DENTAL SCHOOL.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1922, Page 1

DENTAL SCHOOL.

UNSATISFACTORY CONDITIONS. ‘ v DUNEDIN, May 17. At the inquest' to-day concerning tho death Of William Percival Riddell, aged 15 'years, who died in the Dental Hospital after having teetli extracted under chloroform, Dr Piekerill (director of tlie Dental School) said this was the first misadventure at the school out of !)(X)0 cases.

Dr Emily Siedeberg, who administered the anaesthetic, referred to what she described as the difficulties under which the Dental Hospital had to he carried on. For some time, she said it. had been recognised that the neeommodatioh arid tbit facilities at the disposal of the staff were not satisfactory. There was no heating apparatus in the waiting-rOom and on cold mornings palicilts came into the anaesthetic room in a condition that did not conduce to easy anaesthesia, ill the case of the hoy Riddell, he had waited for two hours before his ease could he taken. The second point was, said the doctor, that the anaesthetising room itself was overcrowded. The instruments had to he sterilised over a gas jet, and the atmosphere became so vitiated that the staff had to use the door as a fan for ventilation purposes after each ease of extraction. Again, the recovery rooms were not sufficient, and patients for anaesthetic treatment had to wait, instead of being taken first when the atmosphere in the rooms was fresh. Tt would also obviate tlie using of chloroform, com lmled Dr Siede berg, if the hospital was furnished with an apparatus enabling ether to be given by continuous application, combined with the nitrous oxide gas.

Dr Piekerill endorsed what Dr Seidelierg had said. That she should he asked to carry on her duties as an anaesthetist under such conditions was unfair. To work in an atmosphere so vitiated was not fair either to tiie attaestlieist or the patient. The Coroner said the defects which had been pointed out were such as should not exist in a school at which such important work was carried out. He expressed the hope that the representations already made by Dr Pick rill and the evidence given to-day would convince the authorities that there was an urgent need for the removal of the defects.