Evening star., 1925-06-22
HOSPITAL ACCIDENT
IS FATAL TO NURSE
Coroner's Jury Finds Death
of Miss Bowers Due to
No Negligence.

Miss Lois Bowers, 90 years old, stu.
Hospital. who was severely burned a
week ago while performing her duties
in the sterilizing room at the hospital
just after an operation had been per-
formed, died about 80 o'clock this
morning. During her lingering illness
she had never been in condition to be
questioned about the affair. and a cor
oner's jury. at an inquest held at the
morgue today, reached the conclusion
that death was the result of an acci-
dent.
DR.. Joseph D. Rogers. deputy cor
oner, made statement to the jury to
the effect that there was no disposition
on part of the hospital authorities
to conceal the facts relative to the
AFFAIR. The morning after Miss Bowers
was burned, he stated, he was advised
OF the affair and he mentioned it to
Coroner Nevitt.
Hospital Did Duty.
Coroner hewitt explained that the
affair did not come within his province
until death occurred, and in responses
to an inquiry by the coroner, DR..
Rogers said he made no mention. of
the affair to the police. DIR. Rogers
said he thought the hospital author
tiles had fully performed what they
believed to be their duty in the mat
ter. 1t was something out of the
ordinary. he said, and officials prob
ably believed they thought their duty
had been fulfilled when they told him
of 1t, believing he was acting coroner
at the time.
1t was testified by Charles Wallace,
colored orderly, whose hand was
burned while trying to assist Miss
Bowers, that nothing he had in his
care was connected with the sad af-
fair. Miss Bowers dress ignited from
something near where she was work
ing in the sterilizing room he said
and he later found an ether can on
the floor.
He said he turned off the gas after
Miss Bowers dress had ignited. There
was no explosion, he declared, his first
intimation Of something being wrong
was when Miss Bowers made an out.
cry. Looking. he said, he saw her
dress afire.
ExOnerate Orderly.
Miss Elsie NJ. Maurer, supervisor of
nurses, and others testified to the
good character and ability of Wallace
as an orderly in the operating room.
Jesse Adkins, attorney and member
of the hospital board, appeared at the
inquest in the interest of the hospital.
The accident was never formally
reported to the police until a reporter
for The Star, investigating a rumor
of the accident. called at the second
precinct Saturday and informed the
officers there that the young nurse
was not expected to live.
When fhae rennrfor fret nal1od of
the hospital, just prior to visiting the
police station, he was referred to the
superintendent, who pointblank re-
/ fused to divulge any of the circum.
stances surrounding the case, taking
the stand that it was not necessary
to notify any person outside of the
hospital of an accident that had oc.
Cured within.
Try to Cover Case.
She severely upbraided the reporter
for interfering" and even refused to
give him the names of members of
the board of directors. Within an
hour after, however, two members OF
the board called The Star and offered
to give out the information imme
diately.
Members Of the board Of trustees
Of the hospital admitted an error had
been made in not reporting the acci.
dent sooner, but they explained that
they were not sure of the details
and had hoped up to the last that
Miss Bowers would at least regain
consciousness sufficiently to substan
tiate the details obtained from Wal
lace.
Hospital authorities said that a rela
tive Of Miss Bowers had strenuously
objected to her going into training
as a nurse. having a premonition that
| something. terrible would happen. to
her. The girl, however, laughed al
the suggestion. made formal applica
ton and was admitted. She had re
| ceived full operating room experience
| before the accident.