PURITY OP ANAESTHETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 221, 17 September 1919, Page 10

PURITY OP ANAESTHETICS.

USED IN GENERAL HOSPITAL. TRECAUTIOXS TO BE TAKEN". ■ As (he outcome of a discussion at last night's meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board, greater precautions are to be taken in future to ensure only the best standard brands of chloroform being used at the general hospital. The matter was raised by a, question u.sked by Mr. M. J. Sa-vage a< to whether the medical superintendent, Dr. Mnguire, could inform 'him if the chloroform at present obtained was manufactured by a well-known Edinburgh firm and bottled in Sydney. A cable had been sent to tile Edinburgh manufacturers, he stated, and an answer had been received to the etfect that the. Sydney firm bought the chloroform in bulk and bottled it themselves, so that the Edinburgh firm was unable to givo any guarantee unless the spirit was in bottles bearing their labels.

Dr. Maguirc stated that throughout the war period there had been the greatest difficult}' in obtaining a proper supply of chloroform, -and at one time it looked as though the hospital would be cut oil' from supplies altogether. As a result, they had been compelled to go to various linns for the spirit, including two well-known American firms. The last of the chloroform bottled in Sydney was now being used.

-Mr. P. M. Mackay held that all requisition.* for chloroform should go direct from tlie medical superintendent, and not through any third person. Only the very best .should be used.

Mr. M. J. Coyle considered that the discussion might leave an impression that the recent deaths under anaesthetics had been caused by the n-i- oi an inferior brand of L'liloroform. lie referred to an article that had appeared in the "Star." and thought that this might also help siu-h an 'impression. lie TOW sure tha.t the public generally had no idea how groat was the number of operations performed at the public hospital. Be considered that a report should be obtained from Dr. Maguire on all operations performed at the hospital for the past three years, with the object of showing that the percentage ol deaths was singularly low. No motion on the subject was passed but a report will probably be presented lat the next meeting of the board.