Sudden death in a case in which chloroform was being administered / by W. A. Roberts, M.D.

  • Roberts, William Alfred.
Date:
[1855]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sudden death in a case in which chloroform was being administered / by W. A. Roberts, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    SUDDEN DEATH IN A CASE IN WHICH (CHLOROFORM WAS BEING ADMINISTERED. Br W. A. ROBERTS, M.D., Sdrgeon-Dentist.i [ttEPRI.NTED FROM TUE EDINBUBOK MEDICAL JOURNAL, DEOEMBEB 1855.] LUE sudden death of a lady, while under my care for the extraction some teeth, having been reported in several of the journals as a use of Death from Chloroform, and having created a consider- ole sensation in the public mind, I consider it necessary to com- iiunicate the particulars of that unfortunate case, so that the profes- >on may be enabled to judge as to the cause or the association of rrcumstances which brought about the fatal result. Mrs H , aged 36 years, tall, and rather delicate in appear- nice, called, at 3 p.m., at my house, on Tuesday the 30th October i^st, accompanied by her husband, for the purpose of having the nur lower incisor teeth extracted. With the intention of dissuading L'jr from the use of chloroform, I remarked that the operation would ; j very simple, as the roots were single and by no means firm; but ne replied, Oh, but I must have chloroform. You have given to me before, and you must give it to me now. Her husband ^ipressed no wish in the matter; and as I had administered chloro- ■ rm to her on four previous occasions during the last twelve months, ithout any unusual effect, and as I was aware that her medical *.tendant in the countiy gave it to her during her accouchement, 'me months previous to her first visit, I consented to its employ- ent on this occasion also. While preparing to sit down in the operating chair, she said, illave you lieard of that case of deatli from chloroform which ;curred lately in my neighbourhood, while a person was having a ■oth extracted? and, again, when seated, she observed, I teel ither nervous. My son assisted mc in administering, in the sual way, the chloroform, which was the preparation of Messrs 'uncan and Flockhart. Mrs H had only taken about nine or Read before the Medico-Cliirurgical Society.