DEATH UNDER ANÆSTHETIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15122, 12 October 1912, Page 5

DEATH UNDER ANÆSTHETIC

DUE TO MISADVENTURE.

A NECESSARY OPERATION.

The circumstances surrounding the death of the child Henry George Philp, which took place on Thursday morning while the child was under the influence of an anaesthetic, and while an operation for the removal of tonsils and adenoids was being performed, were inquired into by the Coroner (Mr. T. Oresliam) at the Coroner s Court yesterday afternoon. The father of the child, Harry Howard Philp, generally known by the name of PI any Williams,, said he resided in Tarawera Road Greenlane, The deceased was his only son. His age was two years and four months. For about a week past the child had been suffering from a difficulty in breathing. On Thursday, at about 10.45 a.m., witness took him to Nurse O'Hagan's home at Ellerslie to bo operated on. Witness held the child while the chloroform was administered. Witness then .went into another room. In about- 20 minutes' time witness was called into the operating-room and told by the doctors that they were afraid the child'.'! heart had stopped. The child did not regain consciousness.

Dr. Tresidder deposed to administering the chloroform. Prior to doing so he made the usual examination of the heart. There was nothing to indicate that the child was not a fit subject for the administration of chloroform. Dr. Marchesini then commenced to operate. The two tonsils had been removed when witness drew his attention to. the fact that the child had stopped breathing and was pulseless. Artificial respiration was immediately commenced, and kept up for an hour, but without success, the child not recovering consciousness.

To Dr. do Clive Lowe : Not more than 25 drops of chloroform were used — drops at a time.

Dr. Marchesini gave corroborative evidence. On Tuesday last he examined the child and was satisfied that he was a suitable subject for the anaesthetic, also .for the particular operation necessary. To Dr. de Clive Lowe : Dr. Tresidder had administered anaesthetics for him before, and always with success.

Dr. de Clive Lowoj who performed a post mortem examination, said the thymus gland was not larger than would be expected at the ago of 2j years. The heart was slightly enlarged, but the muscle fibre was flabby in nature. All the valves were normal. The pericardium was thickened. All the other organs of the body were healthy. "Witness opened, the throat and examined the site of the tonsils. The tonsils had been skilfully removed, but the post-nasal space was full of adenoids, which had not been touched. In witness's opinion the operation was absolutely necessary. The child's condition was what is generally termed lymphatic. The cause of death was cardiao eyncopo, produced by chloroform narcosis acting upon the child, whoso condition was extremely lymphatic. The jury'returned a verdict of death by misadventure.