DEATH OF AN INFANT.

CORONER'S COMMENTS

A dreadful state of affairs was revealed at an inquest on the body ot an illegitimate child. James Joseph >olan, held at the Morgue yesterday by 31r H. W. Bishop, S.M. The child died in the house of its mother -id Salisbury street, on Sunday, and there was no medical man in attendance. THE INQUEST. Dr F. G. Westenra stated that he had made a post mortem examination oi" the body oi the deceased, lne body was that of a male child, and, judging by its appearance, about a month old. 'l"ne mother stated tliat it was six weeks. , , Mr Bishop: It was a miserable specimen, anyhow. 1 don't know what they breed such children for. Dr. Westenra: The body was attenuated and shrunken. Thero was a general absence di fat in the tissues, the organs in thy chest were healthy, though the heart was pale. The pericardial sack contained an increased quantity of fluid. The- stomach was dilated," empty, and pnle in colour. The intestines also were empty. There was a complete absence of fat in the abdominal cavity. The cause of death was malnutrition. In reply to Mr Bishop, Dr. "Westenra said that the most common cause of the death of these children was improper feeding. Of course, some children could not di'cest anyth;'i,£. The mother said that she had given it a patent food, and later barley, but neither of these was a suitable food. Mr bislio?/: It's most extraordinary. Sho is not fit to be n mother, as she, doesn't seem to take the slightest care of a child. She has had two illegitimate children. Dr. Westenra: Tlie food was quite unsuitable for so young a child. THE MOTHER'S EVIDENCE. Mary Ann Nolan, married woman, eitated tha£ she had not seen her husband for four years, and did not know where he was. He had .<-ft her. They had not been legally separated. Witness had had four children altogether. Two were dead. The fin-st two were by her husband, the others beinc; illegitimate. Both the illegitimate chi.dien were now dead. Mr Bishop: It's a funny thing that both the illegitimate children are dead. Witness: Yes, sir, the other one died in tho hospital from whooping cough and convulsions. The deceased was bom on January 9th. It had bean delicate since birth. Witne-s did not suckle it, but started feeding it on Allenbury's food, and then on Kobkison's patent barley. Mr Bishop: Who recommended these things to you ? Witness: The chemist had told her that theso foods were good icr infants. Mr Bishop: l'ou must havo noticed that the child was failing, it's a merebag of bones. Witness: My grandmother, aged G/ years, who had charge of the child, first noticed that it was failing. Mr Bishop: It is a most astonishing thing to mo that you could not see the child was' fading away. It is in a shocking state. Why did you not consult a doctor or someone to give you proper advice about the baby? .Maternity seems to sit very lightly on you. Witness: The child took the bottle all right. It didn't cry very much. Mr Bishop: Poor httlo thing, it had not got tho strength to cry. Witness, continuing, said she saw the baby at midnight on Saturday, and it seemed all right then. Witness gave it a bottle of fresh food, which it took all right. Sho covered the chi.id up and left it, thinking it was sleeping. About seven on Sunday, when witness woke, she saw that it was dead. Tho body was stiJl quiU warm. Mr Bishop: It is a most astounding thing to mc you -did not see that this child was dying. You did not take much notice of it. It was not rigiit to allow your grandmother to look after.it, A woman of her ago is not a proper person to have charge of a baby. THE CORONER'S WARNING. Addressing the mother, Mr Bishop continued: I etill don't think you hay* •satisfactorily accounted for yourself in regard to this shocking affair. Witness said that sho worked as a general in Armagh street, and earned £1 per week. Her grandmother was an old age pensioner. Mr Bishop (to Dr. Westenra): Judging from the condition of the body how long do you think it had been deteriorating r Dr. Westenra: The child had never started to go ahenu ixi all. The.Mother: The baby grew but it did not put on any flesh. Mr Bishop: You had ,better stop this business. If you go having any moro illegitimate children, and don't look after them you will be getting into serious trouble. If you can't feed them and take proper carb of them you should not have illegitimate children. You'r6 not fit to have children. This is a shocking case, and you had better bo very careful or you will be in very serious trouble. The Mother: Yes sir, I'll see that this won't happen again. I have had quite enough of it. Mr Bishop: Yes, that's all right, but you had better be very careful. The Coroner recorded a verdict that the child died from malnutrition.