A FATAL MISTAKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21648, 19 May 1932, Page 8

A FATAL MISTAKE

OVERDOSE OF AN/ESTHETIC PATIENT DIES IN HOSPITAL (Per United Press Association.) NAPIER, May 18. A verdict that a married woman- named Grace Douglas Newport, aged 29, who died in the Napier Hospital on Friday last, had met her death as the result of the administration prior to an operation of an overdose of paraldehyde, inadvertently administered as an anaesthetic, was returned by the jury at the inquest to-day. Members of the hospital staff concerned and the deceased's relatives were represented by counsel. Evidence was given that the sister in charge of the medical ward had prepared a dose of nine ounces instead of the prescribed nine drams.. Dr J Allan Berry, who performed the operation, said he noticed that the deceased was gravely ill for no apparent reason, and asked how much of the drug had been administered. He completed ■the operation, and it was not till it was over that he formed 'the conclusion that an overdose had been given. He then questioned the sister, who told him that nine ounces of paraldehyde had been administered. It-was not improper for the sister to prepare and administer it. Sister W. M. Cullwick stated that she was instructed to prepare nine drams of paraldehyde. The instructions were in writing. She then applied for the drug, intending to ask for nine drams, hut for some reason she could not explain asked for nine ounces. She told Dr Berry after the operation that she had prepared nine drams, but after the inquiries of the theatre nurses found that nine ounces had been prepared and administered. Witness did not suggest that the mistake was due to any omission on the dispenser’s part. She was not able to give any idea us to how the mistake* occurred. Dr R. E. Murray, house surgeon, who had been in Napier only two weeks, said he had received no verbal or written instructions regarding the cheeking by him of the directions he had given to the sister concerning the quantity of the dose to be administered. Since the deceased died, however, he had received instructions. Following the evidence of other doctors, theatre nurses, and the dispenser, Mr A. E. Renof, J.P., said that the deceased no doubt met her death as the result of an overdose of paraldehyde, apparently administered by mistake. It was very unfortunate that the mistake had in this case had such a serious result. The jury retired for 10 minutes and returned with the verdict as stated.