INQUEST AT GREYTOWN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 266, 16 September 1879, Page 2

INQUEST AT GREYTOWN.

■An Inquest was held on Monday, the loth instant, on the body of Mr Peter Stratton, who died at the Wairarapa Hospital, on Sunday last while undergoing an operation. The following jury having been sworn: Messrs Tully (foreman), Barnard, Clarke, Cameron, Cook, Heron, Quin, Morphy, Salmon, Wakelin, and Young, the following evidence was taken :

Dr Smith, sworn, deposed that he was surgeon of the Wairarapa Hospital. Had known the deceased for several years, who was occasionally, or rather frequently of very intemperate habits. He had on several occasions prescribed for him, to got him straight after some of his fits of drunkenness. Deceased came to him, on July 21st, to consult him about tumors in both his legs. He advised him that it Would be necessary for him to have them removed by excision. He further advised him to get other medical adrice, and i

recommended Dr Grace, of Wellington. Strata took his advice, and saw Dr Grace, who agreed with him. Dr Smith then read a letter from Dr Grace, which stated that he quite agreed with him. When the deceased came back, he got drunk, and could not be admitted to the Hospital in that state, and continued in that way for some time, Ho at last admitted him to the Hospital, and he was iliere for a fortnight before the operation, us he wished to get the man in a liealthy state before it. He called on Saturday'' + last, and told the deceased that h'iMbiild perform the operation on the fcflgng uiorning at 10 o'clock (Sundayptthß man seemed to he nervous aboiothe operation, He had asked Dr Taylor and Dr Beard, who were in the town, to coma and assist him, which they did. Headministered the chloroform himself, until the deceased was sufficiently under its influence for him to commence operating, inj He resigned the chloroform into the hands J "f Dr Beard. Ho had not been long at ' work (he was cutting off the smaller tumor from below the knee )whenDr Beard called hi s attention to the appearance of deceased. His face had a dark livid appearance. He drew the tongue forward, while Dr Beard commenced artificial respiration, and he recovered so much as to justify him in proceeding. Ho did net see any mote chloroform used. Dr Beard again called his attention to the deceased, and he stopped operating, and they proceeded with artificial respiration by cold effusions and galvanism, but he never rallied. He considered it a very unusual' thing that a man could recover from the effects of chloroform and then die from it. He had examined his heart previous to giving him chloroform, and handed the instrument to Dr Beard, remarking «n the weak action of the heart. Dr Beard agreed / with him, It was about throe or four / minutes from his rallying to his dying. / It took ten minutes to put him under the / influence of chloroform. No doubt the / nervous fear of the operation might have' its effect. The operation was a very sin/ pie one, J Dr S. F. Beard sworn, deposed : tha'he was a surgeon residing in the WairaM he arrived in Greytown on Saturda/and on Sunday morning ; he received/ 1 note from Dr Smith saying he had an o/eration at the Hospital. That moruin/he followed Dr Smith and Dr Taybr to the Hospital, he saw the deceased'who was a powerful built am' muscular"™ he was strong to all external appe<f'ance, but he had the appearance of bohg a drinking man, They laid him oi/a couch and examined his heart, the sounds were healthy but weak and distant, /Dr Smith gave the chloroform until he, was almost ready to perform. He then''took charge of the chloroform and in'a few seconds he told Dr Smith he was.ready for the operation. He had administered chloroform until the patient was perfectly insensible. About forty or fifty seconds elapsed when he noticed the bnuthinsj fail suddenly. He turned him oii his side and brought him to by artificial respirations. His breathing returned and the pulse, which was almost absent, became stronger. He had received no more chloroform. He thought the man had sufficiently recovered for the operation to be proceeded with. The breathing was all right f.ir about half a minute ; then it suddenly failed again. They immediately tried artifi- \ cial respiration by cold effusion and \ galvanism, but without avail. He knew 1 people to be under the influence of chloroform nearly an hour. Ho did not think there was any difference whether the influence lasted five minutes or two hours, He was present at the post mortem examination and he considered death resulted from fatty defeneration of the heart. Deceased could no! have lived long, and might have dropped down dead at any time of excitement. Dr Hosking sworn, deposed : He was a surgeon residing at Masterton, Had performed a post mortem examination on the deceased, and found the heart, liver, spleen, and kidneys diseased. The heart was in a state of fatty degeneration, and it was that which killed him. He was under the impression that a person might recover from tho influence of chloroform and then die from its effects. A certain percentage—but a small one—will die from its effects. He doubted whether the medical man could find out that the heart was in that state. Dr Henry Spratt deposed that he was a surgeon residing at Greytown. Assisted at a post mortem examination of deceased, The external ippearances wore those of a liealthy man of 30 or 40. They opened the chest and found the lungs were healthy, but the heart was in a state of fatty degeneration; it was Urge, and the internal valves were healthy. The kidneys were diseased, as was also the liver. He considered there could be no blame in admistering chloroform in a case like that. Death will occasionally take place from its effects. He considered death resulted from paralysis of the heart's action caused by the influence of chloroform on the diseased state of the heart. A person may partially recover from the effects of chloroform and then die, but it was very unusual. The administration of chloroform is very much on the increase, and he thought very rightly so. Verdict: That the death of Peter Stratum at the Wairarapa Hospital on Sunday, September 14th, 1879, resulted from fatty degeneration of the heart, accelerated by the administration of chloroform; but the jury wish to state that no blame whatever is attached to the medical men who operated-