Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08
THOMPSON DEATH
CHARGE BORNE OUT
IN HOSPITAL PROBE

IN HOSPITAL PROBE
Continued From Seventeenth Page.)
after we put her on stretcher," she
said
Chairman MILAN directed questions
to bring out the fact that 1t was the
usual case in public hospitals for one
nurse to be in attendance over 20
patients. Miss Wright agreed that
lone was enough" under ordinary cir
cumstanceS. In this connection, the
committee called Miss Catherine Moran,
superintendent Of nurses at Gallinger,
who said a patient easily could elude
a nurse at any hospital. She saw no
reason ordinarily to have more than
one nurse In charge, explaining that
extreme cases were entrusted to the
care of special nurses.
Two special nurses had been in at
tendance off and on upon Mrs. Thomp-
son, it was brought out at the hearing.
They were Miss Smith and Miss St.
Peter. At the time the patient escaped
from her rom, 1t was said her condition
was not thought advisable for q special
nurse.
Mrs. Mary L. Garrison, a friend Of
the ThompSons, substantiated the teSti-
mony given by the patients mother
relative to her dread" of undergoing
an operation. She also testified that
staff members of the Board Of Public
Welfare had sought to have Mrs.
Thompson undergo mental examina-
| ton also.
Mrs. Garrison related that Mrs.
Thompson'S dread of an operation con-
tinued after her arrival at the hospital
and had told her that q woman in
H. L. u 1nnr. vat
operated on here. The next day they
gave me beans and bologna"
Are Told Of Her Death.
Mrs. Garrison testified she had heard
Mr.. Wright tell the nurse that Mrs.
Thompson shouldn't be compelled to
carry trays about. He said that Mrs.
Thompson had gone to the hospital for
rest and treatment and If it was neces-
would have sent her to another hos
pital."
According to testimony by Mrs.
Wright and Mrs. Garrison, the family
was informed late in the afternoon
after the operation by policeman who
called at the house that Mrs. Thompson
was very Ill. They hurried to the hos
pital in a taxi and were informed at
the door that Mrs. Thompson had died.
o'clock in the afternoon.
DR.. Costello was one of the most i'm
portant witnesses. He Is professor
at tLs Georgetown University Medical
! School and is one of the Georgetown
| members of the Gallinger staff, this
being his first year at the hospital.
DR.. Costello bore out testimony given
at a previous hearing that Mrs. Thomp-
son had been given the benefit Of every
foti nd
her blood pressure was normal.
He was questioned closely about
whether the patient had consented to
the operation.
The surgeon said that DR.. Higgins,
his consultant and himself had told
Mrs. Thompson after the examination
that an operation would benefit her
and make her self-supporting.
She didn't seem to have any OBJ
testified. "I told her that We would
take her the middle of the week If
other tests proved successful"
Mrs. Thompson was not bed-fast a.
the time of her admission, he explained,
and was given the privileges OF the
ward.
II am not in a position to say
whether patients are forced to do work
at the hospital" he testified in reply
to queries about the complaint made by
the patient.
Suffered From Shock.
After the operation, DR.. Costello said,
the patient appeared to be suffering
from shock. She was given anti-shock
treatment and rallied. I'VE thought her
condition was favorable and that she
also of the reaction and necessary blood
TRANSMISSION.
The next morning when he tele-
phoned to the hospital about her. Dr..
Costello said, the nurse informed him
the patient had gotten out Of her bed.
He fastened to the hospital, he said,
and did what he could for the woman,
but treatment Ibid her no good"
What do you think killed her?"
Chairman MILAN asked him.
DR.. Costello hesitated. Il do not
know-it would be hard to say" he
replied "I have seen patients under
similar conditions get out Of bed and
live. Others have done so and died.
In Mrs. ThompSon'S case, her getting
out Of bed after the hemorrhage and
blood TRANSMISSION did not help her any.
1t undoubtedly lowered her resistance"
Asked again the same question at
various times, DR.. Costello admitted
each time that he could say that the
woman's experience was "a contributing
cause of her DEATH"
Later, when questioned again about
the operation, DR.. Costello said: MRS.
Thompson gave her own consent to
me, to DR.. Bloedorn (the chief of staff)
and DR.. Higgins. She was told about
the operation two days before it was
performed" DR.. Costello could not say
whether Mrs. Thompson had told her
family about it.
Didn't Hold Operation UnwiSe.
The incident about Mrs. Thompson's
escape from bed. the physician testified.
was known TO the whole resident staff
and was reported at the next stan
meeting.
In reply to other questions, DR.. Cos
tello said he had observed nothing In
the woman's condition to make him
believe an operation was unwise.
do Won think now that the Oper.