ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 513, 21 May 1909, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

DEATH UNDER CHLOROFORM. • INQUEST AT THE HOSPITAL: Tho sudden death of a single woman, named Louisa, Chant, 49 years of age, who died at the Hospital at noonj whilst undergoing an operation,- was the subject of an inquest held yesterday, by Dr; A. M'Arthur, S.M., Coroner. Dr. H. Hardwick Smith, medical superintendent at the Hospital, stated thatdecoased was admitted on April 8, suffering from appendicitis, .and other internal trouble: Dr. ■Fauiko operated on : her, removing .the appondix, about a month ago, when he noticed other internal trouble, which necessitated tho second operation. Dr. Faulko performed the operation, with the assistance of witness, and Drs. Foster and Brown. Deceased took the anaesthetic very well, but, when the : operation was practically completed, her heart suddenly stepped beating. The usual'remedies wore applied, and artificial respiration 1 was continued for ..over half-an : hour, but without success. To the Coroner: Deceased gave her consent to the operation. Ho' considered that death was due to heart disease, accelerated by the. anaesthetic. >, . ' Dr. Faulko corroborated the evidence- of the previous witness as to the operation, and stated ho knew that it would be a critical case; and had taken more tha nusual precautions. .'.- '" : ' .-';. Dr. Foster, assistant medical. officer at the Hospital, also gave evidence. Amy. Chant, residing at 31 Jessie Street j stated that deceased was her sister-in-law, and lived in a rented room in Abel Smith Street. Deceased had been engaged as a charwoman up to a week before she entered tho Hospital. She frequently complained- of being ill, and had twice been laid up i,with appendicitis. Tho night before ; the opera tion deceased had expressed her entire satisfaction of what had been done for her' at theHospital. , ■ ■

. A verdict was returned that deceased died from heart failure, accelerated by an anaesthetic given in / ari operation which it was absolutely necessary, to ;■ perform, in order to save the patient dying from loss of blood. Every care had been taken with the patient since her admission to the Hospital, on April 8. BUN OVER BY TRACTION ENGINE. (BY TELEaRAm—I'KESS ASSOCIATION.) .'.'/ -Ashburton, May 20. A nine-year-old child, named James Walsh was run over by a traction engine at Wheatstone this. morning,, death being instantaneous. ■ : ;. N DROWNED IN A LAGOON. ,"-, '■' Core, May 20. A man named Andrew Wallace, aged 25 years, resident at Waimea Plains, was found drowned in a lagoon near the Mataura River at Riversdale last night. Deceased had been suffering from the after-effects of influenza. RUN OVER BY A CART. ' Chrlstchurch, May 20. James Smart, of Richmond, who was run over, by an aerated-water cart on April: 17, and-sustained severb injuries, died, at Papahui Sanatorium to-day In his statement to thopolico. Smart said he had been run over by a motor-car, but subsequent investigations showed that he was mistaken. Y DEATH OF A FOOTBALLER. Oaraaru, May 20. A young man, named Thomas Martin, a tailor, died while being conveyed from the football field to-day. He had complained of feeling unwell'for several days, and while playing football in a matcjj to-day, 1 it is supposed ho struck one of the goal posts with his head. Ho was removed from the giound, but died shortly afterwards. Tho. doctor who attended him, says death was duo to hemorrhage of the brain. ;

AN INQUEST.

\ ' Diincdin, May 20. Tho adjourned inquest, touching the death of Lucy Kingston, a-domestic.servant,which occurred at tho Hospital on Wednesday, May 12, was continued before the Coroner (Mr. H. Y. 'Widdowson) this afternoon, firs. Closs and Roberts gave evidence, to the olEect that doceascd died of septic poisoning, apparently caused by miscarriage. Annio pnver, wifo of H. H. Drivor, said decoased admitted to her that an operation had been performed, but .declined to say by whom. After further evidence had boon givon, the inquest was further adjourned, to enable the poiico to make additional inquiries: