BOY'S DEATH IN HOSPITAL

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21510, 27 June 1935, Page 10

BOY'S DEATH IN HOSPITAL

Board Exonerates Staff PATHOLOGIST'S REPORT (PRISS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, June 26. A finding that the death of a three-year-old boy, Desmond Wallace Morrissey, in the children s warcl at the Auckland Hospital on May 29, < was m no way due to faulty or delayed treat ment was reached at an enquiry lie d by the Auckland Hospital Board. The, enquiry was held i:t the request of the child's father, William Mornssey, of Kingsland. who based his complaints on tie finding of the coroner that death had been accelerated by the accidental puncturing of a blood-vessel. The child was admitted pital at noon on May 29 with a re rinrl that he might be developing tetanus. From his memnritis was suspected, and then con firmed, and an operation was ordered. While this was being carried out the C ' superintendent, Dr. JW. Craven, said the verdict, reto'ie bv Mr Wwern Wilson, S.M.,was inai the boy died at the Auckland HospUal on May 29, when in a state of ans ?® thesia, necessarily and Pr°P ell * ■ duccd for the purpose of a suigicai operation; and that the cause of was influenzal meningitis, acceleratea by' -the accidental puncturing 01. a blood-vessel at the base of the brain. "Could Not Have Been Saved" Dr. W. Gilmour, pathologist at the hospital, said it became evident aftei the child's death, that a very advanced stage of meningitis had been reached, due to the presence of the bacillus ol influenza. Such cases never recovered. The child's life could not have been saved. _ "The operation performed by ur. McGilJ, resident medical officer, was quite normal, and is carried out irequently," said Dr. Gilmour I am quite convinced tnat the child could not possibly have recovered; but the operation was a last resort. It was a quite sound procedure, and was performed with high surgical skill. ~n my examination I did not find any trace of a puncture." Honorary Physician's Evidence Dr G. B. Sweet, honorary physician in charge of the case, said he did not see ihe child at all. Dr. McGill telephoned to him saying the symptoms suggested meningitis, and he gave Dr. McGill instructions as to .the necessary treatment. He approved absolutely the procedure carried out by the resident medical officer, and he could not have done anything more himsek. He agreed with Dr. Gilmour that no case of influenzal meningits had been known to recover. , A motion was moved that the board, having heard the evidence, and while expressing sympathy with the parents m the death of their child, which was unavoidable, was of the opinion that the correct medical procedure had been adopted in the case. This was carried. "Dr. Gilmour's evidence in particular was conclusive that the child had no hope of recovery," the chairman (Mr W. Wallace) said.