BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3714, 19 May 1925, Page 57

BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE.

MAN'S HEART MASSAGED. PATIENT LATER RELAPSES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, May 16. That a man was brought back to life after his heart had ceased beating for five minutes only to die again some 10 hours later as a result of the effect upon his brain caused by the previous collapse was revealed in unusual evidence given at the adjourned inquest into the death of Stanley Hales, Dunstan, aged 30, which occurred in the Waikato Hospital last Wednesday. The mother-in-law of the deceased stated that he had been employed by the postal department as a mail sorter. He was in the postal van of the train which was wrecked at Ongarue in 1923, and since then lie had suffered from nerve trouble. Dr Lewis, Medical superintendent atthe Waikato Hospital, said that Dunstan was operated upon for hemorrhoids. The operation had been completed, and tho ancesthetic masks removed, when it was noticed that the patient had stopped breathing. Artificial respiration was retorted to, but it was observed that the heart had ceased to beat. As it did not respond to the usual strychnine treatment, an incision was made, and the heart was massaged. After some five minutes it resumed beating regularly, and in threequarters of an hour the patient was breathing steadily, and was apparently making a good recovery. As the effect of the amestnetic wore off, however, signs of brain trouble became apparent, due tc a lack of blood going to the brain during the cessation of tho heart. The patient failed to respond to treatment and died. Witness was unable to say what caused the heart to stop after the operation. The patient was examined prior to the administration of the anaesthetic, and considered a safe risk. Witness did not think that neurasthenia caused the stoppage, neither was there any indication of injury to the brain. Dr Johns, who administered He anesthetic, said it was a mixture of chloroform and ether. Witness did not

make a personal examination of the patient pror to administering the anrestlietic. That was done by the ward doctor, who certified that he was a fit subject. That was the routine of the hospital. The deceased had taken the anaesthetic well. Dr F. Pinfold, who made a post-mortem examination, stated that he found the heart in a normal condition. The thymus gland, however, was enlarged considerably, and it was due to this that the heart had ceased beating. The deceased had been suffering from what was knertvn as a “persistent thymus.” This condition was not recognisable in life, and there was do way of detecting it until after death had occurred. It was an unusual condition. An examination of the brain revealed congestion of the grey matter, due to a lack of oxygen when the heart had ceased. This had set up an irritation which was the final cause of death. The Coroner returned a verdict' that death was due to heart failure, consequent upon respiratory failure, due to the administration of an aniesthetic. The respiratory failure was due to the enlarged thymus gland. An anaesthetic had been administered for the purpose of informing a necessary operation, and all care and skill had been exercised.