INQUEST AT THE HOSPITAL

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 201, 23 August 1904, Page 5

INQUEST AT THE HOSPITAL

Mr T. ,Gresh2m (C:ty Coroner) conducted an inquest this morning on the body of Mrs M. A. i'ople, who died recently at the Hospital, while Sergeant Hentlry appeared on behalf of the police. Dr. Pabst deposed that he was called to the case at about 7 p.m. on the 21s' inst. The condition in which he found the deceased led him at fir=t to suppose that it was a case of scarlet fever, but on examination he changed his opinion, and had the patient sent to the Hospital a« a possible ease of blood-poisoning. After the death he mnde a post mortem examination. There v> ere no marks of violence or improper treatment, either internal or external. From the fact that the deceased was able to go about in a normal way he inferred that she could not have been seriously ill on the Thursday. Mrs Harriet Mawkes said she had known the deceased for about 13 months, and had seen her regularly during that period on an average of once a week. On Wednesday, ]7th, witness accompanied the deceased from Oneluinga to Queen-street, Auckland, where she (Mrs Pople) was examined by Drs. Murphy and Rockvray. According to Dr. Rockway, there was nothing imme.palely wrong, though deceased wa9 suf fering from a slight inflammation. When witness saw the deceased on Saturday evening about 5 p.m. deceased was quite unconscious and unable to give any ac count of herself. Dr. Pabst (recalled) said it was quite probable that infection had been introduced into the system prior to Wednesday. Albert Pople, motorman. the husband of the deceased, said that his wife had been attended for some time for gastric ulceration by Dr. Keller. About a fort night previously to Wednesday last she called to see Dr. Murphy, as she believe , that the trouble of ulceration had set in again. An appointment was made for an examination on Wednesday, anJ. she kept it. although she remarked thn 4 the pain had disappeared, and, as far a witness could see. she was suffering from no serious illness. Witness , continuing, said that o" Friday his wife died not get up till be tween 11 and 12 a.m. She did not aj.pear very well, and he though; from ajnearances that she was suffering fror. a severe bilious attack. When he re

turned late on Friday evening she wa: sti'l feeling dizzy, though she w<i* qui.o ralional, as was also the up till Satun iy morning, though during th' rupht she had been somewhat delirious. Laitr on her condition alarmed him and wfnt into Auckland to see Dr. Mur phy a<: tbe dispensary in Queen-at r->«t. The hours of on Saturday w;re supposed to be from nine a.m. unti' one p m., but at 11.15 a.m. ho found tin place shut, and it was some tiny before he could see aiiyatd iaeide. Eventually an assistant opened the dotir. and when asked if the doctor was avai. able informed him tha-t the place was closed until 7 p.m., it having been decided by the Board at a meeting held the night previously to close the plaei until seven o'clock. Witness and some others who Md assembled argued tha: this had not been advertised. In the end he (Mr Cople) was told tha-t if h: would wait until the other people had gote away he would be conducted to Dr. Murphy, who wis upstairs. As th'others did not disperse, and on his st>ting that It was a matter of life and death he was taken up to see the doctor. Dr. Murphy, when told what was wrong, said that the trouble from which his wife was suffering had not Ling to do with what he bad examined her for, and -suggested that she had caught coiu. On witness saying that his wife wat, semi-conscious he gave witness somtmedicine and aW> said that ii Mrs Cople did not get better witness wa.to telephone to him on Sunday morn' ing. In the evening her condition v.a ; ;

so se»ious that he 'railed in Dr. who eaine tr see h<»r again Lext morning and ordered her instant r*mova to the Hospital, where she was taker* in a cab w'thout my delay. She we in a p.ta*3 oa collapse when admitted, but he attributed this to the joking 01 •the tab. Dr. Murphy asked witness if ht did not teJl him (Dr. Murphy) that his wife was giddy, and that he did not mention unconsciousness? Witness saiu he was certain that he told Dr. i.'.urphy of the semi-conscious condition of his wife, but he might have said she - ;as giddy with reference to the previous day. In answer to another question of the doctor's, Mr Cop'le said he wu.s unaware that Onehunga was outside his visiting limits, but we was not aware that calls made outside the limits were made at the doctor's convenience. Considerable discussion took place at this stage as to the adjournment of the inquest. The foreman thought it would be advisable to have the bottles of medicine given by Dr. Murphy to Mr Cople, produced. The inquest was then adjourned until 9 a.m. to-morrow. {Proceeding.)