CHILD’S DEATH IN HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 117, 11 February 1941, Page 3

CHILD’S DEATH IN HOSPITAL

Comment By Coroner

STAFF SAID TO BE SHORT-HANDED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, February 10.

“It is only as a result, of unfortunate eases such as this that we are able to got things done for others,” said the coroner. Mr. F. K. Hunt, at an inquest into the death of John Blake Bishop, aged five years, who died in the Auckland Hospital on January 31. "I am going to recommend to the hospital hoard that jackets like the one the child had on be improved by attaching tapes, which can he tied to Hie sides of the cot to prevent the child turning over.’’ The child, son of Mr. K. Bishop, farmer, of Pollock, was admitted to hospital suffering with eczema, it was explained. The child, when in his cot, bad been wearing a jacket fastened at the hack of the neck, the child’s arms being inside the jacket, to prevent him scratching himself with his bauds. The child had been lying on his back and had evidently turned oven and been asphyxiated. A nurse had fed the child at 5.15. and at. 9 p.m. had found him dead in the cot. Miriam Makgill, nursing sister at the hospital, gave evidence that at the time of the child's death there were 28 children in the ward. The staff was working short-handed. Mr. Hunt expressed the opinion that the child should not have been left unattended from 5.15 p.m. to 9 p.m. He asked Dr. Guthrie to make inquiries concerning the type of pillow used by the Plunket Society, and the doctor said he would bring the matter before the proper authorities. Mr. Hunt : 11. is not part, of my duty to i>lace the blame on anybody. It would be wrong for me to do so. I can only Hud that the child died from asphyxia. I think the attention of the board should be drawn to the understaffing at the hospital.