INQUEST AT THE MELBOURNE HOSPITAL.

Globe, 15 February 1876, Page 3

INQUEST AT THE MELBOURNE HOSPITAL.

Dr Youl held an inqlfest on February Ist, at the Melbourne Hospital, upon the bjjdy of % married woman named Margaret Arm Kelly, who died in the institution upon Friday last. The deceased, who was suffering from disease of the knee-joint, had previous to November last been a private patient of Mr Beaney. On the 15th November she was admitted to the hospital, having been recommended to go there by Mr Beaney. With the consent of the deceased and her husband Mr "Beaney attempted to excise the kneejoint on December 2nd, but finding during the operation that the disease was extensive, he amputated the leg through the knee-joint. The operation was performed on the same day as Berth's case, and, as in that case, without any . consulation with the other honorary surgeons. One the ninth day after the operation the deceased was attacked by erysipelas, but this subsided a few days afterwards. She died, as already stated, on the 29th nltimo. The : cause of death, as stated by.-Drs Lawrence and Hunt, who made the post mortem, examination, was exhaustion from the effects of the amputation and the debilitated state of the system. Several medical witnesses were examined as to the manner in which the amputation hajl been performed, and nearly all stated tha|st would have been better surgery to have,amputated above the diseased bone. Mr Befpeygave gave as his reason for not doing this that such amputations above the knee were in his opinion more dangerous. The verdict of the jury was that the deceased had died from the effects of the amputation which Mr Beaney rashly performed without consultation—a practice which the., jury recommended the hospital committee strictly to prohibit in : futu#e.