BOY ASPHYXIATED

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12456, 26 May 1926, Page 5

BOY ASPHYXIATED

UNDER DENTAL TREATMENT SWAB LEFT IN THROAT EVIDENCE AT INQUEST Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 25. At the inquest on Donald Keith McIndoe, aged 15J, who died in tho General Hospital on Thursday after an operation at a dental hospital for extraction of twenty-seven teeth, the coroner found that the boy was asphyxiated through a swab being carelessly left in his mouth or throat after the teeth had been extracted. Dr O. S. Hethrington stated that during the operation he administered oxygen for about three minutes, owing to earlier interference with the boy’s respiration, as an extra precaution. At this time lie was fully satisfied with the patient’s condition. It was the duty of the operating surgeon to see that the swabs wore removed. In answer to a question witness said it would not be likely that deceased would be asphyxiated by a normal flood of blood. REMOVED A SWAB Stanley S'tuart Hamilton, who extracted the boy’s teeth, said he was a fully-qualified dental surgeon, with three and a half years’ experience. The swab, with a t-ane attached, was placed at the entrance of the throat at the beginning of the operation. The swab was removed to give the patient a better chance of breathing. Later he put a new swab, with a tup© attached, in the patient’s mouth. When all the teeth had been extracted he removed the throat swab. He could not account for a swab remaining in tho patient’s mouth. In answer to counsel witness said ho did not count the number of swabs used, and it was not usual to do so. The coroner: Well, I hope you count them in future, anyway. Dr G. G. Talbot, house surgeon at tho Auckland Hospital, said he was called to the patient after tho latter had come from the operating theatre. About eight minutes after his arrival, the patient’s heart failed, and lie died.

Witness said a swab was found in the patient’s throat two minutes before the patient died. The swab was made of gauze, and was about the size of a walnut. The coroner: That’s big enough to choke anybody. Dr Mowlem, another house surgeon, said bo init his finger down the throat at the suggestion of the previous witness, and kmnd the swab at the hack of tho throat. It was tightly packed, and was saturated with blood. The coroner: What was the size of this swab? long, and about quarter of an inek in diameter. Evidence of tho post-mortem examination was given by Dr. Murray. He thought that if tho boy had been a normally healthy one everything would 1 have been all right. The deceased’s heart, lungs and kidneys were affected. Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., the coroner, did not make any remarks when giving his verdict.