A CHILD’S DEATH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19966, 7 December 1926, Page 10

A CHILD’S DEATH.

ACCIDENTALLY BURNED. MISHAP WITH SALINE. (Special to .Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, December 6. The death of a child named Jean Ethel Greaves, aged 10 years, at the Public Hospital on Tuesday last, was investigated at an inquest before the coroner (Mr Iv Page, S.M.). to-day. Dr P. P. Lynch, pathologist, stated that in his opinion death was due to peritonitis, following internal ulcerations. The child’s father, Walter John Greaves, said that his daughter was admitted to the hospital on November 23 for an operation for appendicitis. Her health previously had been good. Dr Eardley L. Button, house surgeon at the. hospital, said that after the operation a saline injection was given the patient by the nurse in her ward. Later the night sister reported to him that the child s body had been burnt by the saline. He ordered the necessary treatment and the child s condition remained satisfactory until November 29, when her state was such that an operation was performed for peritonitis, ihe deceased did not rally, despite a blood transfusion, and died early the next mornincr. To the Coroner: The injections were usually made by the nurse on duty, and witness considered the apparatus quite efficient. He had , never heard of a similar occurrence before. ' Mr Page: Could you suggest anything to obviate this occurrence in the future. Witness: No, it is an extremely rare occurrence. , , Dr T. M. Usher, who performed the operations, said that after the first °P era tion the child’s condition was satisfactory. He agreed that death was wholly due to the burns caused by the saline, and suggested that in future the temperature of the solution in the container should be reduced. Its effect, nevertheless! would not be tne same. Saline was the usuaj stimulant given after an abdominal .operation Gwendoline Watson, a pupil nurse, gave evidence of making the injection. Alter a time, she said, she noticed that the solution was not flowing, and when she adjusted the flow the saline came out too quickly and spread over the child s buttocks. She had performed similar duties 40 or 50 times previously without accident. To the Coroner: She must have failed to notice the rush of solution immediately, otherwise she would have turned off the said that Nurse Watson was capable and reliable, and was quite experienced in giving such injections. Dr D Wilson, Medical Superintendent at the hospital, said that there was no direct evidence to show that the peritonitis was not due to natural causes. He advocated the use of a thermometer in conjunction with the apparatus to prevent burning in a similar happening in, t" o , f H" ur j „„„,i A verdict was returned that the deceased met her death through being accidentally burned while receiving treatment after an operation. _