ADDENDA


From the archives: Counting swabs


TODAY such cases are known as “never events” but they were no less uncommon 76 years ago. In April 1938 The Guardian newspaper reported an action against a Manchester surgeon and his theatre sister brought by the mother of a young man suffering from a perforated duodenal ulcer. He was admitted to Davyhulme Park Hospital for abdominal surgery. The procedure carried out by a Dr Osborne and assisted by Miss Ashburner was routine but the patient grew unaccountably worse over the next few weeks until the stitches on the wound burst. A second operation was carried out by another surgeon during which an 8-by-10 inch swab was found in the man’s abdomen. Toxaemia had set in and the patient died the next day. Dr Osborne denied negligence claiming that during the


operation a note was kept on a blackboard of the number of swabs used. He testified that the number of swabs was counted


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before and after the operation by the theatre sister. Swabs can be hard to see when saturated with fluid and also difficult to detect by touch. Counting swabs meant that a surgeon did not have to risk harming the patient with an extensive wound search. The surgeon expressed the opinion there must have been a miscount of swabs. Another theory was that possibly two swabs where given to him at one time but Dr Osborne admitted that he had not felt around for any swabs before closing. Summing up, the judge advised the jury that ultimately it was


the surgeon who had failed to reasonably ensure all the swabs had been removed. Miss Ashburner was found not guilty of negligence contributing to the death. The jury found against Dr Osborne and he was ordered to pay damages of £616 along with costs. A rider was added to the opinion stating the surgeon had been working under difficult circumstances during the operation.


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ACROSS 1. Duty of _______ needed, says 9 (7)


5. Relative on spouse’s side (2-3) 8. Treat a boil (5) 9. Mid Staffs report author (7) 10. Tableland (7) 11. Follow (4) 13. Among (6) 15. Metabolic molecule (6) 18. Catch sight of (4) 20. Poisonous element (7) 23. Money holders (7) 24. Dry-hopped beer (5) 25. Filleted (5) 26. Italian rice dish (7)


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DOWN 1. Chris Martin and chums (8) 2. Feudal, Japanese martial artist (5)


3. First batsmen (7) 4. Acid ______, gastroesophageal disorder (6)


5. Not suitable or appropriate (5) 6. Fortunately (7) 7. Sagacious (4) 12. Writer of medical dramas (8) 14. Peptide hormone (7) 16. Settles snugly (7) 17. German emperor (6) 19. Financial return (5) 21. Time of darkness (5) 22. Absorbent pad (4)


See answers online at www.mddus.com. Go to the Notice Board page under News and Events.


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Object obscura: Hirtz’s compass


THE Hirtz compass was invented in 1907 by EJ Hirtz, a French medical officer and head of physiotherapy at a military hospital. The brass device was used to locate bullets in war wounds, especially in the brain. It was said to be accurate to within one or two millimetres. Bullets could then be removed surgically with precision, reducing damage to surrounding tissues. X-rays were also used to guide the surgeon. The device was used extensively during the First World War.


SUMMONS


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