TETANUS FROM CATGUT

Evening Star, Issue 19614, 21 July 1927, Page 12

TETANUS FROM CATGUT

DEATH FOLLOWS OPERATION. A remarkable explanation of tho death of a young married woman following an operation in Charing Cross Hospital, London, was elicited at the inquest recently. It was derided that her death was due to tetanus, the infection having been introduced in catgut used in sewing an internal wound. Dr Shepherd said all the usual steps were taken to guard against sepsis. Tho instruments had not been used before in a tetanus ease Catgut was used for sewing up tho internal sac, and thread was used externally. Tho catgut was sterilised by boiling in an antiseptic for half an hour. Dr Daly, of Lambeth Hospital, said he found a head of pus in tho neighborhood of the sac whore the operation was performed, and he .was of opinion that death was probably due to tetanus following the operation. His only explanation was that if was conveyed by tho catgut, which was very difficult to'sterilise inside. The coroner said there was no doubt the woman died from tetanus, and the presumption became irresistible that the germ entered at the site and time of the operation. In the great London hospitals like Charing Cross, operations were carried out with proper treatment, and everything was done to avoid the entry of a germ. And yet a germ got into the wound in this case. He had no doubt it got there by means of the catgut, which had been subjected to proper sterilisation. He had never before heard of such a misadventure. He recorded a verdict of “death by misadventure.”