A STEWARD'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1926, Page 12

A STEWARD'S DEATH

INQUIRY BEFORE CORONER

SHIP'S' DOCTOR GIVES EVIDENCE

PATIENT'S REMOVAL ON DECK,

The inquiry into the death of Kegiuald Denniston, a second-class steward, aged 41, who died at sea of pneumonia a day or two after his ship, the lonic. left Colon, was continued before Sir. \V. G. Kidc'.ell, S.M., Coroner, this morning. Mr. o'Donovan appeared for the crew, tho Stewards' Union, and the federated Seamen's Union, and Mr. H. F. O'Lcary for tho commander, Captain Alexander E. Jackson, and the ship's surgeon, Dr. J. C. Brenuon. When the inquiry was opened on 27th .September, allegations that Denniston had been ■ neglected were made by a witness, Herbert Edwin Barnsley, an accountant, of Dannevirke, who signed on the lonic as assistant steward for the voyage. His evidence, however, conflicted with that given by Captain Jackson and Dr. John Russell Wells, both of whom stated th.it Denniston had been given every attention. The first witness called this morning was the llcv. George Leslie Harold, of Canterbury, who said he was returning to New Zealand on the lonic on the voyage on which Denniston died. He saw the deceased the day before his death, and on one or two other occasions before that. Deimiston was quite conscious on each occasion, and in a fit condition to make known his wants, but had made no complaints to witness. In. fact, Denniston told him the day liefore ho died that he had a very fine doctor, who was doing everything ho could for him. Witness did not see him after that. To Mr. o'Donovan: He never visited Deunistoii when he was in the "glory hole." THE SHIP'S DOCTOR CALLED. At this stage, Mr. o'Donovan suggested that the ship's surgeon should be called, as he might be able to clear up the whole matter, and thus shorten Ihe proceedings. .Sightly or wrongly, tho crew believed that Denniston had been neglected, but in all probability the doctor could satisfy them if he gave his evidence. The ship's surgeon. Dr. John Carson Brenuon. was then called. He said the voyage was his second on the lonic. He first saw Denniston on 25th August, in his bunk in the stewards' quarters. Denniston said he thought he had an attack of malaria coming on, and witness gave him some pellets, at the same lime ordering him to stay in bed. He did not think then it was necessary to send him to tho hospital. When witness visited him the next day the man seemed a little better. The following day, 27th August, witness found that Denniston had been taken on deck by two stewards, one of whom was Barnsley. He had not given them authority to place tho patient there, and when he saw him he had him removed to the hospital, where he remained until he died. Witness visited him in tho hospital every day. He discovered that IVnnistou had pneumonia on 2Sth or 29th August, and made a minimum of two visits a day, giving the patient the modern treatment for the complaint. DEATH UNEXPECTED. Denniston did not make any satisfactory progress, but that was not expected in cases of pneumonia until the eighth or ninth day, when the crisis arrived. Some days before Denniston's death, witness conferred with Dr. Wells, and on the sfh September, the day on which he died, both of them visited him. His condition was not appreciably worse, and his death at 6 o'clock that afternoon was unexpected. Witness was of the opinion that the action of the other stewards in taking Denniston on deck on two occasions was very harmful. , At no time, so far as he could remember, had Barnsley complained to him of the treatment the patient was receiving. Denniston was a fairly robust man. On one occasion, witness found an empty jug in the hospital, and Denniston told him that it had contained ice water, which Barnsley had brought him. An unlimited quantity of this was harmful. Pneumonia was a fairly common complication of malaria.

To Mr. O'Donovan: He did not occupy the usual surgeon's quarters on tho voyage, but took a larger first-class passenger cabin. This might cause a few minutes' delay in his being found. He had heard that Denniston looked in the surgery for him—Denniston had (old him that the day he visited him. He did not know that his dispenser had been told to report the case to him the night before. He did not consider that Denniston's quarters were more oppressive than any other part of the crew's quarters. There were seven port-holes in the "glory hole," and they could be opened except in cases of very bad weather. The treatment he gave when he decided Denniston had malaria could practically be summed up in one word —quinine. The man's temperature was about 102, but was not high enough to cause any undue alarm. Witness denied that he had not given any instructions to Denniston regarding his diet. He believed tho patient's condition was largely brought about by his having been taken on deck by the stewards. (Proceeding.)