HOSPITAL SURGEONS’ NEGLECT

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8780, 6 April 1907, Page 1

HOSPITAL SURGEONS’ NEGLECT

A remarkable case of neglect on the part of a hospital surgeon is mentioned in the British Medical Journal. Dr Stewart, of Midland Junction, West Australia, records the circumstances of the case. He operated on a woman and .found a pair of forceps in her body. The forceps were nearly five inches in length, and the width across the handles was about two inches, and they had been left in the woman’s body after an operation 10i years before. “ That the forceps should have attained the position in which they were found without causing death is extraordinary,” Dr Stewart writes. “ Though the patient’s heaith had been wretched during these years, and a large part of the time spent in bed, it is worthy of notice that she had occasionally felt well enough to participate in dances.” At an operation performed recently in London (says the Daily Express) the usual precaution taken by the surgeons of counting the forceps and sponges used and putting the number on a card was neglected. The nurse, however, had made a mental note that there were 18. After the operation had been completed three pairs of forceps were missed. The surgeon asked the nurse what had become of them, but was assured that 18 had been used. The surgeon requested her to make quite sure, and a message was sent to his house to see whether he had by chance left any at home. None could be found, however, and it was decided that, another operation would have to be performed. This was done, and the three missing forceps were found in the patient’s body.