The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-01 00:00:00

DEATH FROM CHLOROFORM.

Oa Friday afternoon an important investigation
took place before Mr. William Payne, the coroner for
London and Southwark, and a special jury, in the
board-room of Guy's Hospital, respecting the death
of Alexander Scott,' aged thirty-four, a police-con-
stable of the R division, who died from the effects of
chloroform while undergoing an operation for the
removal of a portion of the right hand, which had
been bitten by a man thirteen months previously
whilst on duty at Deptford.
James Scott, of Creek-road, Deptford, stated that
the deceased was his brother. In May, 1849, the
deceased received an injury to the right hand while
on duty by having-one of his fingers bitten by a man
whom he bad taken into custody for creating a dia..
turbance. The middle finger was soon afterwards
amputated by a surgeon at Deptford, but deceased
always complained of great pain in the limb. On
Wednesday week deceased was advised to apply to
Guy's Hospital, with a view of having some operation
performed to relieve him. Witness came to the hos-
pital on Wednesday last, just after the operation had
been performed, and then found his brother dead.
By the CORONER—Had heard since the death that
deceased had died under the influence of chloroform,
taken by his own wish, as he (the deceased) could
not bear the pain attending the operation.
The next witness called was—

John Lacy, the dresser to Mr. Edward Cock, one
of the senior surgeons, who stated that he first saw

the deceased on the morning of Wednesday last.
Witness examined the right hand, and found that the
second finger had been removed at the knuckle joint.
Mr. Cock was present, and everything having been
arranged chloroform was administered to the deceased
by the machine, but not taking effect it was applied
in another way. In about two minutes the chloroform
took the proper effect. The operation was then com-
menced by Mr. Cock, when the deceased appeared to
be fainting, and just as Mr. Cock had completed the
operation the deceased was found to be dead.

Mr. Edward Cock said, the deceased was sent to
him by a surgeon at Deptford for severe pain in the
right hand. One of the fingers had been removed,
and deceased suffered great pain at the stump. Wit-
ness found him to be a strong vigorous man. The bone
was in a diseased state, as were also the nerves, pro-
ducing very great tenderness of the arm and right
side of the body. The only remedy was to remove
the end of the bone and the diseased nerves. The
deceased came into the hospital to have the operation
performed ; when deceased said, "I hope; Mr. Cock,
you will give me chloroform, for I cannot bear the
pain." Witness informed him that he would rather
not use it and endeavoured to dissuade him from
taking it ; but the deceased addect that he had ma le
up his mind to have it administered to him. Wit-
ness always objected to the use of chloroform, for it
could never be given without some degree of danger.
The ordinary machine was used, and, as it had not
the effect, witness directed that a napkin should be
folded into the shape. of a comb, which was applied
with chloroform. The operation of removing a por-
tion of the bone occupied one minute and a half, but
before it was completed the blood which was gushing
out suddenly stopped, when witness directed Mr.
Lacy to feel the pulse of deceased, when they ascer-
tained that the deceased had expired.
The CORCINER—W hat was the cause of death ?

Witness —The chloroform most undoubtedly. In this
instance a very small quantity had been us-d, not a
tenth part of what had been administered in other
cases. Witness could not account for the patient
dying, and was certain there was no disease about
him. So strong and powerful an agent was chi°, o-
form that it could not be administered without some
amount of risk and danger, and the penalty the public
must pay for the alleviation from pain would be a
death occasionally. A similar death occurred about
12 months since at St. Thomas's Hospital, and many
other deaths might he recorded. It might be used
one or two thousand times, or more, succesatiliv,
and was of great assistance to the operator. The
public ought to know the danger and great risk at-
tending its administration. In many cases where
chloroform had been used witness had waited with
breathless attention for the recovery of the patient.
Witness strongly objected to its use.
The CORONER then summed up the evidence, re-
marking at some length on the melancholy drown-