Inquest into Death of Young Man

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7322, 4 September 1930, Page 4

Inquest into Death of Young Man

DIED UNDER ANAESTHETIC An inquest into the dentil of Charles Edmund Mcller, aged 30 years, who died while undergoing an operation in the Palmerston North hospital, on Monday morning, was held before Mr A. Graham, coroner, yesterday. Evidence of identification was given by deceased's father, Mr P. .1. Moller. Dr. P. T. Putnam who operated on deceased said th.it Mcller had been an inmate of the hospital for four months suffering from exophthalmic goitre. He was being prepared for a surgical operation and had recovered to such a degree that it was thought advisable to operate on Monday. The operation commenced at 8.30, and shortly after nine, o’clock, when the important portion of the operation was finished, Dr. Gillies, who was administering rho anaesthetic, stated that the patient’s condition was not satisfactory. The operation was temporarily stopped and resuscitation was applied. On the operation being tesumed the patient 's condition became worse and the breathing and heart beating stopped, deceased collapsing and dying. The cause of death was the failure of the right muscle of the heart. The operation which deceased underwent was a dangerous one, and it was for this mason that so much time was spent in preparing the patient for the operation. Replying to the Coroner Dr Putnam stated that the anaesthetic was a contributing cause of death. Deceased was in an extraordinarily serious condition, and entered the hospital for the purpose of the operation. It was unlikely that he would have recovered had he not undergone an operation. D. S. Wylie, surgeon, who assisted in the operation, corroborated Dr. Putnam’s evidence. Death was due to a set of circumstances, the principal factors being the effect of the operation and the anaesthetic upon deceased’s physical condition. Dr. Ellensleigh Gordon Gillies, house surgeon, at the hospital, said that deceased came ..into the theatre in an anaesthetised condition. It was not deep enough for the ..operation to be commenced so she supplemented it, using one ounce of ether. Deceased had previously been given six ounces of et-he.r and olive oil. He was quite all right until shortly after 9 a.m.l when lie became slightly blue. The 1 operation was stopped for a few minutes and oxygen was applied, i’.ic i operation then proceeded. The patient V conditions became worse and the opera* was stopped and artificial respiration was begu'n and the usual treatment applied. However, deceased failed to recover. Witness said that she had been giving anaesthetic for over two| years at the Palmerston North hospi-j tal. Dr. F. G. W. Ward, medical superintendent at the hospital, gave evidence regarding the administering of the anaesthetic. The verdict returned by the Coroner was in accordance • with the medical evidence. Ho added that every care had been taken in foe preparation of the patient and ir. administering the anaesthetic. ?/' The history of the case indicated that the operation was attended with grave risks.