HEART TROUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 21

HEART TROUBLE.

DEATH AFTER OPERATION. INQUEST ON YOUNG MAN.

At the Magistrate's Court, Wanganui, on Wednesday, before the Coroner (Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M.), an inquest was held on Harry Maynard Reynolds, who died under an anaesthetic when undergoing an operation for septic tonsilitis. Goorge Hubert Reynolds, father of deceased, a clerk at the East Town Workshops, said he had identified the body as that of his son, who was a single man aged 22, an attendant at the Wanganui East baths. His son entered ft private hospital on March 21 and on the following day witness was called to the hospital and told to expect the worst. At six or seven years of age his son had scarlet fever and spent six weeks in hospital. At 10 years he was treated in Auckland for a bite. In 1918 he was very ill with influenza. As a result of the trouble when he wa* ten years old he was in a hospital in Wellington. He seemed in good health whan he entered the private hospital. Annie S. Chambers, a registered nurse of the hospital, said that the patient ,was returned to his bed after the operalion. He wm still under the anaesthetic. At 10.15 o'clock the patient had not come round and she called in Dr. Robertson, but Dr. Williams arrived almost Immediately and took charge. About 11 o'clock Dr. Christie arrived. The patient was then returned to the theatre and had another stitch inserted in his throat. He was then returned to his bed. After the stitching, Dr. Christie went away, but came back and pave tim an injection to atop the bleeding. The doctor was recalled between 2 and 8.15 o'clock when the patient's pluse bsgan to weaken. He ordered an injection, which was given. Everything possible was done for the patient. Dr. Kenrick Christie said that deceased was a patient of his for about a month before he entered the hospital. He was suffering from septic tonsilitis.. The deceased was thoroughly examined before the operntion. The patient had •old him that he (the deceased) had fomited a lot after previous operations. There was nc evidence of any ..other disease. The same strength of anaesthetic was used for this operation as for the appendix. The operation took £5 minutes. Witness remained at the hospital till 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., having jn mind that the patient had a bleeding tendency, he brought 'his instruments. He ordered the patient to the operating theatre where he found that the previous stitches were holding, but inserted •nother. The patient had a good pulse, out was of a blue colour. Shortly •fter 2 o'clock witness received a mes■•Jfe that the patient was getting low *nd returned, but the pulse weakened *nd the patient passed away. An injection was made to try and re-start the heart, but this failed. Williams corroborated the evid* en Jj* °f Dr. Christie. The coroner found that . deceased died from heart failure, accelerated by operation. A weakness in the heart **■ evident, but would not be detectable by an ordinary inspection. The woner was satisfied that everything Possible had been done for the patient ***** the operation.