SERUM TRAGEDY
COMMISSION OF INQUIRY DOCTORS GIVE EVIDENCE. Brisbane, Feb. 13. The serum commission appointed to investigate the deaths of children at the Buudaberg hospital coinmence*u its sittings. Dr. Thompson, the local Government Medical Officer, who inoculated the children, gave evidence that he did not receive the usual circular warning him against bacterial contamination if the serum were used over a period, and urging that it be wholly used immediately. The bottle containing the serum was stored in a cool surgery. He examined it regularly and saw no turbidity in u till the day of the tragedy. He had not previously administered a similar serum and had no experience of the Schick test. After the syringe needle was used, it was plunged into methylated spirits and then used for the next inoculation. The syringe had not been used for months belore the fatal inoculations were made. His nurse had charge of the sterilising instruments. Each inoculation day the serum was transported between the surgery and the council chambers, where the inoculation was done, and the rubber-capped serum bottle was sterilised. Dr. Richards, pathologist, said the cause of death appeared to be acite toxaemia. It was toxin of some sort in the infection. He could not ascrioe it to any organism. The toxin seemed to centre on the central nerve system. Dr. Murray, of the Federal Department of Health, said he understood the bottle of serum received by Dr. Thompson did not contain a circular warning as to its quick use. His name was not in the list of those who received circulars.
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Bibliographic details
Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 53, 14 February 1928, Page 6
Word Count
262SERUM TRAGEDY Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 53, 14 February 1928, Page 6
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