DEATH AT OPERATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20621, 21 July 1930, Page 12

DEATH AT OPERATION.

WOMAN STOPS BREATHING.

REVIVAL OF HEART BEAT. VERY UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE. [BY TKLEGUAI'II. —OWN COTIItESPON'RENT.] GISBORNE. Saturday. Unusual circumstances were revealed in tho medical ovidenco given at an inquest held this morning concerning the death of Mrs. Margart Dominoy, aged 150. Mrs. Dominoy's. death occurred in the Cook Hospital between 11.15 a.m. and 12.45 p.m. yesterday, while she was undergoing an operation for goitre. A verdict according to tho medical ovidenco was returned this morning by the district coroner, Mr. P. 11. llarper, S.M. Dr. R. J. B. Hall, medical superintendent at tho Cook Hospital, stated that the deceased was admitted to the hospital on Juno 4, and was undergoing treatment and preparing tot an operation for goitre. Tho operation was commenced about 9.55 a.rru yesterday, the anesthetic being administered by Dr. Easterfield. Mrs. Dominoy went on very well until about 11.10 a.m., when she first stopped breathing. Artificial respiration was applied and Mrs. Domincy commenced breathing again. About five minutes later sho stopped breathing suddenly and her heart stopped beating. Artificial stimulation and administration of drugs Were without avail.

Massage Applied to Heart. The witness then performed heart mas. sage, which caused the heart to beat, but with further artificial respiration he could not get breathing to commence, lie again performed further heart massage and again was successful regarding tho heart, but could not get breathing to recommence.

Finally the heart stopped beating and witness could not get it to recommence, even with heart massage. The actual time of death was somewhere between 11.15 a.m. and 12.45 p.m.

On the fust occasion tho heart beat for about 10 minutes and on the second for about 20 minutes.

The Coroner: Is it not unusual for the heart to go on beating without breathing 7

Dr. Hall: Yes, it is very unusual. Witness added that a post mortem examination on the same day showed that the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and liver all appeared to be normal, but he found a thymus gland present behind (he breast bone, which was enlarged. This gland usually became degenerated after the ago of 20 and iu many cases of death under anesthetic it was "found that this gland was present and enlarged. Respiratory Inhibition.

Although he had no actual authority to say that, it was the cause of deceased's death, tho gland might affect (he breathing. In witness' opinion death was due to respiratory inhibition, sccondarv to the operation for thyroidectomy. A contributory cause might have been the persistence of the thymus gland, which might have caused the stoppage in the breathing. In reply to the coroner, the witness stated that the anesthetist had made a thorough examination of the patient's heart before the operation was commenced. Witness was assisted in the operation by Dr. Kahlenberg. Everything possible had been done for the patient. Dr. Iheodora Easterfield, house surgeon at the. hospital, stated that, gas and oxygen had been used as the anesthetic, and she corroborated the evidence of Dr. Hall in other respects. Witness stated that an examination before the anesthetic was administered showed Ihe heart to bo perfectly normal. Clifford S. Domincy, husband of the do. ceased, also gave evidence. He raid his wife had been in ill-health for a considerable time prior to her admission to (ho hospital. The coroner found that Mrs. Dominey died in the Cook Hospital under aii anesthetic while undergoing an operation for thyroidectomy, the i.:ause of death being respiratory inhibition secondary to the operation, and probably accentuated by the condition of the thymus gland having caused difficulty in breathing.