CASUALTIES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17018, 15 December 1920, Page 7

CASUALTIES.

♦ DEATH UNDER AJNAESTHETIC. James iMcxmies, living at 42<j i\iontieaf street, cuea while uiicfer tne eliects of an auisstuetic at the Cimstciiurcii xiospital on Monday afternoon. An inquest was heiu yeateruay at the Courtnousa before' Mr S. E. McCarthy, Coroner. Dr. O. King, house surgeon at the hospital, stateu tliat the deceased was adiuit/ted to tne hospital on Monday afternoon suffering irom an acute inflammatory swelling on the left side of the neck, evidently tracking down among important structures, and indicating the necessity for an immediate operation. The deceased had difficulty in speakhig and swallowing. An examination of the heart revealed weak 'sounds, indicative of a fiabbv state: Soon after the administration of an anesthetic the patient passed into the second stage and became very excited. The aesthetic contained chloroform and ether in equal parts. Difficulty in Breathing rapidly became absolute and no measures succeeded in establishing an air way into the' lungs. A minute or two later the heart ceased action, and no restorative measures were of avail. His conclusions wore that the patient was not a suitable case for an anesthetic because of the condition of his heart and that he died from heart failure supervening rapidly on the establishment of a complete respiratory obstruction, caused, by codema of the lungs. The operation was a necessary one as the patient would have died shortly from respiratory obstruction. Dr. John Guthrie said the deceased was suffering from a deep seated abscess on the left side of the neck.' "Witness ordered the deceased to be removed to the hospital. It was recognised that tlio case was a risky one for an amesthetic and could not be undertaken without general anesthesia. Unfortunately the patient. died before the operation could be commenced. Dr. P. C Femvick, who conducted a post mortem examination of the deceased, stated that the deceased was suffering from congestion and oodema of both lungs. The heart was very fatty and flabby. In his opinion the cause of death was failure of a weakened heart following acute oedema of the

larynx, which had apparently been caused by the extension of cellulitis from the ncck._ A verdict ivas returned to the effect that the deceased died at about 5.45 p.m. on Monday while under an anrosthetic preparatory to an operation for an abscess on the left side of the neck, which had caused acute oedema. The Coroner found further that the deceased's heart was at the time of the operation in a weak state, and such was the condition of his health that death must have taken place within a Few hours unless relieved by an operation. The | administration of the anresthe'tic was necessary to permit of the operation and was skilfully administered. The deceased died before the operation commenced. A boy of 7 years named Jack Goss, residing at 25 Walker street, was playing last evening with his brother, who was pulling him in a toy cart when he fell out and fractured his left ann. He was taken to the hospital, where he was treated as an out patient. At Culverden yesterday, Air V. G. Day, Coroner, held an inquest on Alexander Palmer 38 y?ars of age, cook at Kaiwara who died suddenly on Monday morning. Dr. Jennings, whc made a nost mortem of the f>odv, stated that Palmer died of appendicitis and s verdict was returned in acoordance witl; the medical evidence. (PRTTSS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) PALMERSTOX X.. December 14. "While -motor-cycling from Shannon tc Pnlmerston North this morning, Johx McPark was thrown from Ins machiuf and killed. His wife, who was acconv panying him, was not injured.