Gardai are awaiting the results of a toxicology report on the body of a man exhumed as part of an investigation into two suspicious deaths following the suspension of a nurse from Naas General Hospital.
The body of 77-year-old Mr John Gethings, who died at Naas hospital on March 1st, was exhumed from a cemetery at Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, yesterday.
As revealed in yesterday's Irish Timesa nurse at the hospital was suspended after a member of staff expressed concern about the amount of medication given to one patient by the nurse.
Two deaths at Naas hospital which may have "occurred in an unnatural manner" were reported to the Kildare coroner Prof Denis Cusack on July 16th and July 21st. He said a decision on whether to exhume the body of the second deceased would not be taken until the results of the toxicology tests are known.
The female nurse was suspended from duty on July 14th after the South Western Area Health Board contacted the gardai.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy conducted a post-mortem on Mr Gethings's remains at the Dublin City Morgue yesterday. The body was then returned to Baltinglass and reinterred after a short service.