Miss Fitz was a student midwife in Lourdes hospital while Dr. Neary was the consultant there.
I recall so vividly a day that this man was going to do the ward rounds. Well in advance, we were sent around to all the women, whose beds formed a U-shape down the walls and across the bottom. There were probably about 30 or so in the ward, and we had to pull their nightdresses above their ‘bumps’ to their chest, and the sheet down to just below. I remember standing in the doorway and surveying the pink bumps, all sizes and shapes, like so many melons in a row in a field.
Neary entered the ward, with his coterie of medical and nursing students and a great silence fell upon us. He made his way from bed to bed, never speaking except to the Sister, feeling, probing and grunting. About half way down, he came to the bed of a young mother, who broke the stillness and asked ‘Doctor, is my baby alright’.
He stopped and stared at her, spoke in the ear of the Sister and walked to the next bed. Sister turned to the patient and hissed, “You are only a patient, you never, never address Mr Neary to his face”. I left Drogheda after 2 months, deciding midwifery was not my bag.
After his actions caught up with him, insofar as they have, 44 patients’ files (38 of which were Neary’s patients) were removed from the hospital illegally by a person or persons trying to protect him. Another attack on the women who were ‘only patients’.
4 Comments
The pomposity of some professionals!
As a nurse you appear to have a rather warped outlook on women being examined by an Obstetrician. Where they all M Nearys patients in the one room.. Do not think a public ward faciliated ALL his patients,alone. Do you foget about the other consultnats patients and to have their arms and legs a certain way to facilitate him. The sheets tucked a cerain way, hand by their sides. Read the Inquiry report, it is referred to in it. Of course nurse as you call youself you only saw what you wanted to. But what is intersting is that you say you were present duringDr Neary rounds yet some of the women said he was alone and spoke to them alone.Now your little tale shows the oppositite that in fact he did ahve a sister with him (normally the head one).
An absoloute joke. My mum had 5 babies with Dr Neary as her consultant and she will not have a bad word said about him. She says that he was an absoloute gentleman and couldnt have been more helpful or nice to everybody. I can’t help but that that perhaps you didnt chose to quit your job if your train of thought is so warped? Whatever the reason i suggest a little bit of research is required into the backround of each story. As far as i am concerned this gynaecologist has had a tough enough time so far without people like you who trying to cash in on other peoples misfortune.
Refering to Kate’s message
“…..As far as i am concerned this gynaecologist has had a tough enough time so far without people like you who trying to cash in on other peoples misfortune.”
There are none so blind as he (or she) who will not see. This gynaecologist was a butcher. And as for tough… I hope I never meet him.