A NURSE'S SUICIDE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 281, 20 August 1908, Page 8

A NURSE'S SUICIDE.

OVERDOSE OF PER-GHLORIDE OF MERCURY. THE INQUEST. Ah inquiry into' the death of Nurso Rosabel Byron, who died yesterday from the effects of. poison, self-administered, was held at the private hospital of deceased's sister (Nurso Wilding), at■ 106, Abel Sinith Street,- yesterday afternoon - by the District Coroner, Dr. M'Arthur, S.M. Mr. Richard Quinn was. elected foreman -of .the jury.

Dr. Boyd, the medical attendant in tho case, stated that ho was' called at about 6 p.m. on August 10 by Nurse Wilding to see her sister. The deceased said she had taken about a dozen tabloids of perchloride of mercury. He- . asked her why she did so and sho replied that sho was so unhappy. _ Ho tried to-get' her ■to swallow some liquid but she refused. Assisted by Dr. Hogg (whom he had called- in), he took other measures and gave her some wliito of egg and morphia. Tho pain was relioved. He was with her for about -an- hour, and came back two hours later.. He asked her no questions and she volunteered no information. Ho instructed Nurso Wilding what to do, and he believed 1 she_ did every-thing-she could to savo; her sister. He had seen deceased every day ■ since. She became gradually worso. Ho felt _ all the time.she had a poor chance of getting better. During the wholo-. nine days she never said why she took the poison. Ho saw her three times on Tuesday, when Dr. Ewart (of the Hospital) was called into consultation. Witness saw deceased alive for'the last time between eight and nine p.m. on Tuesday. At 7.30 a.m. yesterday (Wednesday) Nurse -Wilding rang him up to say that her sister was dead. The cause of death was taking an overdose of percllloride of mercury. By tho Sergeant: The tabloids (produced) wero found on a table in her room. They corresponded with- what deceased admitted having taken. The tabloids were used as a disinfectant- in nurses'- work. She admitted having taken a dozen, one being equal to einht doses. Nurses knew .the use of the tabloids.

By the Jury.: Deceased showed no signs of mental derangement when she said she was unhappy. It was from jtwehjby to thirty minutes from the time she .took: the-tabloids until he arrived at Nurse. Wilding's. . Myra Wilding, sister of the deceased, and » certificated, nurse, stated that her sister arrived from' New South Wales early . in, March. Deceased had passed a'nurse's.examination, and . came over to New, Zealand to .practise her profession.: She was thirtytwo years of age. Just before deceased camo to New Zealand she had, been laid tip in a Sydney hospital with appendicitis.. She camo straight to b'er when Bhe arrived from Sydney in. March, , and , she was., not' well then.' She was-hero two;, or., thrco weeks before she took a case. That lasted nine weeks. It was a very: trying one; .On her return she. seemed very, tired and; miserable. She did not complain of, her health, but was always, tired. She waß unhappy in a general way, and often;u3ed to say,she. wished sho was doad. At' other , times she would be. quite'cheerful arid .go j singing about tho house. : She , know, no caiisa for ■ her sister's unhappiness, .unless ..it was her health. She. was at home from' August 1 W August 10, when witness went to. stay with a; friend at Thorndon. ' She returned on the:afternoon of 1 August 10 about 4-o'clock. Deceased" r 'was i then .out)' hut came in about 5i15 p;m.She seemed in' the' usual 1 state of

The- Coroner: But was ..she? . You seem doubtful. Was'there a difference?^

Witness said there had'been a slight difference : over her (witness) going away. She thought witness could have put it off until later. When deceased arrived home she asked if she- (witness) was: going back that night, and she said that she was. Deceased said: "You had better come homo to-morrow, as,l am,goingjaw£W,' a •"Where to,?!' i Witness 1 ' asked -her . had- she got, the • matron's billot. She said: "No." (Deceased had been making inquiries for a hospital position.) Sho was getting tea ready and was singing on. the lauding, and witness went on packing somo things up. Witness heard her turnihg tho bathroom tap on. Then she said: "Minie, you won't bo.troubled with ;mo much longer—l'vo taken poison!" Witness rushed'down to tho telephone, rang up Dr. Gilmer first, and .then' Dr. Boyd, who came around as soon as he could. Deceased went into her room, and witness after ringing up asked, her what she had- taken. ' Deceased said she had taken per-chlorido. Witness'gave deceased.some mustard and water, but she fought against it.

' By tho Coroner: She"had carried out faithfully, all the instructions the doctor. gave. Deceased, was amenable to reason when being attended, and said , she was very sorry she had done it. Witness asked her why 6he had dono it, and she ...said she didn't know—sho had simply lost control of herself, and ran and got the stuff- out ; of her bedroom. Thero. was absolutely nothing that witness could think of to make her commit tho ao't, she-only said she thought witness was.tired of her. Deceased was a highly-strung girl. By the Police:.Sho had expressed a desire to get well again. They were as friendly ao they had always been—they had always been great chums. .

Dr. Hogg stated that the tabloids would have a corrosive effect..

The jury returned the verdict that death was caused by' poison, self .administered, when deceased was in any-unsound state of mind.