A TRAGIC AFFAIR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17097, 21 February 1916, Page 10

A TRAGIC AFFAIR.

YOUNG WOMAN DIES TN DENTAL PARLOUR. An inquest was held nn Saturday evening before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., District Coroner, touching the death of Moana Piercy, of 232, Salisbury .Street, a single woman aged twenty years, who died suddenly that afternoon in. Dr A. F. A'Gourt's dental rooms. Dr Guthrie said that lie administered an anaesthetic of chloroform to' Miss Piercy for the extraction of teeth, in i)r A'Gourt's dental rooms. He had examined the deceased's heart with a stethoscope, and inquired about previous illnesses, and considered her a fit subject. He commenced to administer the anaesthetic at about 12.15. The teeth were extracted without anything occurring. Ten minutes after completion, he noticed dec&ascd's pupils dilate and her colour changed and became grey. She was coming out of the chloroform when the last tooth was removed. He realised that heart failure was threatened, and, while her natural breathing still - continued; he commenced artificial respiration, at the same time injecting ether .and' applying hot fomentations to her ieart, but there was no response. Death was instantaneous, and was due to heart failure. Deceased showed no signs of nervousness before undergoing the chloroform. I>r J. P. Duncan said that he had conducted a post-mortem examination and found the heart small and flabby. Deceased's condition could not be detected by a stethoscope and her lungs were normal. Death was due to cardiac syncope. ." John Tanner Piereey, painter, the father of deceased, said that deceased was a healthy; normal girl and was twenty years of age. Dr F. C. A'Court, dental surgeon, said that he had arranged with Miss Piercy for the extraction of seventeen teeth and she consented that the extraction should be under chloroform. HY extracted ' the teeth in five minutes, and Miss Piercy showed signs of recovery. Witness endorsed Dr. Guthrie's remarks of what then took place. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to cardiac syncope while deceased was under the influence of an anesthetic for the purposes of teeth extraction.