DEATH OF CHILD

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 131, 4 June 1937, Page 11

DEATH OF CHILD

SCALDS TURN SEPTIC

EXTENSIVE INQUIRIES

A finding that Victor John McKavanagh, a boy of 18 months, died at Wellington Hospital on June 1 from septic poisoning following extensive scalds received four days earlier, was returned by the Coroner (Mr. E. Gilbertson) at the conclusion of an inquest today. A number of questions relating to the treatment of the child and to the relative advantages of the public and private hospitals for the giving of such treatment were discussed during the hearing. Mr. R, Hardie Boys appeared for the relatives. Sergeant J. Edwards conducted the inquest.

Eunice Enid McKavanagh said thai the deceased was her only child. At about 4 p.m. on May 27 she and her mother, Mrs. Tucker, were preparing tea and her 18-months-old boy . was playing about in the room. She heard the electric hot water jug fall on to the floor and when she looked around, she saw the contents of the hot water jug which had just come to the boil had gone all over the boy. The boy was scalded over the face, on the body to. the hips, and on. the left arm, the right wrist, and one foot. "- She and her mother treated the boy as they were instructed by.Dr. Cotton. - Mrs. Beatrice Eva Tucker, grandmother of the deceased child, also described the scalding. ... . ; The Coroner: What treatment was ordered by the doctor? Witness: 'A special ointment was applied every eight hours, and medicine was given, but the child could not keep it down. .. .:■..■■ The Coroner: Had you any objection at any stage to the child being taken to hospital? _~.'■ Witness: None whatever. The doctor never mentioned it until the end; We asked if the .boy could be. taken to a private hospital, but' the doctor said the public hospital was the proper P Dr! G. E. C. Cotton said that on May 27 at 4.45 p.m. he attended the boy. Approximately a third of his skin was burned. The child's grandmother, Mrs. Tucker, appeared to be a very capable woman and took charge of the case. He called on May 28 and examined the dressings. On May 29 the boy's father called and witness "aye him an order on the urgent pharmacy. At 6.20 a.m. on the following day he came to the conclusion after soeing the boy that he would be better in hospital. He gave instructions to this effect. The Coroner: Why did you want the child sent to the public hospital rather than a private one as the parents desired? . , Dr. Cotton: It is impossible to treat cases of extensive burns in private hospitals. The Wellington Hospital has a special room for the treatment of septic cases. In addition, I have the right of admission to the public hospital. I have to obtain permission with a private hospital. When I write a letter to the public hospital they accept it. With a' private hospital I have to go and see if; they have room for the patient. Mr Hardie Boys: Dr. .Cotton, is not the greatest danger to a child in a case like this the aftermath, of Shock? • ■ . • Dr.- Cotton: tfes.< ■: Mr. Hardie Boys: Did you do. anything to counteract it in this case? . Dr. Cotton: The child was not suffering from shock. I gave him a sedative to quieten him down. He was ex- | cited—exhilarated. I Mr. Hardie Boys: Do you not think that if the child had been sent to hospital earlier, the effects of shock would have been minimised? Dr Cotton: When I was first called, I was impressed with the capabilities of the grandmother. _ Mr. Hardie Boys: You had a call on Saturday afternoon, did you not? Dr Cotton: The child's father called. He said the child was pretty right. I did not go along that Saturday afternoon. I have a big practice. I sent the father to the urgent pharmacy and gave instructions to be advised if the child got bad. . Mr. Gilbertson: Did you explain to the parents your preference for the public hospital. . . Dr. Cotton: The parents certainly stressed their preference for Lewisham Hospital, but I explained that better treatment in'special wards was available in the public hospital. A septic case is not a suitable one for a surgical hospital. Dr. Alexander S. King, house surgeon at Wellington Hospital, said that the child was admitted at 7.30 a.m. on May 31. His condition gradually became worse in spite of the treatment and he died at 3.40 a.m. next day. In answer to a question by the Coroner, Dr. King said that septic cases always involved some risk to other patients. Wellington Hospital had proper facilities for treating such ■ cases. Suitable treatment had been applied to the burns. Mr Hardie Boys: Would it have made any' difference if the' child had been admitted earlier? Dr. King: Immediate admission might have made some difference. The Coroner observed that the treatment by the medical men appeared to have been correct, and'as far as admission to the public hospital was concerned, that was apparently the right course to pursue.