DRUGS played a contributory role in the death of an elderly Co Laois man who was a patient in a nursing home in Portlaoise.
An inquest yesterday into the death of Frank Burke (86) at the Aisling Nursing Home was informed that his death on Saturday, August 26th, 1995, was contributed to by an injection of a combination of drugs - pethidine, promazine and dihyrochodeine.
Dr Margaret Bolster, pathologist, explained that none of the drugs was present in his body at a fatal level however, the combination in an ill patient played a contributory role in his death.
Both dihyrochodeine, a painkiller, and promazine, a sedative, had been prescribed for the patient; however, there was no prescription for the third drug, pethidine, which is manufactured as an analgesic painkiller.
Mr Burke, from Killamuck, Abbeyleix, had been under the care of Dr Thomas Kiernan, consultant physician at the General Hospital, Portlaoise, before his transfer to the nursing home on August 2nd, 1995. During his stay at the hospital, pethidine was not prescribed by Dr Kiernan or any of the junior doctors.
Mr Burke had been referred to the hospital by Dr John Keating, a GP with a practice in Abbeyleix, who prescribed dihydrochodeine and promazine for Mr Burke. He had been comatose since 10 a.m. when Dr Keating visited him at 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 24th. He did not prescribe any new medication but mentioned that he did not think Mr Burke would last too long - maybe 24 hours.
Ms Maureen Carroll, a cook who sometimes assisted with general duties at the nursing home, recalled arriving to work on Saturday morning at about 9.45 a.m. When she inquired about Mr Burke, Mrs Philomena Gorman informed her that he had died at 4 a.m.
Mrs Gorman, a qualified nurse, said she was evicted from the Aisling Nursing Home, which she owned for 12 years. It was a registered nursing home. She said no drugs were administered to Mr Burke since August 24th. She came on duty at 6 p.m. on August 25th.
She could not explain the presence of pethidine in Mr Burke's body. At no time was it administered by her or by any member of the staff. The coroner, Mr Eugene O'Connor, adjourned the inquest to Tuesday, October 8th for further evidence.