Use Of Anaesthetics In Nasal Operations

Chronicle (Levin), 20 March 1948, Page 4

Use Of Anaesthetics In Nasal Operations

• AUCKLAND, March 19. Evidence supporting the, use oti chloroform in anaestliesia and. fhe administration of. adrenaUn for nasal operations occupied the third -day . of the hcaring of tlie clainx for damag.es by the I'ublic Truslee (Mr. A. K. A'orth, K.C., and M-r. C, P. Richmond): against the Auckland Hospital Boardi (Mf. V. JL- •Aleredi-frh-'.h-ml Mr. - Br' Speight) before Mr. Justiee Fair and a special jui'y in the Supreme Court. The claim for £4000 was brought by plaintiff on behaif of !Mrs. .Tanet Donaldson Sandilands, widow of Oeorge Victor Sandilands, who died in the Auckland I-Iospital on May S, 194(5, and her cliild Mary Sandilands. it was maintained by plaintilf that chl'oroforni and adrenalin were used' in coin'bination d'uring an operation on dcceased and that its use was contran to staudard med'ical' practice." Dr. Ada Platts-M'ill's, visiting parttinie anaesthetist at the Auckland Hospital, cross-examined bv klr. North,

sai'd slie did not administer adrenalin to »Sandilands. She agreed that if a doctor did things which were contrary to the advice of medical literature he was taking- a- risk. She considered Dr. Borrie, wlio- performed the operation. an adept surgeon. . * Kathleen JDorot'h-y ^Muller, sister in charge of the ear, nose and throat theatre at the Auckland Hospital, said she- had been nursing 18 or 19 years and had charge of the theatre for 18 years. Chloroform and etlier was the main anaesthetic used. Four d'eaths had oceurred while she was there." Dr. Wal'ter Gilmour, patholOgist^sa-id he cond'ucted a post-mortem on Sandi .• la-nds. ' We-ighiiig all the evidence he; did not thinlc adrenalin had anything to.do with death in this ease. Dr. James H'ardie Neil, of Auckland, said he had -been over 30 years a surgeon in the ear, nose and throat department of the Auckland Hospital. He claimed that chl'oroform and etfrer .tvas a suitable anaesthetic for most pat/ent and that the criticis-m of chloroforin was not justified. . Witness said he approved of injecting adrenalixi as was done in the preseut case and he had not seen any trouble among surgeons using the same teelmique. ' The Court adjourned until- Monday morning.