OBITUARY.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 89, 16 May 1916, Page 5

OBITUARY.

MRS BETSY LAWSON. 'flip death occurred at Dunediii on Friday morning of Mrs Betsy 'Luvvsoii (late resilient at Balelutha), aged -IS years. The deceased lady expired suddenly after a week's illness, during which she was treated by Mr David Wishart (who practises as a consulting homccopathist) for congestion of the lungs. An inquest was held on Saturday, evidence being called which showed that Mr Wishart at no time informed th.> family that the case was critical, and in his evidence said that he had not thought it so. I)r .Roberts, who made a post mortem, found severe pleurisy, pneumonia and pericarditis, ami said the conditions indicated a grave case. He said also that the symptoms of bacterial poisoning in such cases were sometimes accompanied by an apparent state of well-being which might deceive the inexperienced. Finally, he said he .lid not think the ultimate end would have been different if a qualified medical man had been in attendance, nor that the patient's death had been accelerated by theh treatment or want of .treatment she had received.

The coroner found that death was due to cardiac failure due to toxtemia. He added that in this case deceased was not attended by a medical man, but by Mr Wishart, who claimed to be a homceopathist. It was evident lie did not realise the gravity of the ease when called in, thought the case was getting on nicely, and so informed the daughter. The evidence of Dr Roberts showed that if a stethoscopic examination of the chest had been made it Would have shown the location and extent of the lesion and the gravity of the case. There was one comforting feature for thhe family—that Dr Roberts says that the treatment did not affect the final result. Tt was unfortunate that the family should have believed that the patient was getting the qualified medical treatment that she should have had in her state. It seemed to him that Wishart assumed to deal with matters which I were somewhat beyond him, In this case, however, the result would have been the same in auy case. The late Mrs Lawson was the third daughter of the late Mr P. Mason, of this town, and was born at Balelutha and educated at tho local school. Jwenry-seveu years ago she was married to Mr G. Lawson, and went to reside at Clinton, where her husband was in business. Afterwards they were residents of Mataura, and for the past 17 years have been living at Dunediu, where Mrs Lawson took an active interest in the Women's Patriotic and the Early Settlers' Associations. The deceased made frequent visits to Balelutha, where she was very well and favourably known. She is survived by her husband, a son and two daughters, all of whom are now grown up, and four sisters and. three brothers, among whom are Mcsdames Wood ajd Smith and Mr P. M.ason, now resident at Balelutha. i