DEATH UNDER CHLOROFORM.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 117, 14 November 1895, Page 4

DEATH UNDER CHLOROFORM.

The District Coroner (Mr. ABhoroft) oonduoted an inquest at the Hospital yesterday on the body of Mrs. Jessie Hart, who had died while under the inflaenee of chloroform. Mr. L. Morris was foreman of the jury, aud Constable Heather represented the police. Dr. Ewart, Medical Superintendent, gave evidence that on the 15th October deceased was put under chloroform to undergo an operation, and she came out of it well On Tuesday she was again put under the drug. Witness administered the oh'oroform. The quantity was smaller than usual. Dr. James and he had examined the heart previously. Dr. James had gone on with the operation for two or three minutes when a ohange in the colour of the face took place. Breathing ceased, and witness started artificial respi-ation, Drs. Pollen, James, Adams, and Anson assisting. They kept at work for about an hour, and al=o injected strychnine and ether and applied the galvanio battery, but without avail. As the result of the postmortem examination, he was of opinion that there was syncope or paralysis of the heart as the result of the chloroform. He bad administered chloroform in 5000 cases, and the present was only the seoond in which death had resulted. Ihe average number of deaths under ohloroform in other parts of the world was 0110 in 2000. Dr. James gave oorroborative evidence, and said that dnring his 24 years' experience he had never met with a man more careful in the administration of chloroform than Lr. Ewatt. Dr. Tripe, who made the pott-mortem examination, gave it as bis opinion that death was due to paralysis of the heart, due to chloroform. . He was satisfied that every care had been taken. A relative of the deceased, who was present, said the relatives oould not quite understand why the husband of deceased, who had come down from Palmerston, was not told that an operation was to be performed. lira. James and Ewart stated that they were not awaro that the husband was in town, or he would have been informed. The jury brought in a verdict that death was due to paralysis of the heart from the administration of ohloroform. A rider was added to the effeot that no blame conld be attached to anyone, and that Dr. Ewart had been especially careful in administering the chloroform.