BOY’S STRANGE DEATH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 24 October 1925, Page 7

BOY’S STRANGE DEATH.

OPERATING TABLE TRAGEDY. A MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION. LONDON, Oct. 8. How a boy, Laurence Sims, was killed in an explosion on an operating table was described at an inquest at West Ham to-day. Sims -was cycling, and was run down by a motor-car, and had his jaw broken. He was taken to Queen Mary’s Hospital for instant operation under an etheroxygen anaesthetic. Hot air was meanwhile periodically injected into his mouth from a syringe to keep the teeth dry. At the third application of air there was a severe explosion at the back of the boy's throat, followed by profuse hemorrhage. Death occurred within ten minutes. The resident surgeon gave evidence to the effect that he had never known such an occurrence before. Dr. Cole, of Harley Street, said that he had handled 1600 similar cases in wartime, and the same routine was followed, -without mishap. Ether was highly inflammable, and was never employed when a. naked light was close at hand.

_ The explosion, which also set fire to the apparatus, was probably due to a mixture of inflammable vapours, which hitherto were not within surgical purview, because there was no naked light nearer than 6ft. front the operating table. The coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.