BOY'S DEATH IN HOSPITAL

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 285, 2 December 1925, Page 10

BOY'S DEATH IN HOSPITAL

UNDIGESTED FOOD THE CAUSE. AN ABNORMAL CASE. A lengthy inquiry into the circumstances of the death of a little boy named Henry Mervyn. Douglas, who died under operation in the Dunedin Hospital on November 23, was conducted by Mr. J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., sitting as coroner. The coroner found no great fault with the hospital system, or with the circumstances of the actual operation. He did, however, advise a closer supervision of junior nurses, and' criticised one of them (since resigned), who had unwisely given to the boy food which he should not have had. the eating of which, however, had no bearing on the ultimate result. Evidence was given by Nurse Graham, a junior of six months' training, that she had omitted to consult the morning's report of the ward sister, and was therefore unaware that the child was to be operated upon that day, and she grave him food which he should not have had. An anaesthetic was given at 2.15 p.m., and near the conclusion of the operation an hour later the anaesthetist told the purpreon the child had ceased to Dreathe and there was vomited matter !" the throat. In spite of immediate efforts to prevent suffocation the child died. The coroner commented upon the fact that there was some lack of supervision of the junior nurses. The verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence, that death was due to suffocation during anaesthesia, the cause being vomited food which had been retained in the stomach for an unusual length of • time, a condition due to the child's general physical state. Nurse Graham has now resigned.