AN UNUSUAL CASE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 139, 10 December 1923, Page 8

AN UNUSUAL CASE

DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC FOLLOWING MOTOR ACCIDENT. The details of the happenings which resulted in the death of , Michael Faul on sth December were outlined before Mr..E. Page, S.M., Coroner, this mom, ing. Sergeant Whitehouse represented the police, Mr.J. O'Shea the Corporation, Mr. P. J. Olßegan the deceased tamily, and Mr: S. K. Kirkcaldie the driver of the car (F. C. Standidge), which knocked deceased down-in Tinakori road on sth December. Dr. Hector gave evidence as to'deceaseds condition ,on admission to' hospital. Deceased was suffering from several abrasions and a wound in the head,' but there was no fracture of' the bone, nor had hemorrhage been caused in the brain tissue. The heart was very fatty, and in his opinion the cause of death was syncope resulting from fatty disease of the heart. Death.may have occurred at any time irrespective of accident. Death occurred some three hours after admission. To Mr : O'Rezan: It was probable that a violent blow would accelerate* death, having regard to the condition of health. • Dr. Hector stated that none of the wounds deceased suffered from were sufficient in.themselves to cause death.

Other medical evidence showed that deceased walked into hospital. The wound in the head contained gravel. An anaesthetic was necessary to allow cleansing of the wound,, and under this and prior to anything being done, deceased collapsed. Restorative measures were unsuccessful. Deceasod was not suffering from shock when admitted to hospital. The anaesthetist stated that deceased's heart appeared to be normal. Evidence was given by several witnesses, as to the motor accident, which caused deceased's injuries. It was driven backards out of a garage, and was backed very slowly along the road towards Miller's shop. Deceased, who was elderly, was walking towards the shop with his back to it. The car and deceased drew together, and the car then struck deceased and pushed him along the road for a few feet. .

W. E. Miller, storekeeper, said he did not think Standidge knew he had struck the man. He backed some 44 feet before he pulled up. As soon as Standidge heard a warning he pulled up almost immediately. Deceased got up and walked away. .

Frederick .Charles Standidge said that when he backed his car out of the jjkrage the road was absolutely clear. The car wag moving very slowly.. The first indication he had of anything wrong was a sound under the car, and the appearance of Miller with his arms up. ' He at no stage saw anyone on the road, nor did he feel any impact. He was in low gear, which to some extent drowned any voices, but gave a louder warning of his approach. *

The verdict was that death was due to heart failure, deceased having been knocked down by a car. His death was most probably accelerated by the accident, and by the subsequent' anaesthetic.

The Coroner said the doings of deceased were far from clear.