DEATH AFTER BLOW

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1935, Page 12

DEATH AFTER BLOW

ON THIN PART OF SKULL

SPLINTER FROM A LOG

An unlucky accident that caused the death of Henry Whitehouse, aged 68, a single man, was described by his brother, Ernest L. Whitehouse, at the inquest today. The two were cutting wood on their farm at Titahi Bay on the afternoon of June 25, said the witness, and the deceased left to do another job, but, unnoticed by the witness, returned, apparently to get his waistcoat. The witness was chopping a tough rata ' log when a piece about eight inches long and as thick as a man's wrist flew off and the axe ,at the same time slipped from- his grasp. He looked up and saw his brother about six feet away, stooping and holding his.hand to his forehead, on which was a cut above the right eye. The witness was satisfied he had been struck by the piece of wood. He did not complain of being badly hurt, and for some days appeared in good health, but on June 28 a doctor was called, and he was .taken to the Wellington Hospital, where he died on the following night. Dr. J. O. Mercer, pathologist at the Wellington Hospital, said that the man had been struck on a very thin part of the skull. The cause of death was septic meningitis following a fracture of the skull. The Coroner (Mr. E. Gilbertson, J.P.) found that the cause of death was that described by the doctor, and was produced by a severe blow on the' forehead. •