FERNSIDE MAN'S DEATH.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19451, 26 October 1928, Page 7

FERNSIDE MAN'S DEATH.

FALL FROM HOSPITAL WINDOW. "ACCIDENT ONLY HASTENED DEATH." The inquest into the death of Joseph Sommer, of Fernside, a retired farmer, who died at the Christchurch Hospital on October 13th, after falling from a first-floor window on the previous day, was concluded before the Coroner, Mr E. D. Mpsley, yesterday. Sergeant Macnamara conducted the case for the police. Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, said that at the request of the Coroner, and with the consent of the relatives of deceased, he had conducted a post-mortem examination. Deceased had an incised wound over the outer part of the right eyebrow. He had abrasions to the nose, to the elbow, hand, and kneea. There was a simple fracture of both bones of the right leg. He did not think that the fractures would be able to be detected by external examination. At the time the police were making enquiries the fact that the leg was fractured was unknown. As a result of the post-mor-tem examination, he was of the opinion that death was due to three causes: atheroma, or gradual thickening of the blood-vessels; cerebral thrombosis, with softening; and shock, associated .with injuries. To Sergeant Macnamara, witness said that Sommer would have.died as a result of the original disease, the fall only hastening his end, and beinga contributing factor in his death. To tho Coroner, he said that Sommer would have lived only for a further week or two had he not suffered the fall. ■Evelyn Mabel Craig Bickerstaff, a probationer nurse at the Christchurch Hospital, said that she was on duty on September 16th, and was one of the nurses attending Sommer. His illness \ was connected with the brain, a paralytic stroke. Ho- often got up of his own free will, and walked about the ward. She had received no instructions as to how to deal with this matter. On October 12th she was on night duty, and saw Sommer in bed at about 11 o'clock. Witness then left the ward to attend to other patients leaving him in bed in a side room by himßelf. He was awake when she left him. About 11.30 she heard someone moaning aud talking, and she went into the patient's room. Seeing that he was not in bed, she looked for him in' the bathroom, but he was not there. She went to a window in the ward, and looking out, saw him lying on the asphalt; She rang for the house surgeon and the night sister. As she got to him the doctor came out, and the patient was taken back to his room. To Sergeant Macnamara, witness said that there was only one staff nurse in charge of the Hospital, comprising 13 wards, at night, and witness was in role '-barge of the ward. The nurse visited the wards twice during the night, and the night sister once. There were about 28 patients in the ward on the ■ night in question, all being medicalcases. Frederick Sommer, a farmer, of fernside, Rangiora, said he was a brother of the deceased. His brother was a widower with no family, and lived by himself at Fernside. His health had been good up to about 18 months ago, i when ho took a stroke and was sent to j the Hospital. He was in the Hospital ! about a month, and appeared to be better when discharged. He took ill again j at the beginning of the year and went under an operation. He suffered from hernia and a tumour on the side of his face. On this occasion, he was in the Hospital six weeks before being discharged. About July 19th, he complain- | e d of illness and later witnesß found liini lying in Vis kitchen. Witness sent for a doctor and his brother was ordered to the Hospital. Witness saw him about a week before his death, when he appeared to be improved in health,

but he seemed distressed and restless at being in the Hospital for such a long time. Witness said his brother was not a somnambulist. The Coroner returned the following verdict: "Joseph Sommer died at the Christchurch Hospital on October 13th, 1928. Death was due to atheroma, cerebral thrombosis and softening, and shock, associated with injuries received through falling out of , a window in Ward 2 at the Christchurch Hospital, a distance of about 30 feet, to the asphalt path below." The Coroner added that in his opinion there was no evidence of neglect on the part of the Hospital authorities or nurses, and that there- was no evidence to show how he got out of the window. Dr. Pearson's evidence satisfied him that had deceased not suffered the accident, his life would have ended within a week or so after the actual time of his death. The accident only hastened death bv a few da vs.