DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 22 June 1937, Page 4

DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC

INQUEST AT WELLINGTON -■ , / 'COMMENT BY CORONER [By Teleßraoh-Press Association I WELLINGTON,-This Day. Dissatisfaction with the precautions taken by a medical practitioner in the performance of an operation for the removal of tonsils was expressed by the city coroner, Mr Hunt, at an inquest into the death on 2nd June of Doreen Lily Paton, aged 17£ years, under an anaesthetic at the surgery of Dr Albert Arthur Huse. The coroner stated that in his opinion another qualified medical man should have been In attendance, and he proposed to bring the matter under the notice of the Medical Board. “I find the cause of death was asphyxia Caused by the action of ether on the respiratory centre of the I am not satisfied it was a justifiable thing for Dr Huse to perform such an operation as tonsilotomy on an adult without a properly qualified assistant being available. This is a major operation, and an emergency such as haemorrhage might occur requiring the assistance of another qualified man. This should have been known to Dr Huse. I propose to send to the Medical Council these depositions so that it can take such action as it thinks is called for.”