NEEDLE IN LUNG

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 434, 15 May 1937, Page 6

NEEDLE IN LUNG

UNUSUAL OPERATION Performed By Auckland Surgeon Press Association— Copyright. Auckland, May 14. About eight o'clock this morning Douglas McLellan, a youth, aged: . 17, and residing at Remuera, walked into the X-ray department of the Wallace Ward at the Auckland hospital. ,A few minutes later he had been Xrayed, and when the plate was 1 developed it revealed that -in bis left lung was a home .made dart, a rieedte about an inch and a quarter in length,, on the end of- which was a small piece, of cork. When “shooting” the youth had: accidentallx. drawn the dart, through a tube similar to that of a pea slioofter and swallowed it. A prominent honorary surgeon to the hospital tills morning performed an opt ration on McLellan and removed the dart.. The operation occupied three minutes. It ik a remarkable coincidence that in less- than a week two similar -and unusual . operations shou.d be per.. ■formed ,ut . the . Au.-klgnd. l,cspi!?al. On Saturday la,st, a boy, aged si* years, Russell Derrick Hill, of Bombay, was X-rayed, and the plate revealed- that he had swallowed a -needle. On Thursday the same, honorary ?p,i’gecn who operated to-day removed the Yieedle in exactly one "minute 35 seconds.