746
has been in every way creditable to him"
The Secretary of State has now recorded his
opinion that Dr. Bell was much to blame for permitting
Dr. Laing to perform the operation.
Dr. Bell has a good record but he was
soriously to blame in this matter and it is thought
that Mr. Lyttelton should note it in the acknowledging
dospatch, but it need not militate against the doctor's
prospects if he is more careful in future. He
probably gives the true apology for his fellure in the
words "That this is the first time I have been
connected with so serious a matter as drunkenness in a
medical officer and that the matter came upon me so
suddenly that I erred in settling the right course to
/ pursue".
Dr. Bell must know that Sir H, Nathan is the
fairest of governors; he must know also that to let
e drunken doctor operate on a woman in childbirth in
very indefensible and Mr. Long will probably agree that
it argues but a poor opinion of the Secretary of Stato
and the Colonial Office to think that "black marks"
will be made or cancelled irrespective of the marito
of the case.