DEATH OF A CHILD

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 40

DEATH OF A CHILD

DUE TO LARYNGEAL DIPHTHERIA. Air J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., as coroner, held an inquest on Thursday morning at tho Hospital touching the death of James Shaw, five years of age, son of Mr John Shaw, of Woodhaugh street, Maori Iliii, which occurred on Wednesday morning. Airs Shaw, the child’s mother, stated that on Friday last the deceased child was taken ill with a cold, lie was healthy, but subject to croup. With tho exception of the cold, ho was well up to Monday morning. On Sunday she applied hot salt to bis chest. On Tuesday his cough was worse, and she rang up Dr Lindon, who was not in, and did not come that night. On Wednesday morning- Dr Lindon came, at about 11 o'clock. She} rang him up before 9, and he promised to coma immediately. He took the boy with him to the Hospital, afterhaving examined his throat. She was not told what was the matter with him, nor was anything 3aid about an operation. She went away, and about half an hour afterwards she was notified by the police that her child was dead. Had she known that he was to be operated upon she would have stayed. She did not see any of the house surgeons. Dr Lindon took the boy away, and arranged everything-, but did not say a word about an. operation. Dr Lindon, in Ids evidence, stated that when lie saw the child on Wednesday morning be found that it had been suffering- from diphtheria for some considerable time, and was really in extremis. The only hope he .could see was for an immediate operation. He did not want to lot the child out of his sight, so lie took it in his car. Its mother accompanied him. At the Hospital he notified the arrival of the child for immediate operation. It waa taken away to the theatre, and Dr Vivian operated in his presence, Dr Childs administering tho anaesthetic. A large amount cf anaesthetic was not given. Just after the operation deceased began to show increased signs of distress in breathing, and Hie sister reported that the pulse was bad. Dr Vivian hurried with the operation, but the child died just as it waa completed. The operation was necessary, because the diphtheretie membrane had extended from the larynx down to the trachea, and suffocation would have ensued had the operation not been performed. The child would have died had the operation not taken place. The reason he did not tell Mrs Shaw the operation was to be performed was that two women who were present said: “For goodness sake, don’t say anything;, the woman’s an epileptic, and will have fits.” That closed witness’s mouth. An operation was necessary in order to try and snatch the child from death. Mr Shaw asked why the doctor, having been rung up on Tuesday afternon, and again at night, did not come until next morning. Mr Bartholomew said that had been explained by Dr Lindon in his evidence. He was cut when the first message was sent, and at night Mrs Shaw stated that the child was better and was sleeping. On Wednesday morning- the doctor was out (from 7 to 9) when the first message came, and subsequently went as soon as lie could. Dr Lindon stated that the mother told him the boy had had a cold for four days. He did not think it was fair to a doctor for a child to have been ill for four days with a cold, and then expect him to dash to see him at the last moment. The diphtheria must have been developing all the time. Mrs Shaw said the boy’s attack seemed just the same as one he had in infancy. The mention of doctors made him frantic. On Tuesday night his throat seemed free, and he vomited extensively. Dr Lindon said it seined to have been chiefly laryngeal diphtheria, which must have been developing for some time. Its development was insidious. He had no reason to anticipate diphtheria from anything the mother said to him over the telephone. Dr ITenry IT. Vivian, assistant medical officer at the Hospital, stated that shortly after 11 o’clock on the previous day the deceased child was admitted. Dr Lindon told him about, tho case. Witness operated, but during the operation deceased’s breathing became worse, and he died, notwithstanding the administration of stimulants. The cause of death was heart failure, due to laryngeal diphtheria. In this case the necessity for operation was so urgent that there wa-s no time to notify the mother. The condition in which the patient was took some time to develop, but towards the close developed much more rapidly, and even a, short time was of moment. Dr Childs, house surgeon, who administered the anaesthetic (ether) in the case, gave corroborative evidence. Mr Bartholomew said it was unfortunate that the doctor had not seen the patient earlier, but that had been explained, The mother appeared to have been misled by a former croupy attack. Everything possible had been done for the child after the doctor saw him. An immediate operation was then necessary, and this was skilfully performed, but unfortunately it appeared to have been too late to save life, lie found, in accordance with the medical testimony, that death was due to heart failure, consequent upon laryngeal diphtheria.