AN UNUSUAL CASE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19985, 21 July 1930, Page 6

AN UNUSUAL CASE.

DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC. trnxss association tslegbaii.) GISBORNE, July 19. Unusual circumstances were revealed In medical evidence at -an inquest this morning on' lira Margaret Dominey, aged 30, who died in the Cook Hospital yesterdaj under an anaesthetic while undergoing an operation for goitre. Dr. Hall, Medical Superintendent, ■tated that about an hour and a quarter after the anaesthetic was administered, Mrs Dominey ceased to breathe. Artificial respiration caused breathing

to recommence, but five minutes later breathing stopped and the heart ceased to beat. Artificial,stimulation and the administration of drugs were without avail. Heart massage caused the heart to beat but finally the heart ceased altogether To the Coroner (Mr Harper) witness said that it was very unusual for the heart to go on beating without breathing. Continuing, Dr. Hall stated that a post-mortem showed that all the organs were normal, but the thymus gland behind the breastbone, which usually grew smaller. in adult life was enlarged. In many eases of death under anaesthetic, it was found that this gland was enlarged,. though a witness had no authority to say that it was the cause of death". A thorough examination of the heart was made before the anses-

thetic was administered ■ and everything was done for the patient. The Coroner found that Mrs Dominey died under an anaesthetic, the cause of death being respiratory inhibition secondary to an operation for thyroid ectomy and probably accentuated by the condition of the thymus gland causing difficulty in breathing.