DEATH FROM A SCRATCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20598, 24 June 1930, Page 9

DEATH FROM A SCRATCH.

CANCER RESEARCH SURGEON.

SEQUEL TO A "POST-MORTEM."

How an eminent career devoted to cancer research was brought to an abrupt and tragic conclusion through a scratch sustained during a post-mortem examination was described at an inquest recently at Chelsea, on Dr. Hubert John Burgess Fry, a member of the staff of the Cancer Hospital, Fulham Road. Dr. Fry, who was a cousin of Mr. C. B. Fry, tho famous cricketer, was 44 years of age. He leaves a widow, also a doctor, and threo young children. Tho widow, formerly Dr. Gladys Miall-Srnitb, stated that her husband complained of feeling unwell on returning from tho hospital on April 3. Ho had a temperature. "Did ho find any obvious causo for it?" asked tho coroner.

Witness.—"He found a very small septic spot on his right forearm. He remained in bed for two days. His temperature went down and he went back to work. Ho continued for four days and his temperature rose. Ho again took to his bed and was seen bv doctors."

What did your husband think of the spot on his arm ?—He thought it explained the temperature and that tho spot had been caused by infection at a post-morlem examination.

I)r. Bronte, tho pathologist, declared that death was caused by syncope, due to pyaemia, tho result of an injury to tho forearm. Tho post-mortem Dr. Fry had mado was on a woman patient who had died of cancer.

Tho Coroner: His death seems to have been a most regrettable one during tho performance of his duties. There is very little doubt that it was duo to blood poisoning from the very slight scratch or wound on the arm.

Turning to tho widow the coroner remarked: " I am very sorry you should have lost your husband in such a tragic way, and in such an unnecessary way. Ho' was a most useful practitioner and was a man who had gained tho respect of all his friends and his colleagues." A verdict of " death by misadventuro" was returned.