Swab Found in Body

Manawatu Times, Volume LIX, Issue 7496, 21 June 1934, Page 6

Swab Found in Body

Post-mortem Discovery Revealed at Inquest SEQUEL TO OPERATION ON BOARD SHIP Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. The post-mortem disclosure of a swab in the body of deceased was reported at an inquest held by Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., into the death of John Gillies, aged 2G, single, an assistantsteward on the Monowai, who underwent an operation for appendicitis on the vessel on .Tune 9, and who died in the Auckland hospital on June 15. At the opening of the inquest, Mr Gray, who represented the ship’s doctor and the Union Company, asked that the proceedings be taken in camera, as he considered no good purpose could be gained by publicity, but the Coroner declined to agree. Robert James Boyd said he was ship’s surgeon on the Monowai. On Juno 9 deceased was suffering from acute peritonitis, arising from chronic appendicitis, and was operated on onrlv in the afternoon. The anaesthetic, which was at first chloroform and later ether, was administered by the chief officer, Thomas William White, and a steward was assisting generally. The patient was in a very bad condition. "During the operation the patient appeared to be sinking, and I had to leave him to get a hypodermic charged with adrenalin,” witness continued. "Ho seemed to recover and so I told the anaesthetist to continue with the anaesthetic. "I have since heard that a swab was found in deceased. If that was so, it must- liavo slipped in while I was getting the hypodermic, because I laid the swab over the wound while I went to got it. The swab would bn made of lint and might be 2}in. by 34in., or even 3in. by sin. Ido not know how many swabs I used. "The steward, who had assisted at three previous similar operations, prepared them. I asked the steward bowmany swabs there were, but he said .he did not know, and wo could not wait, as the patient was in such a bad condition. The patient at- no time made any real progress towards recovery. and I did not expect him to recover. ’ ’ Witness added that tho inflammatory condition of the peritoneum was too widespread. The presence of the swab would have done him no immediate harm. Later on, if he had recovered from tho serious condition brought abou-t by tho peritonitis, tho swab might have made its presence apparent and would then have been removed. Dr. Fowler, assistant pathologist at the Auckland hospital, who conducted the post-mortem examination, detailed the discovery of the swab. He said the cause of death w r as acute generalised peritonitis and paralytic ileus. "I would say that all the swab might do would be to retard his ultimate recovery, but that it had nothing to do with his actual death,” witness said. •‘I think lie would have died in any ease. If the peritonitis had been cleared up the swab would have been discovered.” "I think it has been made perfectly clear that the misadventure with the swab in no way caused the death of this unfortunate man,” said Mr Hunt in returning a verdict that death was due to acute general peritonitis and paralytic ileus. “He was in a parious condition when operated on and there was small chance of his recovery. ” Mr Hunt said lie sympathised with the doctor in the matter; he had had to carry out a difficult operation at a minute’s notice without skilled ussist-