OVERDOSE OF LOCAL ANAESTHETIC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 227, 26 September 1942, Page 4

OVERDOSE OF LOCAL ANAESTHETIC

SURGEON ADMITS ERROR (P.A.) Dunedin. Sept. 25. Proceedings at an adjourned inquest held to-day concerning the death in the Dunedin Hospital, on September 10, of John Cowie, aged 78. of Alexandra, revealed that an overdose of a local anaesthetic was administ'red by the surgeon in charge of the case. Dr. O. R. B. Pringle, who admitted that he had made a mistake in ordering an excessive percentage of deciscaine to be administered to the patient prior to an operation for an enlargement of the prostate gland. The coroner, Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M., announced a verdict in accordance with the evidence of Dr. Dath, who had performed a post mortem examination, stated that Dr. Pringle had not attempted to divert from himself any of the responsibility for the unfortunate happening. The coroner added that he felt it his duty to suggest that the hospital authorities should consider the advisability of seeing that some check was made when anaesthetics were ordered, as in the present case. Dr. Dath. in his evidence, explained that deciscaine was one of the newer types of loca: anaesthetics and had been in use in Dunedin for about five years. For a surface injection a 2 per cent, solution weight would be used but only in very small quantities for an injection. Internally, however, not more than .2 per cent, might be used. The amount ordered in the present case had been obviously excessive