HOSPITAL PATIENT'S DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1429, 2 May 1912, Page 2

HOSPITAL PATIENT'S DEATH.

REMARKABLE STATEMENTS,

COMMITTEE OF IXQUUIY SET UP. (By Tclceraph— Press AeEociniion.) Auckland, May 1. Sonic remarkable slnlcnionts were oonIninnd in n letter from tho Auckland Trtiinwiiys Sick and Accident Fund fc'ocicty, which caiiiß bofor« tlin lluspi(<il and Cliaritaulo Aid lioanl at its iiitvlin;,', coiictriiin;,' Hie rewnt iluutli of <m« uf tlio Hociely's jiiwnlji'rs in tliu Auvkluuil lk>sliitiii. The Ifittcr sot forth tlio fact that the pntii'iil in (juehli.jn went inln the institiitioii on March M, sull'criiiK from apiiciidicitis. He. was operated on on the sinic day on which |u> was ndinittcd, the o)ieratjon btinp iii cvi'it ivny For six dflys the mitieik niu'de excfllont pioBresp. Then hu suddciify dcvclojwd totaiuis (lockjaw), and, aftor three days' siilloring, died on March 25. This lelter licloie thr; Loanl staled that an independent medical opinion had been i;b!fiiiiHl, which indicaied tlint lockjaw did not follow upon an operation {'or appendicitis as ii natural complication. The riupslion therefore iiroso as to 'hoiv this patient could linvn possibly become inlVelcd with tetanus. An explanation had been asked by the deneiued's friends ot (he residential nirdir.ii! ollicers at the institution, and tho only Mif;|reslio;i they had to offer was that ft scratch had been I discovered on one of tho deceased's toes, [ which illicit have been a f,ourc« of infection prior to the patient having entered the hospital. This explanation was deemed to );e impossible of acceptance, and outside medics! cpmiou was sought. The oniy theory advanced upon this occasion was that the cutjrut used_ in sewing up the appendicitis wound mightliavo been a source of infection. This suggestion was also regarded as beins too moot to bo accepted as wttisfattory. The point the society desired to bring before the lioanl was that (be patient in question went into the hospital to undergo an operation for appendicitis. According to a menibsr of lno honorary medical staff who operated, this operation ivas in every way a .success. Ten days later the patient died of tetanus.

'l'ho society further slated that it had bran assured on good authority thnt when

the patient was n> the hospital ho was placed in the same ward with a tetanus patient, and so probably became infected. Under such circumstances as these the committee felt justified in obking for an explanation.

Ill , :- J. K. Dickson said the society's letter contained some <rr«ve statements, which would require to be very thoroughly silted. In his opinion it was desirable that a commission should ]n\ set up to inquire into the whole of the circumstances.

Mr. Si'Kay ."toted that when the socielyls letter readied him he considered the matter to be on© of such great importance that he at once had a copy sent io Uγ. Mngiiire, senior medical officer. He believed that an inquiry would be welcomed by the medical staff. Dr. Tracpy Inglis, chairman of the honorary medical staff, who was present at the meeting, said he would be glad of a chance to explain one or t'.vo points in connection with the matter under observation. The society was wronj in stating that tetanus has novor boon known to follow nn appendicitis operation. There wore many cases known to science where tetanus had bren recorded, and yet no wound of any kind had been discovered. The catgut used in this operation *ras examined and proved to lie sterile, but tetanus Willi were found on the appendix stump. The external wound lienled by first intention, showing that there had been no infection from without. The doctor admitted that there was a tetanus patient iii the institution at the same time ns this particular patient, but not in tlie same itard.

Mr. Dtckson then moved that a special committee l)e appointed to go onto lli.e matter, and that the inquiry be oneu to the press, and that the society be allowed to have one of its doctors-in attendance:' both sides, if the}" won. n desirous, to ta represented fiy solicitors. The chairman said he would etrofiffljr advise keeping solicitors out of the ca.se. Tho motion was curried.

KARORI BOROUGH COUNCIL. ♦ A incotinir of the Karori Borough Council was held last night. The Mayor (Mr. C. Cathie) presided, and there were also present:—Councillors W. T. Hildrcrh, A. J. Bradnock, .7. A. Vrost, A. Hamilton, V.. J. .SUimlen, B. H. U. Burn, J. T. Horn, and M. Aiidersun,

The Mayor, ufter being formally iiistflllpd for ilie coming year, said that liow that the stress of'the recent election contest wns over, nnd they had all had an opportunity'of freely oppressing themselves, he hoped thr-y'would all let b;--aones l>o by-gone*, and set themselves to work together fer th« good of I lie borough. If they kept no grndgo agni)ist ojiß niiothcr Iho work would go along well. Personally, lie had no grudge against any ocmiirillor, find ho honed no councillor had any grudgo against him. flu ring the pa-=t year the Works Committee hod hud an arduous lime. All (lie work done had Iwcn of a progressive nature, and hnd b?en generally :ii>proved. The .Mayor (hen brieflv outlined the principal work?, and inadu spwial rofereiice to the iniproveincuts at the recreation grounds.

The council then wont into committee, whiie his Worship giivo particulars of the different items of receipts and ex■po.uditure far the year. Other business was then transacted arising from correspondence li was decided that the Mayor and councillors, or as many councillors as possible, should go with the Mayor mid city councillors in the deputation that is shortly to wait on the Minister lor Bnihvnys in reference to the new Central Railway Station for Wellington. A letter was received from thn Minister for Internal Affairs, and enc from the ehiiirm.in of the Hospital Board, regarding the coming conference of delegate* from local bodies that is to he held for Hid purpose of discussing amendments to the law governing Iccbl bodies. Thn Mayor was appointed to represent tho borough at tho preliminary conference to be held ia Wellington next week when 2-t delegates will cleet five delegates to tho main conference. Subsequently the council went intecommittco again to discuss proposed improvements to tho tramway service.