DEATH OF BOY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23928, 31 March 1941, Page 10

DEATH OF BOY

PAPAKUKA INQUEST, DOCTOR CRITICISED COMMENT BY CORONER A verdict that death was due to injuries received when the hoy was knocked down by a v motor-car on the Great South Road on January 7 was returned by the coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, when the inquest into the death (if Raymond John Leathern, aged six, son of Mr. C. C. Leathern, of Pokeno, was concluded at. Papakura on Friday. Mr. Mahoney, of Auckland, appeared for the parents. The opinion tlt at Dr. Warren H. Young, of Papakura, to whom the child was taken after the accident, did not give it the attention and treatment its serious injuries demanded was expressed in a rider to the verdict. Fractured limbs were not immobilised and an open wound exposing the bone was not noticed, said the coroner. The doctor had allowed the mother to carry her child in her arms for many miles in a small car. The case would lie reported to the Medical Council, he added. Mother's Evidence fn evidence, Mrs. Leathern, after describing the accident, said the child was taken to Dr. Young's surgery. He told her the boy had received a knock on the forehead, but that he did not think there was a fracture. He then suggested that the child needed observation and should be sent straight to hospital without waiting for the ambulance. It was not until witness asked the doctor about the child's broken arm that he put the arm in a sling. "I felt sick at the moment," Mrs. Leathern added. "When I asked the doctor if he had any brandy he indicated a basin in the room." in reply to a question about deadening the child's pain, the doctor told her it was not necessary. Witness said the doctor appeared to examine onlv the child's head and arm. Mr. Hunt: We 1 •snow from the hospital that the boy had both legs broken and a bone protruding. Witness continued that she nursed the boy in her arms until they reached the Auckland Hospital. When she arrived she found her clothes were saturated in blood and she had to telephone for a complete change. There was a wound in the hoy's groin. Doctor's Examination Dr. Warren Hastings Young said he had been practising in Papakura for about four vears. and remembered the child being ltrought into his surgery at about 4 p.m. on January 7." The child was crying and the mother told the doctor he had been in an accident. He directed her to lay the boy on a couch and proceeded to examine him in the ordinary way. '•I ran my hands over his ribs, spine and buttocks, and found nothing abnormal." witness continued. "! noted the right-hand side of the head had been damaged." There was a skin abrasion nnd lie had reason to suspect possible deeper injury, .lust about that time a woman asked about a lump on the boy s arm. and witness ran his hand over and found an obvious fracture. The left leg showed signs of either single or double fracture, but there was no compound fracture or protruding bone. Witness told the people there was a fracture of the leg and to let it hang as they carried the boy. In reply to a question from the coroner as to why he did not immobilise the leg. witness stated his judgment was that it was better to get the child into hospital a« quickly as possible rather than wait for an ambulance. Coroner's Questions "The point is. you should have iriimobilised the legs." Mr. Hunt said "Why didn't you put a splint, on?" Witness: I refute negligence—l considered the best course was to get the child to hospital as quickly as possible. "The bnv's loss of blood nnd the f<u % t that it was reported his mother was so saturated in blood that she had to sit on a newspaper at the hospital are inexcusable." Mr. Hunt said. Witness said his first idea was to get the boy to hospital. The leg as he saw it was all right for the boy to be carried in his mother's arms, Mt. Hunt: Well. I propose to report this ease to the Medical Council. Witness said there were so many people about asking various questions that he might have been bustled and made an error of judgment. hi a special report, Dr. W r Gilmour pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, said first aid measures should have been taken to stop Weeding and immobilize the limbs There was a wound in the left thigh and a broken bone was exposed. but not much evidence of hemorrhage. The ward nurse had not noticed blood on the mother s clothing Absence of first, aid measures would add greatlv to the shock and prejudice the patient's chances of recovery.