WOMAN’S BODY EXHUMED

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25913, 20 September 1949, Page 6

WOMAN’S BODY EXHUMED

—♦ — CORONER’S VERDICT AT INQUEST (New Zealand Press Association.) HAMILTON, Sept. 19. That Ngaere Leslie Bobinson. al*c known as Naire Olive Jenkins, died at Te Awamutu on July 21. that the cause of death was a post-partem haemorrhage alter an abortion, and that such abortion was probably induced by a third person, was the verdict returned by the Coroner (Mr S. L. Paterson) when the inquet into her death was concluded to-day. The Coroner added the following ridem: That the evidence relating to the cause of the abortion was not available at the inquest on account of the action of Dr Clough Blundell in removing vital organ from the body without the authority of the relatives of Mrs Jenkins, and without the Coroner's order; that if the abortion was not induced by a third person, that a contributory cause of the death of Mn Jenkins was the neglect of Dr. Blundell to ensure that proper treatment wai given in accordance with recognised medical practice; that a copy of the depositions be forwaided to the New Zealand Medical Council.

“The circumstances as to the cause of the death of the woman were such as tt cause the Minister of Health, upon applj. cation of the police, to issue an exhurna. tion order,” said the Coroner. “This inquest is a consequence of the exhumation. Mrs Jenkins, on the evidence of her husband and her friend, Mrs Blackett, visited Dr. Blundell with the express intention of having an illegal operation performed.

“Within 12 hours of leaving home sht was dead, and in a little over 24 houn she was buried. She left home apparently in good health. Dr. Blundell’s rccorti contained no reference to her haviaf visited him, yet he had issued a death certificate, and the cause of death was 1 cause likely to ensue from an illegal operation.

“In addition to these circumstances, sus. picious in themselves.” added the Coroner, "it appeared that Mrs Jenkins had be® taken to the home of Mrs Taylor, some 10 miles out from Te Awamutu. and it was there that this haemorrhage whidi

caused her death had taken place, and that subsequenlty Dr. Blundell had, without authority, performed a partial postmortem examination of the body and removed certain organs, the conditions d which would afford vital evidence as tt whether the cause of the haemorrhagt had been due to the performance of at illegal operation. These organs, after removal. had been destroyed, so that they were no longer available for evidence All these circumstances called for an inquiry."