Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-04
NURSES DOCTOR
GIVES STATEMENT

uvLU UInILlIILlII
"On entering my office at $50 am
Wednesday. July 25, my associate, DR.
R. w. Benz, stated that he had made
call the previous evening on Miss
| Florence Berg, formerly a nurse a.
the Queens hospital That on tina
afternoon DR.. Ludy, a warm persona
| friend of Miss Berg, finding her in q
serious state of health, asked Mr.
Henry to call on some physician
should her condition become worse
Mr.. Henry asked whom to call in
and on being asked who attended his
family professionally, said DR.. G. B
Cooper, and DR.. Ludy instructed thai
be called. Mr.. Henry called uF
my town residence about 10 p. m. AM
got no answer as we had been stay
ing at Kahala for some weeks
hence DR.. Benz was called and re-
sponded.
He found Miss Berg in such a
critical condition, and a general state
of collapse that he sent for Superin
tendent Roehl OF the Queens hospital
with the view of having her at once
removed to that institution Miss
Berg's statement to DR.. Benz was
that she had been suffering since the
previous Saturday night from an at
tack of ptomalne poisoning induced
by eating fee cream and pickles. Supt
Roehl urgently advised DR.. Benz as
to the advisability of Immediately re-
moving Miss Berg to the Queen
hospital but she absolutely and posi-.
lively refused 10 leave her present
quarters. On learning from DR.. N6enz
her serious condition I at once called
and found a general appearance OF
collapse. There were no facilities for
the care her case demanded and
begged her to 60 to the hospital or
some institution where she could get
adequate care, but she was obdurate.
She gave me the same history Of the
Illness as she had described to DR..
Benz and Mr.. Roehl. She Indignantly
denied that she had ever been preg.
nant.
Both DR.. Benz and myself were
satisfied from conditions we found
that Miss Berg had not been truthful
with US, and as she was unwilling to
submit to suggestions of hospital and
trained nursing We felt in order to
protect our own professional reputa-
tons 1t was not incumbent on US to
remain on the case.
The ethical physician would ten
times rather face cholera, bubonic
plague or any dangerous infectious or
cor tagious disease than be called
into a case Of criminal abortion with
septic complications with its doubt
full ending In recovery. However, as
both had high personal and profes-
sional regard for her we decided to
do the best we could under the exist
ing conditions.
"on Tuesday her condition was
about the same. She still refused
going to the hospital and refused the
offer Of our office nurse to battle and
make her more comfortable. On Fri
day conditions were practically un-
changed.
Saturday morning before calling
on her stopped at the Queens hos
pital, saw Mr.. Roehl who still made
good the offer of a private room free
OF charge. l said that / would order
the ambulance to call for her at once
which was done a short time later.
On the arrival Of the ambulance she
positively refused to be removed, but
said she would go to the Beretania
This was communicated
to me by the officer in charge of the
and I replied all right.
AS DR.. Benz had to pass the Bere-
tania hospital that afternoon /
asked him to call, and on doing so
he found that she had not gone there
When found such to be the fact
notified Mr.. Henry of the Engle-
side that we would be forced to
sever our connections with the case.
EARLY in the afternoon DR.. A. F..
Jackson called at my office and said
that he had done so at the instance
Of DR.. Ludy, who wished me to be
assured that he had no moral or pro
tessional completely with Miss Berg
and that his interest in her was one of
personal regard. DR.. jackson when
stated the facts to him wished me
TO remain on the case and agreed to
be associated consultant, and would
also agree to see she was delivered
1t the Beretania sanitarium and take
IN active personal interest in the
professional services required.
The physicians besides myself who
we're associated were Drs. Benz, Jack |
son, Kearns, Straub, Calender and
Judy.
"Coroner's posi- mortem was held |
It non July 81. 1917, by Drs. Aver
Ind Hanchett, DR. Jackson and myself
'eing present. The result of the au-
opsy Is in your possession.
Surgical instruments which have
lot seen were reported to me by Mr..
Henry as being found in a closet"