WOMAN’S DEATH

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26398, 17 April 1951, Page 8

WOMAN’S DEATH

CORONER’S* COMMENT AT INQUEST TRANSFER FROM PUBLIC HOSPITAL “On the evidence before me it would appear that the liaison between the public hospital and this maternity hospital leaves something to be desired,” said the Coroner (Mr F. F. Reid) when the inquest was concluded yesterday into the death of Joan Agnes Campbell, aged 22, married woman, who died in the Essex Home on August 9, 1950. The Coroner said that, acording to the evidence, the patient was admitted to Essex Home from the Christchurch °ublic Hospital and a note was sent which apparently had some reference to her state of health. This note did aot seem to have been kept. Such a note might be important evidence, though it was not so in the present case. The actual cause of death was e’ear from the evidence of the pathologist (Dr. C. T. B. Pearson). There was no question of neglect or anything of that kind having contributed to the death. It might be said that there were some unsatisfactory features about the practice of admissions to this hospital from the public hospital but the evidence before him was not sufficient for him to make any further comment. The Coroner returned a verdict that Mrs Campbell died from acute massive necrosis of the liver. I

He said it tvas clear from the evidence that this acute condition was of rapid onset and ran a very brief course. It was also an unusual condition. Eunice Edna Anne Smart, a sister at the Essex Home, gave evidence on Mrs Campbell's admission from the Christchurch Public Hospital and on her death after the birth of a stillborn baby. To Mr B. McClelland, who appeared for the husband, the witness said that, when Mrs Campbell was admitted, she received a note from a house surgeon at the public hospital. She thought it said that the patient was “a query jaundice” but sne was not quite certain. She telephoned the public hospital about the patient and the person to whom she spoke telephoned back and said the patient was suffering from slight toxaemia. Witness said that the note was not kept. Generally these notes were not kept. When the patient’s condition deteriorated she reported this to the matron and doctors were called. There was no registered doctor on duty at Essex Home at this time. Mr McClelland said he wished to draw the Coroner’s attention to the unsatisfactory state of affairs as shown from the inquest. Mrs Campbell was sent to the public hospital by a doctor because she was ill and, somewhow or another—how had not been made clear —she got to the Essex Home where only a student doctor was in charge. The Coroner then made the comment stated and returned his verdict. Other Verdicts

The Coroner returned a verdict that Siu Tai Leun, aged 53, died on March 22 from heart failure. A verdict was returned that Austin Laughton Timmings, aged 15 years and 10 months, died on December 22, 1950, from multiple head injuries accidentally sustained when the motortruck he was driving collided with the Picton-Christchurch express at a level crossing at Amberley. Evidence was given that the automatic signals were working and that the approaching train whistled twice. Another train was on a loop in the station at the time.