FORCEPS LEFT IN BODY

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 September 1934, Page 4

FORCEPS LEFT IN BODY

DEATH AFTER 13 YEARS LONDON, August 2. In September, 1921, Mrs. Ellen Tomalin, a widow', of Akerman-road, Brixton, was operated on for appendicitis, in the Camberwell Infirmary. Last month a pair of surgical artery forceps, about live inches long, were removed from her stomach, and she died on Monday, at the age of 70. At the inquest at Southwark yesterday, a. party of hospital students were present. Evidence was given that the operation in 1921 was a success and that Mrs. Tomalin had had no other operation since. On July 16, she had abdominal symptoms, and was admitted into St. Giles’ Hospital, where an X-ray examination revealed the presence of the forceps. Mr. Cowburn (the coroner) said a surgeon, so to speak, was like the commander of a great army. He could not possibly supervise every proceeding. After hearing tho evidence of the doctor who performed the original operation, Mr. Cowburn added: “Operations are not a light responsibility. The least slip of a. knife may cause death. A blunder has been committed, but I submit that, the surgeon ought not to be held blameworthy in tho circumstances. It ’is obvious that tho instruments were miscounted and, as at Balaclava, someone blundered. [ want to emphasise the great importance of counting.instruments, so as to ensure that this kind of accident will not occur again.” Tho jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure.