AMPUTATION OF LEG

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 91, 18 April 1945, Page 4

AMPUTATION OF LEG

HOSPITAL SUED FOR DAMAGES

P.A. AUCKLAND, This Day. The hearing of the claim by Andrew Marelich, miner, of Huntly, against the Auckland Hospital Board for £5060 damages for alleged negligent treatment in the Auckland Hospital was continued in the Supreme Court today. The plaintiff alleged that the onset of gangx-ene leading to the amputation of one of his legs was caused by unskilful treatment. For the defence, Mr. Goldstine said that even on the plaintiff's evidence he submitted that there was no proof of negligence on the part of the doctors and nurses concerned in the case. The claim ,was made in most widespread terms in the hope of finding something by which to establish the plaintiff's allegation of negligence. It would be shown that Marelich was told he would have to wait to get into the orthopaedic ward. Then, as a favour to a man in an essential industry, he was told he could go into the ordinary surgical ward to have the operation done by Dr. Guthrie, who had considerable experience in such operations. Actually Dr. Guthrie was a doctor of considerable surgical experience and was now Acting Medical Superintendent of the Green Lane Hospital. In the. ward where Marelich was put were several nurses with orthopaedic experience, including Sister Robertson, who attended Marelich. This sister had a long experience of such operations. Most operations of the kind were comparatively simple but there were rare exceptions when something went wrong due to causes entirely beyond the control of the medical officers. This was one of those rare cases, and unfortunately the man's leg had to be amputated. Lengthy evidence was given by Dr Guthrie, after which the case was adjourned.