DEATH IN HOSPITAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19124, 8 December 1933, Page 5

DEATH IN HOSPITAL.

DUE TO CARBOLIO POISONING. VERDICT AT THE INQUEST. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. An Inquest into the death of Mrs. Lillian Rhoda James, aged 30, in the Kaikoura Hospital on October 22 was concluded to-day. . The inquiry was opened on October 23 and was adjourned to allow a post mortem examination to be made. At the inquest on that day it was stated that Sister E. L. Frances, who was in charge at the time, gave Airs. James an injection on admission. Mrs. James complained of feeling unwell shortly afterwards, became unconscious, and died the day after admission. It was later discovered that the basin used for the injection had previously been used by Nurse MoCornbe, who had left some carbolic solution in Nurse McCombe said that she had put the basin in a part of the cupboard which she considered her cleaning cupboard. In another part of the cupboard were kept all appliances used when giving injections. The basin which had contained carbolic had been placed by her at the bottom of the cupboard with cleaning utensils, and it was not the practice for vessels used in the treatment of patients to he taken from that part of the cupboard. The evidence of Dr. A. B. Pearson, who had conducted the post, mortem examination, was that the death ol Mrs. James was due to carbolic acid poisoning. He attributed death to paralysis of vital centres of the brain resulting from poisoning by carbolic acid. The coroner's verdict was to the effect that death was due to carbolic poisoning.