WOMAN’S DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1936, Page 3

WOMAN’S DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC

NO BLAME ON ANYONE, SAYS CORONER

{Special to "Northern Aavocate”l AUCKLAND, This Day. ' An inquest was opened yesterday before the coroner, Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., into the death of Enid Marion Duncan, married, aged 28, of 12, Ashton Road, Mount Eden, who died on October 28 while undergoing an operation in the Auckland Hospital. Dr. Alexandra Alice Warnock, of Takapuna, who administered the anaesthetic, said the patient collapsedunder it. Cross-examined .by Mr Dickson, who appeared for the relatives, she said she remembered telling deceased’s husband that before deceased went under the anaesthetic she said she had a note for Dr. Blomfield, but she had left it in her bag. It was a note from deceased’s doctor to Dr. Blomfield.

At this stage Dr. J. W. Craven remarked to Mr Hunt that witness might like her own legal advice. Mr Hunt; No, no. Mr Dickson: What was that? What Was In Note?

Mr Hunt told him what Dr. Craven had said, to which Mr Dickson replied that if his instructions were correct a case mght develop.

Turning to witness again, Mr Dickson said, “Did you not think it important enough to make inquiries as to what the note contained?”—Deceased was partly under the anaesthetic when she told me that, and it was better to go on with the anaesthetic and not upset her. It- would have been bad for deceased to have stopped the anaesthetic. Witness said that the surgeon com: pleted the operation, which took about ten minutes, and the woman died within five minutes. Restoratives were administered, but without success. The heart had been found not to be in a very good condition. Witness added that the case was on the list for general anaesthetics, and she thought, therefore, that Dr. Blomfield must have prescribed it. No Caution Against Anaesthetic.

To the. coroner witness said she expected she did 700 to 800 administrations a year. She had been qualified 11 years. Evidence by Dr. William A. Blomfield was that deceased suffered from chronic asthma, which it was hoped to cure by operation. Dr. Roche, who recommended her to him, did not caution against an anaesthetic.

Witness said he had no recollection of a note, but added that Dr. Warnock told him that the woman had said she had collapsed under two previous operations. Evidence of putting a note on witness’ chart about her weak heart condition was given by Dr. Gertrude Aphra Willis, house surgeon, who said the patient seemed over-anxious to have a general anaesthetic. No reference was made to any note, and, had it been produced, it would have been attached to the chart.

Some time before the operation. Dr. Edward Henry Roche examined deceased, and said that he had found her heart condition satisfactory. He had told her that she could take a general anaesthetic.

Mr Dickson said it was contended that had the note been produced, and that had more precautions been taken the woman would have been alive. Mr Hunt said he could not find anyone to blame for what had occurred. The production of the note, >e was satisfied, would not have made any difference. He returned a verdict that deceased died under an anaesthetic after a careful and proper examination.