WOMAN'S DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22220, 24 March 1934, Page 12

WOMAN'S DEATH

UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES . CORONER RESERVES VERDICT. (Special to Dailt Times.) WELLINGTON, March 23.. r A case comparatively rare in medical' practice was the subject of an inquiry in" the Coroner's Court to-day when the adjourned inquest into the death of a patient at the Porirua Mental Hospital, was resumed. Evidence called by Detective Sergeant Hall concerning the death of the patient, a married woman, aged 32, in the Wellington Hospital on February 19, to which she was admitted from the Mental Hospital, showed that the deceased had been operated upon by two doctors to terminate pregnancy in order to save the patient from puerperal mania, with a consequent likelihood ot death as the woman had been afflicted in this way on a previous occasion. Detailed "evidence given by two doctors who had performed the operation showed that medical ethics sanctioned such action where life and the mental health ot a patient were involved. It was disclosed that even the operation failed to prevent mania in this case, and the patient was admitted for the second time within seven years to Porirua. She had previously attempted to take her life, and again demonstrated similar ' tendencies. She had been admitted to the Mental Hospital on February 8 of this year, but as she became ill she was sent to the Wellington Hospital, where she died .on February 19, the cause of death being stated as resulting from bronchial pneumonia." A post-mortem disclosed no sign of sepsis. . , "In this case," said one of the operating doctors, " I considered the outlook for the patient so grave that the action taken was justified, puerperal mama being frequently fatal at the second attack." In his view he was supported by another medical witness, both recognising that in ordinary circumstances the operation was illegal. . _ ~ In reply to Detective Sergeant Hall, the principal operating doctor mentioned that he personally gained nothing, as he was aware before he carried out the operation that the woman and her husband 'were without means. "In fact, he explained, "I gave the husband a pound so that he could go to Wellington to see his wife before she died." The coroner reserved his verdict on the cause of death until Wednesday.