SHIP’S STEWARD’S DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 June 1934, Page 12

SHIP’S STEWARD’S DEATH

SWAB FOUND IN BODY. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, June 20. The post-mortem disclosure of a swab in the body of the deceased was reported at the inquest, held by Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., into the death of John Gillies aged 26, single, assistant steward on the Monowai, who underwent an operation for appendicitis on the vessel on June 9, and who died in

the hospital at Auckland on June 15. At the opening of the inquest, Mr Gray, who represented the ship’s doctor and the Union Company, asked that the proceedings be taken in camera, as he considered that no good purpose could be gained by publicity, but the Coronei - declined to agree. Robert Janies Boyd said lie was the ship’s surgeon on the Monowai on June 9. Deceased was suffering from acute peritonitis, arising from chronic appendicitis, and was operated on early in the afternoon. The anaesthetic, which was at first chloroform, and later ether, was administered by Chief Officer, Thomas William White, and the steward was assisting generally. The patient was in a very bad condition. During the operation the patient appeared to be sinking, and I had to leave him to get hypodermic charged with adrenalin,” witness continued. “He seemed to recover, and so I told the anaesthetist to continue with the anaesthetic. I have since heard that a swab was found in the deceased. If that was so, it must have slipped in while I was getting the hypodermic, because I laid a swab over the wound while I went to get it. The swab would be made of linen, and might be 2i inches by 3A inches, or even 3 inches by 5 inches. I do not know how many swabs I used. The steward, who had assisted at three previous similar operations, prepared them. I asked the steward how many swabs there were, but he said lie did not know, and we could not wait as the patient was in such a bad condition. The patient at no time made any real progress towards recovery, and I did not expect him to recover.”

' Witness added that the inflamma--3 tory condition of the peritonism was 1 too widespread. The presence of the 1 swab would have done him no im- - mediate harm. Later on, if he had re--1 covered from the serious condition brought about by peritonitis, the swab 1 might have made its presence appar- ! ent, and would then have been removed. Dr. Fowler, Assistant. Pathologist at Auckland Hospital, who conducted the post mortem, detailed the discovery of the swab. He said the cause of death was acute generalised peritonitis and paralytic ileus. “I would say that all the swab might do would be to retard his ultimate recovery, but that it had nothing to do with his actual death,” witness said. “I think he would have died in any case. If the peritonitis had been cleared up, the swab would have been discovered.” “I think it has been made perfect- ( ly clear that the misadventure -with the swal) in no way caused the death of this unfortunate man," said Mr , Hunt, in returning a verdict that death , was due to acute general peritonitis and paralytic ileus. “He was in a parlous condition when operated on, 1 and there was small chance of his re-1 covery.” Mr Hunt said he sympathised with

the doctor in (he matter. He had to carry out a difficult operation at a ■minute's notice without skilled assistance.