New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-22
DIR. RICHARDS MAKES A STATEMENT.

HE DESCRIBES HIS CONNECTION WITH TIE
CASE OF HARPER. THE JAN:ToR.
TO tho Editor Of The Tribune
sir: In your issue Of this date Is an article relating
IN the condition OF a man Harper on bis arrival at tins
hospital and his after treatment The article Is in oil
grave errors, and by means true In many respects
VIII Won kindly allow me enough space In your paper
for a true statement concerning this easel Harper
arrived al Bellevue Hospital somow here between ana
10 O'Clock D. m. SUNDAY, February H. and was AZ
sIgned 10 the alcoholic cells 10y the receiving physchh
who seeing tho mans head baEdagcd sent me woiu
asking me 10 sec the patient. l Immediately went 10
the ward and found the man In condition Of stupcr
from which II was not az all difficult 10 arouse him
sufficiently 10 answer questions put 10 him. To my
questions he responded that he had no headache That
there pain or pressure upon any part Of ms h'n
excepting over the scalp wound. That he had O'ch
drinking and had fallen down stairs then examiner
h,p, very closely for any evidence 81 fracture Of the
SKULL but there was none / went to him again Inc
next morning and found him easier 10 arouse than
an the night previous. / put the same questions to
him n ~, the night before and received the same
answers he also saying that he felt very we'll Then
cut down all his dressings and ag1n maze uor'"th
examination, to ascertain II possible II any bShip'"m'
had developed which would Indicate that The shuil was
fractured but there were none. There being no In
dlcatlons TO transfer the patient TO surgical waN inc
only thing TO do was watch him corinly Tor the
d.. svmn,om which would indicate a cerebral com
pncatiOn.
The cell service Is Il rotating service. each member
OF the staff having II for stated length OF tme' NY
service terminated Monday noon, February To- pr'
IIamlen then taking charge. took Dr. liamieh 10 inc
case gave him his history and described 10 MN tlc
notions OF the man since he had entered inc cell
Dr. IIamlcn stated that ho again examined
| hin, Nondoy evening that the patient answered
bis onestions and that there were no symptoms oi "A
fracturs on Tuesday morning. however, the paucDt
began to develop symptoms which indicana' 'ou d
fracture, cerebral complication OF some ha,utc'
These symptoms having developed, Dr. hameh hao oo
patient transferred to the surgical side. Inc sSP
toms wor, not such that one could determine the scat
n, the cerebral lesion and that reason the case was
not an opcrabe one. A fracture OF the base WIS SUB
nected only but not found until pat upon the aopI
| table Tho scalp wound the right SIDE Oh III;
| head the cerebral lesion on the left sac. iiad I"
trephnng been at the seat OF tho scalp inc
| cerebral lesion would no, have been iouhd anu "c
| mans death would have come sooner.
| I wish TO state here that / did not accept Dr.
Townsend's diagnosis, rs | did not see DE- lO"hseu
nor hear what his diagnosis was 1t Is not so that ue
man became delicious after entering the cell. 10 10
| had 10 be strapped to his bed. one hand ohiy was
fastened TO the side Of the bcd hcNi ~
| .hc 0all that the patient In lis movements
| ,icht NOT fall upon the floor and receive
further Injuries The man having been sent To inc
cells and knowing positively that he was under uc
Influence Of liquor and I'm this case, there being no
evidence OF any serious complications most am one
wonld have taken the same measures as were adopted
viz watch for anc new developments and allow thc
patcnt 10 clear up from the SYMPTOMS OF a'3hWs,'
There certainly can he carl;s ness In such u1io
| mcnt do not know from what source your rep
rcscntativc could have obtained huch hio,h'l''
tbo arficlc scts forth II certainly IL not based upon
! tacts II il sincerely hoped that the matter VIII D.
c.sc win he PUBLISH, least Offset the very ulls
representation already made write yOn THIS DciIe.
,l.f
mare wish to sar that II would have made no dlcI-
enre in this case If fracture had been diagnosed VIII
no "'' r. L. RICHARDS, ". ID.
| p.uo, M UoenitaI Feb. 1Son.