TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 302, 30 December 1897, Page 5

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

TH E P0 S T-M ORT E M

EXAMINATION.

EVIDENCE OF AN ILLEGAL

OPERATION,

i At ten o'clock this morning the inquest into the circumstances surrounding the : recent death of the young woman Susan Harriett Campbell McCallum was resumed at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Hobsonstreet, before' Mr E. Baker, J.P., and a jury of six. Inspector Hiekson represented the police. The principal evidence to-day was that of the doctors who performed the post-mortem examination of the young woman's body, Drs. Bakewell and Scott. DR.' ORPEN'S FLIGHT. The Coroner said : One of the jurors informed me this morning that his son saw Dr. Orpen on the mail-steamer at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the wharf.

Inspector Hiekson said he had clear cvi deuce that a ticket was issued to Dr. Orpen for the mail-steamer.

DR. BAKEWELL'S STATEMENT.

Dr. R. H. Bakewell continued his sworn statement as to the post-mortem examination. He gave a detailed description of the condition of the internal organs. There was a larg® abscess which almost filled the cavity of the pelvis. An examination of the womb revealed a puuctuied wound, which extended upwards for an inch and a quarter. Dr. Bakewell in .conclusion said: I. did not examine the whole of the intestines because I punctured my linger at the beginning of the examination, and I was really doing it at the risk of my life throughout. The cause of death, 1 may state, was general peritonitis, or inflammation of the peritoneum, caused by wound of the uterus, and the large pelvic abscess.

[ Inspector Hiekson: You say that the wound in the womb was caused by tlie ihI strument used in procuring abortion ? .

Dr. Bakewell: Oh, there is no doubt about it. The sick feeling she described was no doubt caused by the puncture. Inspector Hiekson : Will you give your reasons ?

Dr. Bakewell: Well, I think it is better not to enter into reasons. I give my evidence as an expert, and it is my sworn opinion that that was the cause of death. Inspector Hiekson : Do you consider the abscess in the pelvis in any way connected with the wound in the uterus ?

Dr. Bakewell: Oh, yes. There was first the wound, and then the inflammation communicated itself to the neighbouringtissues.

This concluded the doctor's examination. In the course of some remarks the Inspector said he was afraid the inquiry would " all end in smoke."

Dr. Bakewell : Well, it will do this amount of good, it will help to put an end to this practice in Auckland. Doctors here are pestered with applications to procure abortion. Only last week I had to turn two women out of my house who persisted in worrying me to procure abortion. In answer to a juror Dr. Bakewell said : In my opinion death was clue to the wound in the uterus. But even supposing there had been no wound the operation itself is attended with very great risk of death.

DR. SCOTT'S EVIDENCE. Dr. Win. George Scott deposed : I was called to make a post mortem examination of the deceased in conjunction with Dr. Bakewell. I have heard Dr. Bakewell's evidence relating to this, and confirm it in every particular. Post mortem rigidity was marked at the time of examination. Yesterday, on examining the body, 1 found this had passed oil. This indicates that death was somewhat rapid in an otherwise healthy subject. In my opinion the steps leading up to death'were as follows-—First, punctured wound of the womb; second, inflammation which was set up from this, and continued into the tissues around the womb, being so intense behind this organ as to produce an abscess ; next general peritonitis, consequent on the preceding conditions; a secondary abscess of one kidney, and finally an'absorption of poisonous materials resulting from such inflammation, producing exhaustion and finally death. In my opinion there was no other diseased condition revealed that would have caused death. I consider that the steps detailed by Dr. Purchas in the treatment of the case wCre right and proper in the circumstances, and that his operation of " curetting" could not have produced.the wound found in the womb; that the abscess was probably of one or two weeks duration at least, and could therefore not have been consequent on any manipulation described as done by Dr. Purchas. Dr. Scott, in the course of further evidence, stated that assuming the operation to procure miscarriage had been skilfully performed the wound would not have been caused. He believed the procuring of miscarriage is not legal under any circum-

stances.

Inspector Hiekson : No, it is not,

DR. OKPEN'S DEPARTURE.