The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-24 00:00:00

TIIOLOMEW'S HOSPITAL.

On Wednesday last a Special General Court of the Governors
and Supporters of this Institution was held in the Committee
Room at the Hospital, to investigate the allegations that were made
against the surgeons in the case of Mrs. Mary Alcock, who died
in the Hospital, and on the body of whom an inquest was held, the
proceediogslat which were reported under the head of Extruor.
dinary Proceedings at St. Bartholomew's Hospital."
The Meeting was attended by forty or fifty of the Governors,
who, after the case had been strictly inquired into, were unani.
mously satisfied that every attention had been paid to the unfortu-
rive womsn, but referred it to the HouseCommitter for investigation.
Yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, the House Committee, ahich
had been specially called for the purpose, assembled. Mr. STE.
PIIENIION, the Banker, and Treasurer of the Hespital,in the Chair.

bir. Vincent, the principal surgeon, under whole care the de-
ceased woman was. and Mr. L. A. Joseph, the house surgeon, as
well as Alcock, the husband of Mary Alcock, were present at the
investigation. and the following is a correct statement made by
Mr. John P. Vincent, touching the subject matter in ques.
tion:—Mary Alcock, or Hancock (which latter name she
went by in the ward) applied to the Hospital on February
let, with an injury, which was so strikiegty alartr.ing as to-
the probable result, that she was immediately admitted with..
out any form. Being surgeon of the week, I took charge•
of her. I found, on examination, that she had lost the scalp
or integuments, including great part of the temporal muscle, or
nearly the whole of the right side of the head, leaving the bone un.
covered to the sante extent. On inquiry, I was informed
that this mischief had arisen from her having fallen into the fire
about three weeks before. There was nothing in the condition of
the parts that nude this account questionable. She went on well,
and the case proceeded beyond my expectations, until shortly be.
fore her death. On the 9th instant she became worse, continued
the same on the 10th. and on my visit on the I ith, I found her in 'a
very perilous state, with unequivocal symptoms of there being mat.
ter under thebone. It now became my duty to perforate the skull,
which I did, and gave exit to pus. Her pulse was improved by
this operation, but the opening in the cranium exposed such de.
struction of the parts underneath, that I had no expectation of her
surviving many hours. she died in the course of that night. I was
anxious to know the state of the parts within the-cranium. and
having complied with the regulations laid down (the book being on a
Sunday locked up, I made the entry on a re^ce of paper, which is
usual under such circumstances), I made an examination of the
body on the 12th. From the time of Mary Alcock's admission, I
watched her progress with solicitude, and was unceasing in my at.
tendanceon her. I think it but just to add, that she always ap_
paned grateful for the comforts she had about her, and for the
surgical assistance administered to her; and she expressed herself
thankful for the humane attention of Mr. Roberts, who officiated
as her dresser. Her husband Heeds that, while living, the head '
of the patient was cut and mangled. This is altogether false ; there
wu no cutting at any time; the soft parts were not even touched
by a cutting instrument ; the bone, and that dead bone, was simply
perforated. The propriety of. the operation Is indisputable, and if
he
means to assume to himself the authority of forbidding the
resources, which surgical science can supply, is be resorted to, be
must misconceive the very character of an institution like this Mu.
pital. After the operation, care was taken to place the patient in a
situation that nothing should appear that could hurt thj: feelings of
any friend that might come to visit her. In conducting the
examination of the body after death, there was nothing like
unnecessary disturbance of parts—besides inspecting the brain,
there were pathological reasons for inquiring into the state
of other organs ; for this purpose the abdomen and thorax were
opened. It is probable that the marks of these incisions impressed
the husband with the notions that mere freedom was taken in this
examination than was necessary. This certainly was not the case.
am compelled to aver that in the statement in the Morning
Newspapers things are represented, both grossly exaggerated
and absolutely false; to prove which it is only necessary to observe,
that the husband is reported to have declared on his oath that he
found the pupils about his wife, dressed in some peculiar append.
twee appropriated for operations; it happens that it is not the usage
at this Hospital, either for the surgeon who performs an operation,
or the pupils who mar be about him, to make any chaage from
their ordinary dress. Mr. Vincent further said, that he hilted he
need not add more to convince the Treasurer and the Gentleintn of
the Committee that every attention was paid to the comfort and
surgical treatment of M. Alcock whilst in the Hospital, and that
the husband's statement contains false and unfounded accusations.
Mr. L.A. Joseph, the house-surgeon, who was examined on the
Coroner's inqueet,gare the following explanation of the affair as far
as regarded himself. Every rare was taken of the deceased woman
while in the Hospital,and the operation of trepanning the skull WAS
performed on her by hlr. Vincent, which, of course, refutes the
charge of cutting and mangling her head. My care of patients
ceasing on their being seen by the surgeon, and Mrs. Alcock hav-
ing been attended by Mr. Vincent a few hours after her admission,
I beg leave to refer you to him for the particulars of her treatment
end post marten examination. With respect to my answers to the
questions put to me at the Inquest; I submit that as my inquiries
of the cause of the accident were only directed with a view to the
necessary treatment, and not In contemplation of affording future
evidence, it is not extraordinary that at the distance of six weeks I
could not state on oath whether the information I had obtained as to
the manner in which the accident happened was from her own mouth
or from others, and therefore I did not feel warranted in giving •
decided answer. The Indefinite answer I did give on this point
was by no means influenced by any feeling of levitr or disrespect.
I naturally therefore felt much hurt at Mr. Shelton s observations,
and could not avoid replying to them in the way I did. Mr. Shel-
ton mentioned that he had frequent occasion to find fault with the
manner in which evidence had been given on former occasions. I
beg observe that I hare attended frequently before bienoince I have
been hpuse.surgepn, and on many previous occasions, and no fault
has hitherto been found with my eondeict. I trust this explanation
will utisfy you, Gentlemen of the Committee, that my answers to
the Coroners questions did not proceed 'Vora any foaling of disre-
spect, and that 1 am sufficiently aware of the importance attached
to the situation I hold in the Hospital
The whole of the above statement having been read over to the
Committee, by Mr. Wood. they crane to an unanimous opinion--
that Mr. Alcoek was never refused admission to see his wife, ex-
cept on the day of the operation, when he was advised to keep back
as a matter of hunt:duty towards himself, until the wound was
properly dressed ; that he must nave been in error if he stated that
the roung men were standing about in coloured aprons and sleeves,
as Air. Vincent, the surgeon, states that none of the medical men
ever alter their dress an may occasion ; that the inspection of thebody
after death was incompliance with and under the euthority given
by the Governors as far backs the year 1760, few the benefit of
science, and that the boil after suck inspection was carOully sewed
up, and placed io a canto. as is usual, for interment, or until re.
moved by the friends; that in point of fact, Mary Muck lint
presented herself at the accident ward, sill d " Queen," on Tues.
day evening the 31st January, bat that ward having no bed vacant,
she was desired by the slater to wait till the house-surgeon was sent
for, but she said she could not atop, therefore she was told to come
next day ; next day she did come, and Mr. Clarke, the house-
surgeon then on duty, desired her to go to " President Ward,"
whore there was a mut bed ; that Mr. Clarks examined her
wound, ordered pou/tice. and saw her put to bed.; that Roberts.
the dreseer, wu then present, and on that same evening ordered her
some opening' medicine; that Mr. Vincent saw her next
day, and .the Committee need not declare their conviction
that-every kind attention has been paid to bee by that gentle-
man, nod every one about the Hospital ; that Mr. Joseph
was out of town on account of his health, with the Permieline
of Mr. Vincent. and nevetaaw the case until his return on the Bth
of February; that be bad several conversations with her, but they
were allay relative to- her complaints; that it was unfortunate Mr,
Clarke was not esainineti, and they cannot. but regret the ahem-
don whiab teak place between Mr. Joseph 'and the Coroner ; but
they mat Mr. Joseph's declaration. that be Intended no offence,
Still satisfy thatgentleman ; that it appears that Mr. Alen& did
not come to see his wife fee three day, or more after her admission,
which eased her great uneasiness, and so she messed herself
that Mary Aluek-atesed se Mr. Clarke, on her first admission, end
also to the slater, and everyone else, the kW hurt arose from her
having fallen into din the thee' verb previous to bet tinsel ng to
the ilespital s -that the husband brought a petition fee the wife's
adroiesies.in the emetasavy anenner4 to ampule widt the and
di and tkeyafeso. saw bus boss privy to her Ade, dew, and did
eentreoendassily to as bat. and never won seeing he;
but. as Jtedwe stated 4. es the slay of the
Tbiode‘deo appear& IS eadettlia Alessi