BOY DIES UNDER OPERATION

Evening Star, Issue 19781, 3 February 1928, Page 4

BOY DIES UNDER OPERATION

CHOKED BY FOOD CORONER ON PRECAUTIONS NECESSARY [Pee United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, February 3. An inquest was held to-day concerning the death of Bruce Kellar, aged ten years, who died after an operation in the hospital for a cut on the face following a motor accident. His mother gave evidence that when told of the boy’s death witness asked the doctor, “Did his_ heart give out,” and the doctor replied “No.” Her husband said, “Did yon give him the anaesthetic too quickly?” and the doctor replied “We may have done.” Her husband then said, “ You killed him, then,” and a hospital sister who was with the doctor exclaimed, “ Oh, don’t say that.” Dr Crookc, who conducted the post mortem, said death was duo to asphyxia, arising from the inspiration of vomited foodstuffs. The Coroner: Do you know if any precautions are taken before giving an anrasthetic to see that the patient has had no recent food? Witness: Except in a case of extreme urgency it is usual to allow from three and a-half to four hours. The Coroner; Even with every care and skill a patient might die under these circumstances?—That is so. “If a patient has had food recently before the anaesthetic,” said the doctor, “there is always very great risk of choking.” Dr H. R. Cotton, who administered the ether to the boy, said the parents had told him that the hoy had had nothing to eat since 5 p.m. The Coroner asked: If another case of this kind occurred would you have the stomach washed out? Witness answered: “That is a point.” The Coroner said he did not understand why extra precautions were not taken, such as the cleaning out of the stomach 'in these cases. Witness answered: It is a matter ol routine. Dr Church, assistant medical officer at Christchurch Hospital, was next called. The Coroner said: You agree with Drs Crooke and Cotton that shock would retard the digestive process? Witness: Yes, I think it probably did. It is part of your medical knowledge to know that?—Yes! What allowances then did you make in this case?—None, except that sufficient time had elapsed _in my opinion to enable an anaesthetic to be given with safety.