INQUEST AT WAIHI.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 140, 12 June 1908, Page 6

INQUEST AT WAIHI.

EVIDENCE OF PHOSPHORUS POISONING.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WAIHI, this day. An inquiry into the circumstances sur- [ rounding the sudden death of Sarah Jane Armstrong was continued this evening. Albert W. Armstrong, husband of the deceased, deposed that his wife had been ill for about three weeks or a month prior to being admitted to the hospital. She seemed to be suffering intense pain, •but he knew of no reason why she should have taken poison. About four years ago his wife got "rough on rats" in order to destroy some rats. Dr. Robertson stated that when he visited Mrs. Armstrong at her house she was suffering from pain in the abdomen and incomplete abortion. In the afternoon of her removal to hospital on the same day she turned blue, and a sudden collapse ended in death. Phosphorus poison was the cause of the discolouration. He subsequently considered that she must have takei phosphorus poison so7iic days before be was consulted. He did not arrive definitely at this conclusion until he had made a post mortem examination, though he suspected it when discolouration commenced. He then asked her if she had taken poison, and she denied it. Dr. Craig, who made the post-mortem examination, said the deceased woman must have taken a considerable quantiy of phosphorus several days before her death. Further evidence was adduced, pointing to the fact that phosphorus had been taken by misadventure, and not intentionally. A verdict was returned that death -was caused by phosphorus poisoning by misadventure.