Queries into death extend to Aust.

Press, 16 February 1984, Page 4

Queries into death extend to Aust.

PA Hamilton An inquest into the death of a patient in Waikato Hospital in October, 1982, has been adjourned and the police were asked to interview a former hospital emSee now living in Ausa.

A pathologist told the Coroner’s Court at Hamilton that the body of Vika Abbott, aged 28, contained a high concentration of morphine — four times the maximum level from a “normal” dose of morphine. Adjourning the case, the Coroner, Mr John Webb, said that he was reluctant to make a finding without a statement from Marian Myree Marsh, a clinical assistant at the Waikato Hospital at the time.

The Coroner requested the police to take “all steps available” to get a statement from Miss Marsh now living in Australia, and if this was not possible he would “reluctantly” make a decision on the information before him.

Christine Kane said in evidence that she was working as charge nurse in Ms Abbott’s ward on October 31, 1982.

On arriving at work she was told that Ms Abbott had been crying and complaining of pain in her left ankle. She told the Court that Dr Marsh ordered the patient be given 50 milligrams of morphine after a milder drug failed to ease the pain. Mrs Kane said that she queried the dose. “I said to her (Dr Marsh), ‘That’s a hell of a dose and are you sure it’s 50 milligrams?’ “She said, ‘yes’.” Mrs Kane said that she suggested that half the dose

be given and if necessary the other half later. “She said ‘no, Julian (EgertonVemon) has said 50 milligrams’."

In a statement, Dr Peter Dunn said that he went to the hospital after a telephone call about 7.15 p.m. from Dr Egerton-Vernon regarding Abbott and found the patient being given primary resuscitation by Dr Egerton-Vernon and Dr Marsh.

Ms Abbott’s eyes were dilated and fixed. About 10 p.m. irreversible brain death was diagnosed, Dr Dunn said, adding that he did not think that dose (50 milligrams of morphine) should be given. Asked by the Coroner of the chances of surviving such a dose, Dr Dunn said “slim.”

Sergeant John Gott, of Hamilton, told the Court he had been assigned to inquire into Ms Abbott’s death.

Ms Abbott was a Tongan, adopted at about eight years old and brought to Auckland. In 1973 she had surgery for a brain tumour in Auckland Hospital and had suffered weight control problems and diabetes. The Court heard that Abbott weighed about 140 kilograms.

Sergeant Gott said that he interviewed Dr EgertonVernon, who now lives overseas. .

The doctor told him Miss Marsh, a house surgeon, telephoned him seeking his opinion of an appropriate dose of morphine for Ms Abbott.

Dr Egerton-Vernon told her 15 milligrams, said Sergeant Gott.

Some time later Dr Eger-

ton-Vernon was called to Ms Abbott’s ward where he found the patient unconscious, her pupils fixed and dilated and her blood pressure very low. She was breathing intermittently. He said that Dr EgertonVernon had told the others around the patient at the time that Ms Abbott’s condition could not be due to~ls milligrams of morphine. “I remember well Dr Marsh’s reply. ‘Oh, my God, I gave her 50’,” Sergeant Gott said quoting Dr Eger-on-Vernon. He said that Miss Marsh was not a qualified doctor at the time but was a final year medical student from Australia who worked as clinical assistant at Waikato Hospital for a short time. Miss Marsh wore a name tag describing her as “doctor.” Under her name she was described as a clinical assistant.

Under the Narcotics Act clinical assistants could not prescribe narcotics drugs, Sergeant Gott said.

The New Zealand police had been preparing to go to Australia to interview Miss Marsh, but heard from the Australian police that her lawyer had said she would not answer questions. Sergeant Gott said that Miss Marsh is understood to be a doctor in Australia.

Sergeant Gott said yesterday that the police had not yet decided what action to take if Miss Marsh refused an interview.

He said • that he was awaiting the report from the Coroner’s Court and would then make recommendations to his superiors. A decision would then be made.