INQUEST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 6083, 2 October 1903, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest relative to the circumstances attending tho death of an infant child of George and Florence Hafl'enden of Waterton was held at Waterton yesterday afternoon, before Mr R. Alcorn, J.P., Acting Coroner, and a jury of six, of whom Mr William McLauchlan was chosen foreman. Constable Fry appeared for the police.

The body having been viewed, evidence was adduced as follows : —

Florence llaffenden, mother of the decease!, deposed :—The child was nine month old, and had been rather delicate from its birth. He appeared to be in good health until Saturdiy lagt/when he seemed as if he'had caught a cold. Did not think it was anything very serious, neither did her mother. Put him to bed at about nine o'clock on Tuesday night, and he slept until about one, when he awoke, and went off to sleep again without taking any food. The child did not move at all, and at three o'clock witness woke up and found the child was dead in her arras.

Hugh HuntGr, duly qualified medical practitioner, residing in Ashburton, deposed j—Had made a post mortem examination of the body of the child in the adjacent room. The body was well nourished, and had no marks of violence. The internal organs were all healthy, except^the lungs, both of which were acutely inflamed. In his opinion death was due to acute inflammation of both lungs. Had heard the evidence of the mother, of the child aldeping before death, and from the nature of the disease consklsrel tMs would be likely. '' ' "'The'jury wiE'thoot retiring roturnei a verdict in accordance ' with the medical evidence, that the cause, of doath was acut° Inflammation qf the lungs.