DEATH IN DENTAL CHAIR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17142, 11 September 1923, Page 11

DEATH IN DENTAL CHAIR.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. The inquest concerning the death of Cyril' Cuthbert Goston, a Single maw, " thirty years of age, who died in a dental chair at the Christchurch Hospital on .August 29 while under an anaesthetic, was resumed by Mr Wyyern Wilson. Coroner, yesterday afternoon. A verdict was returned that death was due to chronic valvular disease of the heart, accelerated by anaesthesia. It was stated that this was the first case of death under an anaesthetic that had occurred in the dental department of the Hospital. Dr INI. Robertson. house surgeon at the Christchurch Hospital, said that he had seen deceased between 10.30 and 11 a.ni. on the day of his death. Witness examined deceased before he was under the anaesthetic. He found that th© patient’s heart was somewhat out of its normal position, but this was due to the abnormal shape of the chest. The heart was beating regularly and witness considered that it was safe to administer the anaesthetic. He had read Dr Pearson’s report on the post mortem examination. From that it appeared that the chief trouble with the heart was the fatty state* of the muscle. This might have manifested itself in irregularity in the beating of the heart but there was no such irregularity in the case of deceased’s heart. With deceased’s heart in th© actual state it was witness dirl not consider he was a safe subject for a general anaesthetic, but witness’s examination did not reveal this. After four or five teeth had been extracted witness noticed that the breathing of the patient was not correct. The operation was stopped and artificial means of respiration were adopted, but without avail. The anesthetic* was administered to the patient in a recumbent position in the dental chair. To Sfergeant Almond: Deceased was in delicate health, but such patients could usually stand an anaesthetic provided the heart was all right. Sergeant Almond: Did you not consider tliero was any risk at all? Witness: There is always a risk when an anaesthetic is administered. Robert Allan Ferguson, dentist, employed at the Christchurch Hospital, and Herbert Rattray, senior dentist at the Hospital, also gave evidence. The latter aaid that this was the first death under an anaesthetic that they had had in the dental department of the Hospital. Eileen May Goston, sister of deceased, said that a few days before her brother went to have his teeth extracted he had to fill in a form for the Hospital, giving particulars as to his health. In this form lie stated that he had previously been a patient at the Hospital. Dr Robertson (recalled) said he had not seen the form referred to by deceased’s sister. Mr Rattray (recalled) said that the form referred to may have been one that patients filled in for the information of the office at the Hqspital. Such forms were retained in the office. The Coroner said that deceased had been a patient at the Hospital twelve months before his death. He was examined at that time. It seemed strange to him that, as deceased had filled in a form before be bad his teeth extracted stating that he. had been a patient at the Hospital, the re-

cords were not looked up to see what his condition was- However, that did not seem to be the practice at the Hospital. Dr Robertson had failed to detect the state of deceased’s heart. The anaesthetic was accordingly administered and the patient’s heart failed because he was suffering from chronic valvular disease of the heart. If his memory served him right, at the last case that occurred in Christchurch of the death of a dentist's patient under an anaesthetic evidence was given that it was not desirable that a general anaesthetic should be administered to a patient in a recumbent position in a dental chair. This seemed to be borne out by the present case. In connection with the previous case he had added a rider regarding the administration of general anaesthetics to persons in a dental chair but apparently the practice was being continued. Some day it might cease. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to heart failure caused !.y chronic! Valvular disease of the heart and accelerated i»y anaesthesia.