let-reline at a' month's notice,' was the person
best suited to a werkhouse like. theirs.' What did
they care for experience ? It was the reduction of
numbers amongst the patients they wanted ; and when
the sickness was prevaleat, and cases severe, they would
drop through more quick'y from the fingers of a " younz
man just commencing bu,i:e ss,, who has his experience
to gain, th froin those of a man experienced already in
his profession-the' late,r would prob ,bly keep them.
alive longer, even if he did.not cure them, and the rates
would suffer—and as for. the possitAe recovery of a few
who "might otherwise die—who thinks that of any
conseqecnce.
"Rattle their bones, over the stones,
They're nett i-g but paupersothom nobody owns.' "
The. Witness: There can scarcely be a doubt as to that.
They refused` to grant me any 'assistance, although the
mortality was greater then it reLs ever before known, and
the sickness much more severe, and all is to be attributed
to my not having prop -r assistance.
Mr, Abrahains: As soon as you` applied for , assistance,
we drafted thirty cases- out of the workhouse , into the
hospital. The witness again repeated that assistance had
been refused hiin by the board, although the visiting.
committee and a majority of the board had spoke in the
matter.
Mr. Abrahams : The board did not refnie, bat they
voted 803 per week for a person to assist you in dispensing
the medicine. The Witness: A medical man would not
come as a dispenser at 30s per week; and ste,ject to only a
month's notice. It would be a clog upon him.
Mr. Abrahams : You could have employed who you
'please-I. The Witness: The resolution limited the duties
to the dispensing of medicines. -
The Inspector : Then we have, "And 'plenty of bones
there are to rat le, if it be true, as is stated in one of the
circulars—(Mr. Shaw : And that his own writing as well as
the article) -that seven dead bodies were waiting in the
dead hrinse.for interment in a single, day last week."
Mr,- Shaw : I should wish to ask a question on that
point, as that is one of the many curious statements made-
in the article from the NORTIIERN TIM is.

The Irispector : What are those cases to which you allude?
roe Witness The names are James Leeman, Emily Pa k,
George Henderson, Thony-oi Crawford, Thomas Jones,
Jane Carroll, and Eruma Mason. 0 i this point vme
con7iderable confusion arose fr. in the fact that there is a

difficulty in tracing .the names of the seven perarns who.

it was stated, were' in the dead' house at one time; and
after_a great deal of time bad ken spent in enleavouring
to asc,,rtain the fact, that part of the enquiry was
adjourned until .this day, in, order to allow the gt.vernor,
the pc- ter:: the dead'house keeper, and other officials to
get informatl•.ie upon the'subject.-
Lti answer to the Inspector, the witness said—l cannot
fix on any Particular case in which a party hae suffered on
account of not baying additional assistance, !it I have
no diubt that •some have suffered. By that I do not

mean died, but suffered from.my having to given s(\ much
attention to other persons, that I may have overlooked oile
or two cases. I charge myself with not beingable to give
*l)4. attention .to the cases that I had under my care,
becsuse they were so num2rous.
Me. Shave : When clid Mr. Wilson first come to th •
workhouse The 'Witness : 'Dr. Wilson first. visited the,
worklirnise on the 4-11 of June, and he has done so ever
since, wi(h the exception of a week being part of the time
that the dispenser was in attendance. While Dr. Wilson
was there I had ,nothing to blame myself with.
Mr, Ledger could not sea ho.v the guardians could
possibly' be blamed for the dead being in the house, as
they had given the order for them to be buried.
Mr. Edward Gough, the master of the workhouse, stated
that in the month of February last he saw several dead
bodies in the dead house at one time. He believed that
they were the same as those mentioned by Dr. Neyins in
his letter. Fuur of them were buried at Walton, on the
tad of March, and the other three on the same day at
Toxteth Park. Ho then went on to say that, by the
mistake of the men, the bodies were taken to Walton,
instead of to the Toxteth PArk cemetery, and that accounted
for the delay in the funeral!, as they had to be brought
back again. Hciwever, the farther discussion on the
subject was postponed until this day.
The Inspector then inquired whether the witness had
any further.explanation to give, in addition to his letter
dated the 28th of March (which appeared in the columns
of the 11ORTHERN TIMES), on the subject. The letter was
again read, and the witness said the only additional ex-
planation he had to give was that contained in his letter to
the magistrates, as above, in which he sought their inter-
ference; and also that whenever he had heard the West
Derby board spoken of, it had been as a sort of
bye word and in a repr;:frachful manner ; the consequence

was, that I sent the articles and the letters to the
whole of the 'medical prints published in this country,
.before the 21st of March, with a view of inf ,rmirg the
profession to which I belong, with what was going on
between me and the Botkri, and for the purpose of ob-
taining the opinion of the profession on the subject, as to
whether I was right or wrong. I appealed to the
public—and the medical profession is my public. I have
obtained two papers containing articles on the subject.
(The witness proceeded to supply the Inspector with a
copy of those articles.)
The Inspector : What good could they do for y.ou ?
Witness : I had a wish to ascertain their opinion, and
another object I had in view, was to show that the guar-
dians were not doing their duty towards the sick.
" Mr. Shaw : In famt?.you meant to degrade them.
The Witness : Teat was my object, and to show
that the sick poor had not proper medical attendance
bestowed on them, and I obtained the judgment a the
profession, or I should have felt very differeat about what
I now do.

After some further conversational remarks on the same
subject, de!ivered, as the whole evidence was, in such a
low tone of veleta that it was with the utmost difficulty
that the reporters could catch one complete sentence,
The Witness said, in answer to Mr. Shaw, when I
stated that you hid moved the resolution passed in Feb.,
1857, to the effect that the, assistant was only to dispense
medicine, I thought you did, but I am not certain now.
(The Clell produced the minute book to show that it was
moved by M.r. Calls, and seconded by Mr. Lunt) I did
not say that there was a greater increase made in the
accommodation in the house than there was to my salary.
Wrien I was fiat ap,atin'ecl there were forty-five patients,
an single bedt. At that time I received £5O per annum.
I can't say the number of hours I devoted to these forty-
five patients, but stiould spy, about three ho.urs per day,
end upwards. I did sta.e to you that it took me four
tt.eirs per day, At tha tittle I received £5O per annum,
I am now reeiving £l5O per annum, an 1. 1 have prepared
a vaternent from the porter's books, and I A id my avert-
dance from October to March was two hours and fifty.
seven minutes per day, but that dots not include the
making up of the medical book, which occupies
about one hour more per day. . Out of the
two hours and fifty-seven minutes, I spend within a
quarter of an hour the whole of that time in the•
surgery or in the sick -wards. I do see all the patients
daily, bat Ido not speak to each. I have told the boy
Parker to go round the sick wards, and unless the parties
were anxious to see the doctor, or were dangerously ill,
they must keep until 'he next day. I have often done it.
The reason for it would be that I was attending a ease of
midwifery, or urgent cases out of the house, aid that it was
desirable that I snould be there as short a time as possible.
The time that I have generally attended the house
has been-four o'clock in the afternoon; unless there
has been an urgent case, when I have attended in
the morning, and leave the general sick until, the
evening. I have never received a resolution from i
the board expressing dissatisfaction at my not attending
earlier in the day, but I have heard it from individual
guardians. I have not said to Mr. Shaw that I neither
eon d nor, would devote mere time to the pauper patients
than I had doge. I did admit that I was not then giving
so much time to the sick now that I had £l2O per annum,
as I did when I had e. 50 per annum, but I then said that I
was without experience, and that I could attend to more
than three -times the 'number that I 'could then. The
reason I c mld not devote more time.to the sick was, that
I had as much private practice out of the h use as I could
get through, and I could only attend to the increase of.
sickness by giving that out-practice up. As I have before
states, I have two otherpublic appointments, one occupies au
hour perday as lecturer to the Collegiate Institution, and the
other, assistant surgeon to the Eye and Ear Infirmary,
which occupy about the same time daily.
By the inspector : I cannot say that in any individual
case, where the sick have been neglected by me, although
my private practice, his increased ; but I have not
attended to it as welras I should 'have wished. I ani
conscious that the poor had not had justice done them, and
I applied for assistance, as I stated before, and I employed
Doctor Wilson, and the poor have been properly attended
since. lam satisfied that they have been well attended
to. Doctor Wilson is not my substitute, but my, assistant,
at the workhouse.

By Mr. Shaw : I have only two paid appointment', and
one at the Royal Infirmary, which I had forgotten,
because it is to trifling—it is lecturer in medicine.
I come from the Collegiate Institution to the workhouse
I did not try the experiment ofadvertising for an assistant.
D'r. Wilson is aphysician, and he received 30s per week,
but I could not gat a chemist and druggist to dispense the
medicine. I have received a reply from some of the
ex- officio members of the board that sent to, but I sent to
those who were not members of the boar", and if I did so
it was a mistake. I decline to say whether those answers
I received were favourable or unfavourable to my opinion.
Slr. Edwards : What has that to do with the board ?
Mr. Shaw: I want to show that Mr. Nevin's out-door
occupations are such Aut he has not time to attend to the
workhouse.
The Inspect,:r did not see that there was any charge
male against Dr. Nevins.
. •

Mr. Shaw : Bat he has charga.a the guarlians with
cruelty to the paupers, and we are on our defence. He
has charged us with murder ; and I will place every
guardian at thin board to say if such is the fact.
Mr, Edwards : Yott are very clever. (Laughter.) I
wont hurt your feelings.
Mr. Shaw then declined. to ask any further questions,
and after a brief: conversation, the board was adjourned
,until this ( Wednesday) morning at nine o'clock.

WONDERFUL PRE3ERVATION OF LIFE FROM
SUFFOCATION.

Two or three mornines since, the following painful case
occurred in the neighbourhood of Kensington, but as it
might cause additional pain to the parties, who, under
ditty:to assistance, have been so miraculously preserved from
(Lath, we forb.aar giving the names, but vou3h for the
feats: —A gentleman, who holds a high posi ion in, the
mercantile world, whose office is in town, resides in the
locality alludtd to. Ho is noted for his .extreme
punctuality to business; and most systetuatic in his bours.
of rising, which are early. Ott the. night previona to the
occurrence, which nearly terminated both his own and his
wife's existence, he went to bed at the usual, time. Not
' stirring at the wonted time an the 'naming, the servants
and the remrender of the family were somewhat
uneasy, but waited for a short time, when some of she
servants were ordered to knock at the bed:quoin
deer, where the gentleman and his wife slept.
The servants did so, . but got no answer. This
of course much increased the alarm, and after a consulta-
*et it was -esolved to force an entrance into the apart-
ment. This: was accordingly does, when a frightful
spectacle was presented to those who entered. The gentle-
man and his wife were found in bed; -to all appearance
quite dead, and what increased the horror of the scene- was
the fact that their faces were turned @lto black. There
was, hOwever, no merks of violence on the bodies, nor the
least disorder in the room, so that it was surmised Whateveri
had happened must have taken place within the chamber.
The bodies were cold and stiff, and all animation" seemed
fled. It may be imagined the feelings that prevailed in
the house at this moment. An al trrn was at once given
and the immediate locality was plunged into the
utmost excitement, as no one cod I tell what had
happened, and several incorrect rumours were speedily,
circulated regarding what now appeared a most tragical
event. One of the first precautions, most wisely taken, was
to procure medical assistance, and in this , instance under
the omnipotent hand, two valuable lives were rescued
from what appeared certain death, by the aid of medical
knowledge. Doctor Pennington of Pembroke place was
instantly sent for, but was at the time out on' other pro-
fesoional business. His assistant, however, got into the
carriage sent for him, and drove rapidly to the house. By
this time a crowd had eellected, and Just as the gentle-
man entered, Dr. Pennington himself happened to pass,
ald attracted by the crowd, he made enquiry as to what
was the matter. A gentleman whe was there, and oho
knew the deetor, at once informed him that something
dreadful had happened, and bagged he would go in.
This he did, and at once saw the parties had. been suffo-
cated from what will appear below: • He dispatched
messengers with all speed, for: , two other
medical gentlethen, whose names we regret we
could not at present ascertain, as they are
deserving of all prai-e, bat in the Meantime he vigorouily
set about applying the usual means to restore suspended
animation in cases of suffocation, and, we are delighted to
add, that he succeeded, and by the time the other-gentlemen
arrived there was every hope of success. The three gentlemen
went most zealously to work at the difficult and delicate
task that they had to perform, and after vary great exertion
they were successful, and rescued the parties from death.
The lady was revived first, but the gentleman was much
worse, and more difficult of restoration. . However, the
medical gentlemen persevered, an l did net quit the patients
until they left them quite out of danger, but much exhausted
from what they bad gone through. It appears that the
bedroom was heated by a pateet stove, and that it was the
habit to have this filled with fu'l and ignited it night. It
is not stated whether it was coil or other material that was
put into the stove the previous night, hut whatever it was,
the escape valve of the' stovo was left shut, BQ, that the.gas
spread over the room and caused the accident which nearly
ended so fatally.

PARIS, Saturday.—Yesterday the Emperor received Lord
.Elgin and Marehal Canrobert, and in the evening Count
Pereigney dined with his Majesty.

DEMERARA RAILWAY COMPANY.

7111 annual general nu etirg of the proprietors of the
Demerara Railway Company was held F t one o'clock,
yesterday, at the company's offices, 40, L ,wer Ca4tle street.
The chair was occupied by T. F. Bennett, Esq , chairman
of the company; and among the shareholders present
were :—Messrs. C. Holland, J. A. Tirane, T. Bauch, J.
Garnett, J. Crosthwaite, J. Gordon, R. Waterhouse, J. A.
Johnston, Steele, Scholetield, W. Balby, G. H. Lonsdale,
C. S. Parker, S. Martin, Morris, &c.
The Secretary (Mr. Thomas Jcnes) read the following