A YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 79, 1 April 1908, Page 5

A YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH.

INQUEST AT THE HOSPITAL. An enquiry was resumed at tne Hospital this morning before the City Coroner (Mr. T. Gresham), into the circumstances surrounding the death of a younc woman named Isabella McLiver, who was admitted to the institution on March 6, and died eleven days later. Detective' MacMahon represented the police. Questioned by Detective MacMahon, the deceased's mother said that her daughter and she occupied the same room. Before being sent to the Hospital the girl had been ill for about three weeks, complaining of weakness and a sore throat. Witness was not aware during the illness that the girl was in a certain condition, and did not know of any intimacy which had existed between her daughter and any man. Dr. S. A. Bull said the deceased was admitted to the Hospital as suffering from typhoid, and though her symptoms closely resembled those of fever, several tests gave negative results. There were indications of pregnancy having existed, and a post-mortem examination having been made, the medical men concerned felt that they could not give a certificate ao to the cause of death. Witness concluded on an examination of the specimens that death had ensued from septic perqtonitis, the result of a miscarriage, and added that blood-poisoning as the result of a natural miscarriage was an extremely rare event. There was no i absolute evidence to show whether the occurrence was brought about by the girl herself or anyono else, though the possi-1 bility of it being self-procured was ex-' tremely unlikely.

Dr. Bertram said that the indications disclosed by the post-mortem were not such as would justify an assumption that the miscarriage had been a natural one. The witness concurred with Dr. Bull as to the cause of death.

Mrs. McLiver, recalled, said in answer to Detective MacMahon, that no one came in to interview the girl during her illness, and she was never away from home.

The jury concluded that the girl's death was due to peritonitis, following on a septic abortion, there being no evidence to enable them to determine by whom the abortion was procured.