The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-28 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28, 1864.

It is too much the fashion among a certain class
of persons, when any complaint is made regarding
the treatment of the poor, to say that exaggera-
tion is employed, and ex parte statements put for.
ward ; but there has just occurred a case which can-
not be contradicted, and speaks strongly in con-
demnation of the means used. An inquest was
held yesterday at St. Bartholomew's Hospital
on the body of TIMOTHY DALY. This poor un-
fortunate man expired after his admission into that
place. The cause of his death was exhaustion con-
sequent upon bed sores which he had contracted
while in the Holborn Infirmary. It was several
times declared by the deceased that he had not re-
ceived proper treatment and attention while in
the Union. Of course, it will be said by many
that he might have been ignorant, or at all events
not stated the exact truth ; but there were other
and incontestable witnesses to be heard in this sad
case. Both the doctors of the Hospital and the
FArringdon Dispensary concurred in the opinion
that want of care and attention had been the cause
of the poor man's falling into the deplorable cons
The evidence of his wife and a friend
who went to visit him proved that he had corn.
plained of want of attention. The statements
of the medical min could not have been
stronger and more emphatic. It is impossible to
gloss over or palliate the case ; its enormity is ap-
parent, and due attention should be paid to it by
the Poor Law Board, Dr J. ANDREWS, the assis-
tant physician at the hospital, stated that with
"proper care and attention tl.e deceased ought not
to have got into such a condition." Dr THOMPSON
LUWE, the resident medical officer of the Farring.
don Dispensary, stated that in " rheumatic fever a
man could be kept in bed twelve years without a
bed sore." When he added that he had 2,000 cases
a year without this affliction occurring, it was suge
gusted that he sent his bad cases to the hospital, on
which he observed, " I thank God I never had such
a case in my life." In defence or explanation very
little to the purpose was said or brought forward.
It -was admitted that the bed was not more than six
Let in length, which was certainly insufficent for
deceased's height. His friend who came to see him
observed that he used to lie with his knees bent up.
It might have been through mistake, ignorance, or
any other caus,?, that the said treatment occurred,
but it is evident that TIMOTHY DALY, through want
of proper care, suffered considerable addition to
his inevitable pain, and that he was not
properly attended to while in ti'e infirmary. The
verdict of the jury set forth that he did not receive
sufficient care and attention from the medical cfficer
while in the Holborn Union. I r may be suggested
that this circumstance is a case in point in favour of
the employment of traiaed nurses in the infirmaries
of 'Unions. It is not at all likely that a regular
assistant who knew her duties would have allowed
a patient to fall into such a deplorable condition,
and independently of the medical officer at all much
might have been done to improve the condition of
this man. It is certain that the latter has not
diecharged his duty in a paper manner, but be