A WOMAN'S DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 138, 5 March 1908, Page 9

A WOMAN'S DEATH.

INQUEST AT AUCKLAND,

REFUSAL TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. ,(bv misaßAru—speciaii correspondent.) . Auckland, March 4, Ail'inquiry was hold on Monday at, ,tho Hospital by Mr. T. Greshanij Coroner, into tho circuriistarices surrounding tho death of a married woman' named Lilian 'Maud Britten, whichoccurred -ati-tho'-.'institution oil Saturday'evening.',,;Dr, ' Sharniari ■ attended on'.lio-. half of. t-lio Public Health. Department,' Sergeant Carroll appearing for tho police. ' . . -. Tho' Coroner, in'-opening tho .proceedings,' said that'it.was a matter,'for' 1 serious.consideration by. tho jury as to whether l anyone had.been guilty of neglect;. Tho,medical evidence would show , that ■ death was. duo to natural'pauses, but behind this was tho. question .whether deceased should have had medical ; aidboforoit'was called in, and havo'been removed -to tho hospital. :■ .;- ■ - Charles C. Murphy, ,medical practitioner,- ; residing jn Auckland,, gave; evidence. to . the : cffect that ho was callcd;to see,deceased at about eight o'clock on tho. evening'of Thurs-; day, : February'; 28: !: Ho;' found 1 , her' ill a semiconscious vcondition,' with lucid periods.' The witness .'detailed Her symptom's. ' Ho ordered tho at onca to tho hospital, but she would -not go;' He insisted,; arid asked. Jier. husband;''as' -head''of 'tlio Kouio, to '.uso.liis powers", but'tho . woman 'still-Tefused.; ;'; .Ho ■ considered she''was not':in. a 'fit condition .to, consent or decline.' Sho'- was being attended to by a girl of 13, and there wero five',other childrenabout the house.',, The nurse caine; s in'at tliis tinio. ,Heknew ' for.- ". Hd -'asked "Nurse : -Will>ihsoii why! the. jvornah was 1 -iii\ such a l -' fearful condition.She said- she had. asked -botli husband arid wife for tho ' services of 'a' : medical •' man. 'Tlie iiwrss- was I 'greatly'excited ,whon ,told, of "the : sho' was in. ; Tho - CorbrierDid' anything ''pass, botw«eii yoiv as'.to the taking of' tho' patient's tempera-' | turef ;''L■'■'"•"■': ' 'Witness: I cannot' recollect. : ' , '' ■' i Tho Coroner:-Do' I' understand'that,-'you vacillated when you told the husband to send' her':toi the' hospital,; and the patient refused -to go?. • - - • 1 -'not; ';I told .her sho would! probably not'Jast'.'thq night; : and if she aid she would have to bo sent in the morning in, case. 1 When left.that evening he said ho I would bo * back in; the' morning: with another 'medical man -for consultation. -'He- attended.'; witli Dr, Porter, on Saturday morning,: and found' tho woman in a sinliihg condition. Ho conferred, .with and.t'old him of the dying -condition of his wife,"and that- her only chance-rwajs,/ removal:.-to - the, hospital. Sho 1 still -strenuously-."refused to' go',' beiiig ■ pp'ncerned about her child.; . "' v,i.Sergeant. Carroll :! Mrs. refused to ,go_a second time?_ '. . ,-'v i Witness': : Y"es. ;: .Finally,'witness added;'ho 'got':her'■consent, : and'at once'carried-out t-lie' ■nec.ossary;; formalitiies -with the" Health t)e-' partment-in rchtion'-to an infectious ddse., ■, To a-]'uror:.'Nb.-reasori'.was given-by. either -husband;..or-vlwife,-,;fortheir refusal.' Tlia liusbarid.'.seem'ed most anxious jto pleaso.liis ■wife. , Ho-:(-witne'ss); understood -sthafr< the. husband;- was ; aw;ay ,all ; i iPriday, - and as''the nurse,■ had"- left ■ on' ! -the : ; 26th-ideceased - -wasalone all day. ' : ■ • -. '• - '

In reply to Dr. Sharman witness said 'that, /the patieiit/was in chargo of Nurso Wilkin-son-,lvheiv. he, was called 111.:. 1 ; "■ m , Drir. Sharman,-mentioned that all nurses .were''- 'required. -to :,,bo registered,-; and ..the Health Department was desirous of, knowing -the., qualifications of.. this,-nurse., She'hatf, been : suspended -.meanwhile by tho Public; Health Department.- :• Dr.-Murphy, continuing, said that -ho had assisted .at , tho most-mortom. In his opinion •tho vcause, of: death was, septicaemia,/.'; t?;;■ A-ijuror :: Was,death caused-, by,: tjio. neg-lect'-of anyone? '.. . }'/• j

Witness: Yes.:,"/ -,- v r . By whom' I cannot sav i ■ Another; * juror:. Does the husband belong ;o a' friendly/ society R

Witness\ os, but medical, men undor 1 spqipt\¥® '-"?P-.i l W.s',i ,re r; juirocJ'fto «actend' accouchement'cases, .'/(j,-,-;"-:-I - Sergeant, • (Carroll: - . Was tlje j niirsb . gjjitty, if neglect in vour opinion ?:.>• , Witness: 05...■ I consider .slio was guilty, if--neglect 'in i not insisting .. oa* medical, ad;ice being obtained ii Was the'; husband' ;guilty--. of •neg}eßfe l V.ins roiir.; opinion? i No ;"I do not 'consider tho .husband .was lapablo l of'"understanding the seriousness of. ho case •A"]uror : I)id you-ever know of ; a case atr. tended by ; a' medical man 'similar ito this?.-:.-■Witness: Nq. wA-tmodicalman'.would•• no-• tico'Hhe'. symptoms 1 : at; avery; ■ muchearlier, ■ date^"' 1 -v-V'' " 'v Dri' Sharman •at ' this stago -asked,: on behalf"'- of' • thq' ! . Health ' Department,;': that •? the' inquiry 1 /' :i -'f 1 The Coroner granted' an ■ adjournment tillWednesday, March 11. The, Coroner : vad-i: vised Niirso that, sho- ought'to-be. represented \by : counsel. / - '