YOUTHFUL DOCTORS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 January 1926, Page 3

YOUTHFUL DOCTORS

FURTHER DETAILS OF INQUEST. (Special to “Star.”) WELLINGTON, January 22. Whether a young surgeon with only thirteen niontns’ experience, and another with even less, should be allowed to perform a. major operation at Wellington, or any other hospital, was questioned yesterday by Coroner E. Page, S.M., when examining the circumstances, surrounding the death of Ila!ward biglned Cederholm, aged 5 years. The child died under an operation at tiie Wellington Hospital on January 18. It was stated in evidence by the mother that she had been assured that the operation in connection with adenoids would be carried out by a medical man who was a specialist on such operations. The father (Walter S. Cederholm) stated, that he suggested to the doctor that the child died from an overdose of ether, but Dr. Austin declared that he did not think the amount of ether administered would kill a normal child. The father said that he made inquiries and found that the operation had been handed over to two of Dr. Simpson’s assistants, that the senior

doctor was not even in the hospital when the operation was proceeding. “Dr. Austin expressed his sorrow as to what had taken place,” continued Mr. Cederholm in his evidence. “For my own part, I do not lay the blame on him. At the same time, I would like to utter my solemn protest against administration that will allow such a state of affairs as this. By this, I mean ' that assistants and students should not be allowed, without direct supervision, to carry out an intricate and evidently dangerous operation of this kind. I think that if assistants are allowed to carry out vital operations, then a specialist should be in close attendance. I have net the slightest doubt, whatsoever, that if the operation on my little son had been carried out by a skilled man, he would have been alive and well to-day.” Dr- Robert Ewen Austin said that on the day in question, he performed the operation o nthe deceased child lor the removal of his tonsils. An \

examination on the previous day had shown the child to be perfectly healthy and fit to undergo such an operation. At the conclusion of the operation it was seen that the boy’s breathing had become embarrassed. Though stimulants were administered and other usual methods adopted, he failed to revive. There were two methods of removing tonsils. The dissecting method, which was surer, was used for the operation, though it was slightly more dangerous than the other method. The general difference between the two was that under the old eystem the tonsils were nipped off. Entry of blood into air passages would reasonably be expected in such an operation, but it was not of general occurrence. The usual steps were taken to guard against such a happening. Under cross examination, witmjss said that he had been qualified for thirteen months, and had seen similar operations carried out over a hundred times. He had assisted in adminis-

tering the anaesthetic on each of the occasions referred to, and had also carried out the operation on fifteen or twenty occasions, having always taken the same precautions as in the present case. The reason for the occurrence was probably due to the child gasping. Witness had the assistance of two qualified sisters and a probationer. Dr. John Cenick Forsyth stated he had been qualified for seven months. He administered the anaesthetic for ihe operation. When he noticed' the pulse beginning to fail, he asked that the operation should cease. The head of the table was immediately lowered, the back of the throat cleared out, and tongue forceps also applied. Artificial respiration wat resorted to, besides which injections were given. He had seen six or seven similar operations. The Acting Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Dr. Ewen, said that he had seen similar operations performed over a period of eleven years. So far as he could judge, the usual steps were taken in this case. He described the operation as a major one, and could only suggest that the child’s death occurred owing to gasping. He stated that in the Wellington Hospital there were no students unqualified who were allowed to perform an operation.

Giving his verdict, the Coroner said that as the father had made a protest against the operation, he thought it necessary that he should make some i emarks about' the protest. The doctors handling the operation appeared to have taken the precautions usual in such cases. “The question of the propriety of allowing a young surgeon, with thirteen months’ experience, tc perform the major operation is one for the opinion of medical men. The question must depend upon the nature of the operation. At any rate it. would appear to be desirable that a surgeon of longer experience should be in attendance.” The verdict was that the child died from asphyxia, during the course of an operation.