Fractured Leg.
The St. John Ambulance, was called out last night to undertake a long journey to Haldon Station, Mackenzie Country, to convey an injured man to the Timaru Hospital. Mr A. McNally, who it is understood was engaged in rabbiting in that district, was driving a horse and gig away from the station after having had a meal there when the horse took fright and swerved, the driver being tipped out of the gig. It is reported that Mr McNally suffered a compound fracture of a leg. His home is said to be in the Ashburton district. -Timaru Herald, 24/1/1936.
YOUNG MAN’S DEATH.
INJURED WHILE RABBITING.
Shortly after being admitted to the Timaru Public Hospital suffering from injuries received, while he was rabbiting on the Haldon Station, in the Mackenzie Country, Mr Alexander McNally, aged 22, son of Mr Andrew McNally, of 122 Smithfield Head, Ashburton, died on Sunday as a result of complications which had set in.
Mr McNally was thrown from a gig he was driving, and he suffered a compound fracture of the leg. After being admitted to the hospital gangrene set in.
An inquest into the circumstances of the death was opened in Timaru yesterday before the Coroner (Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M.), and was adjourned after evidence of identification had been given. -Ashburton Guardian, 28/1/1936.
COLLAPSE UNDER ANAESTHETIC
CASE OF GAS GANGRENE AT TIMARU
(Special to the Press) TIMARU, January 30.
A verdict that death was caused by toxoemia, due to the presence of gas gangrene germs, increased by an anaesthetic administered for a necessary amputation of a leg with a compound fracture, was returned by the coroner, Mr C. R. Orr Walker, at an inquest at Timaru to-day into the death of Alexander George McNally, of Ashburton, who died in the Timaru Hospital, where he had been admitted after suffering injuries received by being thrown out of a horse trap near the Haldon station, Mackenzie Country.
Mr F. J. Rolleston appeared for the insurance company interested in the employers’ liability in respect of McNally. Sergeant Vaughan conducted the case for the police.
Dr. J. C. McKenzie, medical superintendent at the Timaru Public Hospital, gave evidence that McNally was admitted to the hospital on the morning of January 24 with a fracture of both bones of the left leg, which witness set. Witness saw McNally that night, and again the following day, when his condition appeared to be satisfactory.
Dr. R. F. Thomas, house surgeon, said that he saw the patient at the hospital, and attended him on the morning of Sunday, January 26. The witness noticed that the circulation in the foot was not good, and accordingly split one side of the plaster case to relieve the circulation. As there was no improvement after threequarters of an hour, he had the plaster case cut. At that time he had no suspicion of gangrene, but later found that this had supervened. He told the patient that he was in a serious condition, and informed McNally’s father that the leg should be amputated at once. He communicated with Dr. Ussher. McNally’s father did not consent at once to the amputation, and asked for time to ring up Ashburton about the case.
By this time, continued the witness, Dr. Ussher had arrived, and insisted on an immediate operation. Later, the father agreed to the operation taking place. The operation was begun by Dr. Ussher, with the witness assisting. Dr. Tulloch administered the anaesthetic. Half an hour later the patient collapsed, although the amputation had not taken place. Everything possible was done for him, but he failed to revive.
Dr. G. H. Ussher, practising in Timaru, said that the amputation was necessary. The father consented to the operation when he realised that it was necessary to save his son’s life. When the anaesthetist reported that the patient was not breathing all possible steps were taken to resuscitate him.
Dr. W. H. Unwin, who held a postmortem on the body of McNally, said that there was much discolouration of the leg and also discolouration and swelling of the neck. There was evidence of gas in the leg, the liver, the spleen, and the kidneys. He added that the case was the first one of gas gangrene he had seen in Timaru.
Dr. McKenzie, making a later statement, said that the hospital authorities did not regard an hour’s delay in obtaining the consent of parents to an operation as unreasonable. -Press, 31/1/1936.
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