FATHER OBJECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 277, 22 November 1934, Page 8

FATHER OBJECTS.

DOCTOR'S TREATMENT.

ARGUMENT OVER CHILD. SHARP COMMENT BY CORONER (By Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Sharp comment by the coroner, Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., addressed to the father of Peter Raymond Wheeler, a ,12-nionth-old child, who died at liis home in Colenso Street, Sumner, on November 10, ended the inquest this morning.

"It is fortunate for you, Mr. Wheeler," the coroner declared, "that the evidence of the pathologist's report enables mo to free you from portion of the responsibility. Had it not, you would have been in a very serious position. Ido not think any medicine, good or bad, that could have been given by Dr. Bakewell, would have saved this child's life."

Dr. Bakewell, of Sumner, said he was called in at 1.30 a.m. The child was in a bedroom. ire made a quick examination, and was told the child had been vomiting. ~ He began to give the child small doses of magnesia by the mouth, to delay the vomiting. He sat the child up and its appearance improved. It lost its livid tinge, and although very white its appearance was better. "Did Not Believe in Medicine." "At this point my treatment was interfered with," said the doctor. "Objections had been voiced at my giving the child the medicine, but at this point the father took charge and ordered me away from the child, and said he did not believe in medicine. There was considerable argument, but lie persisted. I was ordered away from the child altogether. He informed me that he was a 'crank.' Eventually I left, after giving final instructions to keep the child in the position I had settled him." Two hours after he returned homo, said the doctor, a neighbour of Wheeler's informed him that the child was dead. Witness informed the police. In reply to the coroner the doctor said he had heard the cause of deatli given in the pathologist's report, and did not think he could have saved the child. The verdict returned, in accordance with the pathologist's report, was that death was due to (1) oedema of the brain; (2) toxaemia; and (3) Hirschsprung's disease (congenital dilation of the large bowel). The father, in reply to questions, said he was 40 years old, and had been in New Zealand eight years. He was born in England, but had lived some time in America. Ho had picked up his ideas in America. He believed in giving Nature a chance to right things. "I don't want to be impertinent, but you yourself may one day owe your life to hot water and oranges," said witness to the coroner. "I believe in taking my hints on medicine from experts," said Mr. Mosley. Later the coroner addressed the father, telling him that he could not ulopt the attitude he was adopting in 1 country like New Zealand. He could not call in a doctor and treat him in the way he had treated Dr. Bakewell. "I hope you won't be so v foolish igain," the coroner warned Wheeler. i "May I say something?" asked 1 Wheeler. "I think it was sun stroke.' - ' 1