BUNDABERG INQUIRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 278, 14 February 1928, Page 9

BUNDABERG INQUIRY

DEATHS OF 12 CHILDREN SERUM COMMISSION SITS By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. BRISBANE, Monday. The Serum Commission appointed to investigate the deaths of several children in the Bundaberg Hospital on January 29, commenced its sittings to-day. V)R. THOMPSON, the local Government officer who inoculated the children, stated that he did not receive the usual circular warning him against bacterial contamination if the serum were used over a period and urging that it be wholly used immediately. The bottle containing the serum was stored in a cool surgery. He examined it regularly and saw no turbidity in it until the day of the tragedy. He had not previously administered a similar serum and had no experience of the Schick test. After the syringe needle had been used it was plunged into methylated spirits and then used for the next inoculation. The syringe had not been used for months before the fatal inoculations were made. His nurse had charge of the sterilising instruments. On each inoculation day the serum was transported between the surgery and the Council Chambers, where the inoculation was done, and the rubber-capped serum bottle was sterilised. Dr. Richards, pathologist, said the cause of death appeared to have been acute toxaemia. It was toxin of some sort in infection. He could not ascribe it to any organism. The toxin seemed to centre on the central nerve system. Dr. Murray, of the Federal Department of Health, said he understood the bottle of serum received by Dr. Thompson did not contain a circular warning him as to its quick use. Dr. Thompson’s name was not on the list of those who received the circulars.— A. and N.Z.