§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether on 5th December, 1897, a telegraph clerk at Liverpool named Hardingham sought the advice of the medical officer; whether after a week's absence Hardingham was instructed to resume duty; whether in consequence of his inability to do so Hardingham called in a private practitioner, who at once stated that he was suffering from typhoid fever, and ordered his immediate removal to the Corporation Infectious Disease Hospital; whether he is aware that Hardingham remained an inmate of the hospital for 11 weeks; and will the Postmaster General institute a special inquiry into the case, and direct that the expense incurred by Hardingham in obtaining medical advice be refunded, as post office employees are entitled to free medical attendance?
§ MR. HANBURYIt was on the 7th and not on the 5th of December last that Mr. Hardingham saw the medical officer at Liverpool. The medical officer reported on that date that Mr. Hardingham was suffering from gastric catarrh, but was able to perform his official duty; Mr. Hardingham, however, as a matter of fact, did not resume duty, and was visited by the medical officer on the following day. The medical officer then reported that Mr. Hardingham would not be fit for duty till the 13th of December. He subsequently visited Mr. Hardingham on various days between the 10th and 20th of December, on each occasion extending his certificate by stating that the patient would not be fit for duty for a week. On the 14th of December, however, Mr. Hardingham consulted a private medical gentleman, who stated that he was suffering from "enteric fever," and ultimately ordered his removal to the hospital. He was in the hospital from the 21st of December till the 18th of February. The medical officer at Liverpool reports that Mr. Hardingham did not follow his directions either as to taking the medicine or observing the diet which he prescribed, and that he aggravated his illness by taking a pork chop in lieu of the milk and farinaceous food which had been ordered for him. The Postmaster General sees nothing in the 1392 case calling for special inquiry, and he is unable to pay Mr. Hardingham's private medical adviser's fees. Gratuitous medical advice and attendance were provided for Mr. Hardingham, but he preferred to have recourse to private medical advice. This he was quite at liberty to do, but the Department cannot undertake to pay the cost.