DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 251, 22 October 1924, Page 8

DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC.

HARRIED WOMAN'S COLLAPSE. When the end was almost reached in a severe operation for the removal of ti thyroid gland, at the Auckland Hospital yesterday, Mrs. Gertrude. Kirkcaldy, who lived with her husband at Mount Eden, suddenly collapsed and died. An inquest was held before Mr. J. \V. Poynton, S.M., last evening. Claude Alexander Taylor, house surgeon at the Auckland Hospital, who I assisted at the operation, stated that I deceased was admitted on September 1. suffering from severe symptoms of toxic goitre. She was then considered too ill for operation, and was placed under the usual treatment. She showed ■ improvement, but it was considered that 'no permanent benefit would result unless an operation was performed. Tlie operation was considered risky, but death would have occurred had it not hern carried out. The consent of deceased's husband was obtained. Witness considered that all precautions were taken. Mortality under chloroform was about one in 2000 operations. I Warren Hastings Young, honorary nnaesthetist to the Auckland Hospital, stated that lie gaVe the anaesthetic, which was satisfactory until near the end of the operation, when the patient suddenly collapsed. All restoration measures were taken without success. Witness took every precaution. The time that elapsed from her first taking the anaesthetic to the collapse would havr been over one hour. I The coroner found that dcatli was due to anaesthetic (chloroform and other) administered during an operation for . toxic goitre. Every care was taken, and no blame wa- attachable to anyone.