MENTAL PATIENT'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 208, 31 August 1920, Page 5

MENTAL PATIENT'S DEATH.

. KICKED BY ANOTHER INMATE. (By Telegraph.—Tresa Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. Mr. Bartholomew, S.M., conducted an in quiry at Seacliff into the circumstances surrounding tbe death of a male mental patient who died of injuries inflicted b.v another patient in the same ward. Dr. Blair stated that deceased, w.ho was 40 years of age, was committed to the mental hospital 1(3 years ago, suffering from dementia. >Je was not usually vioj lent, but had a habit of putting hi? , hand into other people's pockets. On j Sunday witness was informed that the I patient had been kicked by another I and visited him in bed. He died yester- ! day. As the result of a post mortem j examination, be was of the opinion that j deceased had died of general peritonitis j following rupture of the intestines. The other patient by whom the injuries wer< inflicted was in the same ward as the deceased man and was periodically vio lent. The coroner returned a verdict ir accordance with the medical testimony adding that the patient who committee the assault could not be deemed respon sible for his actions.