DEATHS AT OPERATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18195, 14 September 1922, Page 4

DEATHS AT OPERATIONS.

USE OF ANAESTHETICS.

EXHAUSTIVE INQUIRY URGED.

A well-known Dunedin medical man was asked recently whether he considered that Dr. Pitts, of Waimate, was justified in making the assertion that the number of deaths under anaesthetics had greatly increased in New Zealand during tho past year or two. The Dunedin doctor said h© fully supported Dr. Pitts' statement. He said it was always absolutely necessary to use the best chloroform —an anaesthetic I which ho favoured. Questioned whether j he considered that there was any reason i which might cause a patient to succumb I the Dunedin doctor said that faulty training had a direct effect in the administration of an anaesthetic. Some doctors gave such a strong dose of an anaesthetic that the patient's resistance was severely reduced. As a matter, of fact, he became heavily drugged. On the other hand, there are medical men in Dunedin who over a long course of years have not had one single death resulting from tho administration of an anaesthetic. In view of the allegations made by Dr. Pitts, and from his own knowledge of what had happened in certain cases, the Dunedin doctor held that the Minister for Health should take steps to have an exhaustive inquiry made into the wdiole matter, and that laymen should be appointed to any committee which the Minister might think fit to set up.