SUDDEN DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 227, 22 September 1894, Page 5

SUDDEN DEATH.

, CORONER'S INQUEST,

Ay inquest was held yesterday afternoon ab the Globe Hotel in Wakefield-streeb. before Dr. Philson, Coroner, and a jury of six, respecting the deabh of Alice Ann Harris, of Kihikihi, who died suddenly at Mrs Lampra's residence in Wakefield-streeb on Wodneaday evening last. Ellen Lampra deposed that deceased was the wife of Mr Johnston Harris, bootmaker, Kihikihi, Waikato. On Monday last she .came to Auckland by herself to undergo an operation on her right eye. She came to stay at witness! house. On Tuesday she went to see Dr. Wilkins. Deceased was in good spiritß, and wished to have the operation done. Noit day (Wednesday), ab aboub 2 p.m., the deceased went to tho doctor's surgery in Sbortland-streeb, in company with witness and another friend, named Mrs Loggie. Witness was not present at bhe operation. She only went into the operating room afterwards when the deceased appeared to be regaining conicionsness. Presently she sat up and conversed cheerfully.. Wibness remained in the surgery aboub two hours. Deceased pub on her own clothes and gloves, and walked to a cab, and was driven, home. They undressed her and pub her into bed immediately. About an hour afterwards aha appeared to be fainting and was breathing heavily, She did net speak or vomit. The doctor was sent for at seven and be arrived ab oiglit He ordered mustard poultices to be applied over her hearb, and hob flannels to her stomach and legs, bub witb no effect, for she died ab nine in bbc presence of the doctor, witness and Mrs Loggie. She passed away very quietly, breathing in a moaning manner before death. Witness did nob know who reported the matter to the police. She did not.instruct Mr R. Armitage. She waß perfectly satisfied with all that was done as being done for bhe best.. Mrs Loggie corroborated the evidence of the .previous witness. Tho deceased, she said, vomited after the operation was completed. Before going to the doctor she had told wibness that she had made up her mind to undergo the operation. Dr. Wilkins deposed to the deceased consulting him at his surgery on Tuesday last, the 18th, with referonco to her right eye. He told her thab nothing, would ease the sevore pain which she complained of bub removal ot the eye itself. She had allowed it to go too long before consulting a physican, or tho. operation could have been performed and tho eye saved. On the firsb day thab she came wibness bold her to go and consult with her friends bofore deciding whebher she would undergo bhe operation. She returned on Wednesday with a friend and expressed her wish to have the eyo removed Witness then administered chloroform and removed the eye, the operation taking eight minutes. The eyeball was undurated and filled with coagulated blood. About bwo drachms of chloroform were given which seemed to affecb her speedily. After the operation the deceased recovered immediately. The reason why she remained in his surgery for two hours was because witness was not busy that afternoon, and he allowed her to remain. She left his place aboub 3.30. A messenger came to his house aboub seven the same evening and informed him that Mrs Harris was in a low state. He accordingly went to Mrs Lampra's ab aboub eight. Ho ab once gave her hob water and whisky, and ordered a hob brick to be placed ab her feefc. She was in a very low condition, however, and died about nine o'clock. He thoughb deabh was due to asthenia, and that in no respect was ib ..caused, by tho chloroform. Ho thought ib likely that.the fatal result was partly attributable to nervous shock. The jury, after a few minutes' deliberation; brought in a verdict that tho deceased died from nervous exhaustion. The Coroner : Caused by whab ? Tho Foreman: As I am nob a doctor I cannot say. Ib is our opinion that there was no necessity to hold an inquest ab all. Wo do nob consider that any blame attaches to anyone for the deabh of tho woman.