DEATH UNDER ANÆSTHETIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21361, 15 June 1931, Page 10

DEATH UNDER ANÆSTHETIC

INQUEST ON YOUNG CHILD i ■> An inquest on the body of the child Mary Noelene Banwell, who died whilst undergoing an operation at the Dunedin Hospital on Friday evening, was held atthe Hospital yesterday afternoon. Mr J. ' i R. Bartholomew, SM., presided as coroner. Constable le Sueur represented the police. Evidence of identification was given by the father of the child, Sydney Banwell, who stated that she would have been three years of age in October next. Dr Strain stated that he had first been called to attend the child on the evening of June 8; He saw her on the two following days, and on the morning pi June 10 he found that she had a slight fever, and that she cried sometimes on moving her legs. He was .again called in on the same evening about 8.30 o’clock, and Was told'by the father that the child had had a convulsion. 'She was delirious, her respirations were rapid, and «ho had a temperature of 103.6, and these symptoms,, combined with abnormal sounds at the. base of the deft lung, led witness to believe that she was developing pneumonia. He ordered her removal to Asphodel Private Hospital, where she passed a quiet night, and on examina- ' tioh next morning her condition was found to have improved slightly, although a slight swelling of the left thigh was noticeable, which witness diagnosed as . osteo-myelitis of the left thighbone. After a consultation'with the father, he ordered the child’s removal to the Public HospitaL In witness’s opinion she was in a fit state for an operation. Dr Fergus gave evidence of having examined the deceased. He formed the opinion that an operation was essential, as she was suffering from acute osteomyelitis of the femur: and he considered that she was fit for an operation, . although there , was a certain amount of risk. At 5.30 p.m. on June 12, he operated, but whilst the cjiild was under the anesthetic she had a convulsive seizure and died. , ' ■ Dr Hodgkiss gave evidence of having administered the usual anesthetic. The child took the anesthetic well, but whilst under it she drew up one of her legs, to which fact witness drew Dr Fergus's attention. Just before| being operated on she had a convulsion; During tha operation she had a second convulsion, and, although the > necessary restorative measures were applied, she sank and died. Had the operation not been carried out, blood poisoning would have set in, as there was a considerable amount of- discharge from the bone when the swelling was opened. / V. . ” . The coroner said that the medical evidence showed that. sn. operation was-neces-sary, and that death was due to cardiac and respiratory failure due to the effect of a convulsion whilst the patient was under an anaesthetic. He- added a rider that in his opinion all- care had been taken in connection with the operation, and that all possible restorative measures had been applied. -