SURGEON’S TRAGIC DEATH

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 290, 7 September 1928, Page 10

SURGEON’S TRAGIC DEATH

SEQUEL TO PERFORMANCE . OF OPERATION Dominion Special Service. Auckland, September 5. News has reached Auckland of the death in England, under tragic circumstances, of Dr. E. S. Molyneux, brother of the Bishop of Melanesia. “The word ‘tragic’ is often misapplied nowadays by those who have no understanding of the true meaning of the word,” states a writer in au English newspaper which has come with letters to friends iu Auckland, “but,” the writer continues, “we feel that the old Greeks would have fully approved of its use in connection with the death of Dr. Molyneux.” On the evening of July 1 Dr. Molyneux, as senior honorary surgeon at Warneford Hospital, in Warwickshire, performed an operation in a hopeless case of gas gangrene. After removing bis surgical gloves the surgeon found that he had pricked the first finger of his left hand. He at once dipped lus finger in antiseptic, and as an .extra precaution had an injection —this within two hours of the occurrence. In the course of a day or two, however, the surgeon realised that something was wrong, and a prominent Birmingham specialist was called into consultation. All that was humanly possible was done to save their colleague, but without avail. Dr. Molyneux died from bloodpoisoning.