FATAL OVERDOSE

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 123, 19 May 1932, Page 5

FATAL OVERDOSE

Of An Anaesthetic

NAPIER NURSE’S TRAGIC ERROR.

OUNCES INSTEAD OF DRAMS.

NAPIER, Last Night

A verdict that Mrs Grace Douglas Newport, aged 29, who died in the Napier Hospital on Friday last, had met her death as a result of the ad-

ministration prior to an operation of an overdose of paraldihyde, inadvertently administered as an anaesthetic, was returned by the jury at the inquest to-day. Members of the hospital staff concerned and the deceased’s relatives were represented by counsel. Evidence was to the effect that the sister in charge of the medical ward had prepared a dose of nine ounces instead of the prescribed nine drams. Dr. J. Allan Berry, who performed the operation, said he noticed that deceased was gravely ill for no apparent reason, and asked how much of the drug had been administered. He completed the operation, and it was not until it was over that he formed the conclusion that an over-dose had been given. Fie then questioned the sister, who told him that nine ounces of paraldehyde had been administered. It was not improper for a sister to prepare and administer it.

Sister W. M. Cullwick stated she was instructed to prepare nine drams of paraldehyde. The instructions were in writing. She then applied for the drug, intending to ask for nine drams, but for some reason she could not explain, she asked for nine ounces. She told Dr. Berry after the operation that she had prepared nine drains, but after inquiries of the theatre nurses she found that nine ounces had been prepared and administered. Witness did not suggest that the mistake was due to any omission on the dispenser's part. She was not able to give any idea of how the mistake occurred. Dr. R. E. Murray, house surgeon, who had been in Napier only two weeks, said he had received no verbal or written instructions as regards checking by him of his own directions given to the sister concerning the quantity of the dose to be administered. Since deceased died, however, he had received instructions. Following the evidence of other doctors, theatre nurses and the dispenser, Mr. A. E. Renouff, J.P., said that the deceased no doubt had met her death as the result of an overdose of paraldehyde, apparently administered in mistake. It was most unfortunate that the mistake had in this case had such a serious result. The jury retired for ten minutes and returned their verdict.