A FATAL MISTAKE

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 12 September 1930, Page 9

A FATAL MISTAKE

WRONG INJECTION GIVEN

WOMAN’S DEATH IN HOSPITAL

CORONER RE-OPENS INQUEST

(Bv Telegraph--Press Association.) ’ CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 12

The in quern was re-opened- tins morning into the death of Miss Violet Monica Sannond, late head mistress of Craighead School, Timaru, who died from alkaloidal poisoning, due to, cocaine, wliic-h was by mistake, instead’ of. neococaine, injected round the t.onsiis of deceased prior to an operation for their removal.

'The coroner, Mr. H. A. Young, S.M., after explaining how the first inquest came to. be held immediately alter 'death, and with no representatives of the Press . present, sa.id: “1 later became satisfied, that the public mind was agitated over the matter and that it was advisable that confidence in submission to local anaesthetics, should, as far as possible, be maintained. 1 therefore got in touch with witnesses and their solicitors and all agreed that I would be doing a public .service in holding a further inquiry. The solicitors present have approved of certain witnesses being called who will give evidence as to practice in the adininstration of local anaesthetics.

“I am of opinion that, in New Zealand an inquest cannot at present be formally reopened. These proceedings are, however, with the consent of all concerned, and are more in the nature of an informal public inquiry on matters arising out of the inquest, but which cannot affect the verdict already found by me as coroner.”

Mr. F. S. Wilding, counsel for Dr. Mac-Gibbon, said: “Your decision in this matter has been received by all interested parties with unqualified approval. Relatives, of deceased are absent, but I am pleased to .see that they are represented by counsel. 1 should like to say that the- general public strongly upholds your decision to have a further inquiry in this matj ter; hut that is not because we think ' there was any undue hurry in the first place. ‘‘No doubt of partiality has been raised and the facts were candidly admitted by the chief actors, but the matter has aroused such a wave of feeling and sympathy that it is advisable. to see whether some further precautions may be taken to lessen the possibility of a recurrence. Dr. MacGibbon has been the victim of anonymous attacks, both by letter and telephone, and they were mostly from women.” Mr. Young: I myself was. much impressed with Dr. Mac Gibbon s fairness, and sympathy to the theatre nurse in conditions which must have been very distressing to him. ‘‘That is very gratifying,” said. Mr. Wilding. , , Dr. Mac Gibbon then proceeded to, give evidence as t>o his syisteni. of admini s trat ing anaetlietics. The inquiry is 'proceeding. (A Press. Association message from Cbri-stohure.ii on August 29 stated, that at the inqntoF a verdict had been returned that no- blame was attachable to the operating surgeons. A nurse stated in evidence that she failed to realise that the. operating surgeon. Dr. T. A. Mac Gibbon, wanted neo-cocaine, and when lie asked for an anaesthetic in a syringe, she put cocaine and adrenalin in it and handed the syringe to the doctor, who started injecting. On the bottle, was a label _ ‘Tor loc-al application and Plot for injection. - The witness did not read the label properlv. or should have known not to use it Dr. Mac Gibbon said in evidence : ‘‘The only explanation I can give is* that the nurse, was flurried and did not understand that the cocaineadrenalin mixture was not used for mjeotioiiis. I took it for .granted that she woujd know what T wanted and T did not specify neo-cocaine.