The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-11 00:00:00

DEATH FROM CJILOROFORY.

A most extraordinary and painful circumstance
occurred to a patient named Carrell, at the
Northampton Infirmary on Wednesday, from the
administration of chloroform. Deceased had been
lodging in Commercial-street, and went to the
infirmary on Saturday with the determination of
having a tumour taken out of his back, which had
caused him annoyance for several years, and which
be had been informed would some day prove fatal
if allowed to take its own course. This had been
repeatedly pressed upon deceased by his fellow-
workmen, at Mr. Mulliner's, coach-builder. Under
these impressions the poor man went to the infir-
mary, where he was dieted until Wednesday
morning, and then taken to the operating room,
for the purpose of having the tumour
extracted. 1)r. Gray and Dr. Mash were present, to
whom deceased expressed a wish that chloroform
might be administered before the operation com-
menced. Dr. Mash did not think it necessary to use
chloroform, and therefore explained to Carrell the
nature of the operation, telling him that it would
not be very painful nor very dangerous, but deceased
still persisted in his wish. Dr. Mash therefore con-
sulted Dr. Ashdown (as is usual) and requested that
gentleman to examine the deceased to ascertain if
he was able to bear the effects of chloroform. Dr.
Ashdown said there was no danger, and accordingly
the house-doctor, Mr. Gray, was instructed to admi-
nister the anaesthetic, which he did; the chloroform
being given on a handkerchief. Tts effects were
soon visible upon deceased, who duly became insen-
sible, without anything unusual being observed,
although strictly noticed. On removing him into a
proper position for performing the operation it was
observed that his countenance was very much
changed. The suspicions of the operators were at
once aroused, and immediate steps were taken for
bringing the man to his senses again, instead of
commencing their surgical operation. Water and
other restoratives were resorted to, but all to no
purpose. Artificial breathing was then tried, but
this, too, was unavailing, and after an hour's futile
endeavours at restoration, the deceased was re-
luctantly given up as lost. An inquest was
held at the Infirmary, on Thursday, before E. P.
Hicks, Esq., county coroner (acting for J. Becke,
Esq.), and a respectable jury, on the body.----Mary
Carrell was the first to be examined, and said
the deceased was her husband. His name was
Patrick Carrell, a coach-smith. He was 42 years
of ago. He had perceived the tumour about nine
years ago, and often talked of having it taken out.
It originated through a blow inflicted by a police-
man at Liverpool, when the deceased was under
the influence of drink. He tiad only been in
Northampton since March last. (The unfortunate
woman was in tears, and appeared deeply affected.)
Drs. Gray, Mash, and Ashdown were examined,
all of whom stated that they had known patients to
inhale double the quantity of chloroform that had
been administered to deceased without any dan-
gerous effects resulting from its use. Every
precaution had been used by them in this as in
former cases, and it had been administered to hun-
dreds with perfect success. They could not account_ten
for this unusual occurrence, but had no heal:Vets
in saying that deceased had died through the
of chloroform. A post mortem examination had
of
been made by Drs. Mash and Gray, presence
the medical staff, and it appeared inh
that deceasedestu eis
brain, had been a man given to drinkimegutchhacboitusdg.
urseetdu returned a brain, heart, and lungs were very
chloro-
form ury, without any consultaiioena,
ver-
dict,," That deceased's death was
form duly administered. They also begged to state
that in their opinion the surgeons were entirely
free frrnn blame in the matter,_ as it appeared to
hat,an
them that the proper beencaution hadwhen
administering the chloroform.
—Northampton
Press.