ANAESTHESIA DEATHS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 193, 9 May 1908, Page 10

ANAESTHESIA DEATHS.

: -v THE 1 ■ OF/ V;; EDDCATIta. ' 1 Tho, frequency; witlViVw-hiclifdeaths ;under anaesthetics continue ta,tak(j.placo led. to an important at a-ine<& ing-of tho . Medico-Lrcal-Socicty in' London. There was- a- notable- gathering of. surgeons, physicians, anaesthetists,-and coroners from all parts of the/kingdom; .? . Two resolutions-wero ■submitted ; by ; Dr. Frederick Hewitt, anaesthetist? to- the, King: (1) ;■ That ndministrrttian ,, . , of> , 'hnaestheticß V by any person •■'other' "than" ; a ; >duly; regis- .• tercd medical practitionery or." some 11 one ' I acting. immediately under ' his supervision, -. be'made a penal offence. ' " (2) That eviery member,! tif the'medical/ profession, before. lid' Vis' registered,- shall . have, rdfceived instruction in'tlio' administratioiv of anaesthetics;-:' «'• v.-..... - Mr.Henslow '' AYeHington.V' -L.'R.C.P., MiR-'.C.fS.'v Sdid, in opening the-tiebate; - that, unfortunately- thoro ; .ißv--iftcnd4ii?y ; : v students, to 'neglect clinical Work for the laboratory.- The stu'ddri't''learhs. ho will probably never prabtise. : Since deaths ' tinder- .• were' not- due' to natural -esusosj- lie' thought that a m'edibStvftiati Should act as registrar for coroners' courts, so that thtf.evider.ee should aijt "be wasted as .it is at present. -' '' : i ■>' ■' '■ •" '' . He'jfavoured the- appointment of a resident .airiaesthetist; in jovbrx. hospital. k • ," Tlftlipublic is protected-a^ainst'-many risks,"-'fold Dr.- Hewitt*.-." but -it should ba profcetsflfiagainst. the ; indiscriminate Uso of the 'drugs—drugs which are/; .safe, however, if >kilfully administered; 1 ; The - death risunis.do not.'show what sharo is duo to tho pathological- condition of -tho -patient, the .-operation/, oj tlia anaesthetic, ilw Genoral Medical y Council has ..not:, made anaesthetic instruction ono of its requirements.. It is possible to, oljiai .ja degree;without-;-,-hnving byor administeiSil aai. ar.aesthetici?V,r.'V':' ,'lSir .Alfred a hundred .times, Wore : operationsl : nowadays -thaii .there were tforty or fifty-'years; ago.. Many ars / difficult: ■ circum'staucesj'.faft awMMjB. the country; where a , special. aliaesthotist' is. sometimes .'unobtainable: Ho favoured'.the compulsory-: teaching of tho use of anaesthetics; improving the edu-. cation of • Uie he fies. . .'" '. ;• 7. ■\\ : r.i Dr: W'aldoj coroner'; for the, City of,- London imoug. other, things,!the appointment' of 'a -to inquiro'into >th"o facts cont^rning;ddaths-from anacstliotic's.'i. I .! v \ " If deaths 'from arfaosthjbties are inevitable." said Dr. J.; Bltimftjd,, senior ; anaesthotist" of St. George's Hospital,then.thosawho administer' the .. most; frequently should have' iiiimbbr of fatal cases.' This is riot s&:- oif sbventy- . four; cases of deathVin ofie ' jmr, only, five happened in the hands rf^.n^n.. constantly engaged'' in "ariaesthetics. -■' *Th£-£lhey~casos ( ' woro under those' with only, au occasional"duty. , t •jj',* C 1 ' ",I maintain,"- said Dr. l}lunY(^ji,'_" tli.it in idio caSb of the death of in good bodily health ulidergoingVart v ' ojiofation. not likely to cause death in ' itself ,V ,-j, is , fair to-attach the blaino.to the • and that deaths 1 such, as that. neVer;''DWir in capable hands;" • ! ■ -'"y u