DEATH OF A BOY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10211, 22 February 1919, Page 4

DEATH OF A BOY

!, Tho inquest concerning the death of a nine-year-old lad named Ernest Brif> tain was concluded before Mr W. (j. Biddell, S.M., yesterday. It appears that the boy died while being operated upon at the hospital for tho removal of the spleen. Sergeant Cruickshank represented the police. Ernest Frederick Brittain, father of tho deceased, said that his son fiißt took ill six or seven months ago. Dr Gilmor wag called in, and under his treatmont tho boy appeared to Improve. But he took ill again, and tho doctor suggested that he ba treated at the hospital as an out-patient. Here ho made good progress, and it somed as though he would recover. He took ill again ; and wa« admitted to the hospital on the 12th, where he died a week later.

The Coroner said that the deceased was suffering from a diseaso in his blood, and tho doctors'considered that the only way in which thoy could save his life was by removing the spleen. Awinf to tho boy's state of health the operation was unsuccessful. alld Jhe died before it was finished. Iho verdict was that the boy died [of shook during tho operation.