WOMAN'S DEATH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 540, 25 May 1933, Page 5

WOMAN'S DEATH

(Press Assn.-

i brqken thigh , ACCENTUATED BY FALL FRpM HOSPITAL ' STRETCHER " NQ CARELESSNESS SHQWN

-By Telegraph— Copyright;

Auckland, Wednesday. "I do not suppose there has been a similar incident at the Auckland hospital. I never heard of a similar occurrenee-in any part .of New Zealand," said Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., at an inquest into the death of Mrs. S'usanne Elizabeth Worden, aged 80, who died in hospital. Mr. Worden was admitted three days previously suffering from influenza, but while being admitted fell from the ambulance stretcher and broke her right thigh. "It has been a most unfortunate occur-rence, but it was accidental," said the coroner. "How it happened is not quite clear but the patient moved and rolled from the stretcher. "If the practice now being followed of having a band of webbing over the bed had been in force, the aecident would not have happened, but the evidence shows that it was not considered necessary to tie deceased in. The patient was suffering from influenza which developed into double pneumonia. "There is no doubt that her vitality was lessened by the shock which she received from the accident. I understand that there is no evidence of carelessness" on the part of those who were handling her." The coroner returned a finding that death was due to' heart failure following double pneumonja, accentuated by shock caused by the fracture of the thigh accidentally sustained as she was being removed to hospital.