GAS GANGRENE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 17, 20 January 1934, Page 6

GAS GANGRENE.

FARM WORKER'S DEATH.

INJURED BY HAYSWEEP.

The inquest concerning the death of Leonard William Brown, son of Mr. Frederick C. Brown, of Ponsonby, who met with an an accident while ensilage making on December 29 on the property of Mr. Frederick M. Strange, Mangaiti, was resumed yesterday at Te Aroha before Mr. Nevill Bay, coroner. Dr. W. B. Lawrence said that at 11.30 a.m. on December 29 he was called to attend Brown, who had been brought in from Mangaiti. He found a wound on the inside of the left thigh. The wound, aout an inch long and three inches deep, was cleaned and packed and the patient sent to Norana Hospital, Te Aroha, where an anti-tetanus injection was given. The wound was caused by a liaysweep. Except for the injury the patient's condition was good. He was attended twice a day, and made satisfactory progress for a week, when he took an unfavourable turn. On January 7 he collapsed, and was found to be in a serious condition. Witness dispatched a taxicab to the Waikato Hospital for a special serum, but it was too late. The wound showed an uncommon 'development; the region was inflamed and discoloured, and had extended in the manner of gas gangrene. This was a very virulent form of blood poisoning, due to a bacillus found in the soil. In his opinion the organism must have been in the wound at the time of the acoident. Blood poisoning set in and death ensued. The dungaree trousers which the deceased wore when brought in were very dirty, and it was probable that the infection came from them. Cases of gas gangrene were very rare, and death usually ensued in a few hours, although the disease sometimes took a chronic form. The bacillus was most difficult to destroy, resisting even boiling. It was not usual for stocks of the special serum to be carried except at large general hospitals. In reply to Mr. G. H. Nicholls, representing the relatives, witness said the patient could not have been taken to the Waikato Hospital in the latter stages, as his condition was too low. It was not customary to send gangrene cases to a public hospital. 'Nurse Betty Marie Keenan, of Norana Hospital, gave similar - evidence. She said that when she dressed the wound on Sunday morning the patient appeared to be quite normal, but later he collapsed. Eric Stanley Hall, farmer, of Te Aroha, and Allen James Carter, farm assistant, gave evidence concerning the accident.

Frederick M. Strange said Brown had been in his employ about a month as a general farm hand. He was handy with horses, but had not had much experience with haymaking machinery. There was nothing wrong with tlie havsweep. After the accident the injured man was taken to witness' house, and he (witness.) then, drove him to Te Aroha for medical attention. When .lie visited him at the hospital on the following Friday he was progressing well, but complained of pains in the back. The coroner gave the following verdict: "The cause of death was gasgangrene from a wound in the left thigh, caused by the falling of the lever of a havsweep on December 29, 1933, at Mangaiti. No blame is attachable to any person."