A SAD FATALITY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2654, 9 November 1909, Page 4

A SAD FATALITY.

WOMAN DIES UNDER CHLOROFORM. An opeartion under chloroform ended fatally to Mrs. Harding, aged 57. on Sunday. The deceased lady, who resides at. Mangapapa, was suffering from an abscess in the ear, and came into a private hospital for its removal. This was the second occasion on which chloroform had been administered to the lady, as she had undergone an operation in January last, go that It was thought she would take the anaesthetic easily. When the chloroform was administered she collapsed, and all attempts at resuscitation proved futile. The inquest on the deceased took place before Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M., Dstriict Coroner, yesterday afternoon, Sergeant Hutton representing the police. Dr. Scott deposed as to having made an appointment with the deceased at Nurse Wlieeler’s private hospital, for Sunday morning.- Dr. Williams administered the anaesthetic, and the operation of opening the abscess was performed. Before the cavity had been quite cleaned out. Dr. Williams drew the witness’ attention to the breathing of the patient,' which had suddenly ceased. Artificial respiration was immediately applied, and continued for over half-an-hour, but without result. In answer to the Coroner,, the witness said that there was r.o reason to anticipate that she woud not take the chloroform well, as she had been under a long operation before. He thought the cause of death was due to sudden cessation of the htart’s action, and not to asphyxiation, a.s occurred in some cases. He had had many opportunities of observing Dr. Williams administering anaesthetics, and was sure no one could exercise more care than, he did on this occasion. Dr. Williams gave similar evidence as to the fatality. Gertrude Wheeler, qualified nurse, gave evidence that everything possible was done at the operation, and during the attempts to revive the patient they had had the assistance of a trained nurse and a probationer. The verdict returned by the Coroner was that deceased died of heart failure while under an anaesthetic, administered by John Win. Williams, a duly qualified practitioner, in the presence of Dr. C. F. Scott, for the purpose of performing a surgical operation upon her. The Coroner added that he was satisfied that proper precautions were taken by the medical practitioners in attendance before the administration of the anaesthetic, and that every effort was used to restore animation, and that no blame was attachable to anyone for the death of the deceased. The funeral of Mrs. Harding took place yesterday afternoon, the interment being in the Makaraka cemetery. Mrs. Harding was well known in this xj district, and leaves three sons, many friends, to mourn their loss.