INQUEST.

Evening Star, Issue 10212, 14 January 1897, Page 2

INQUEST.

Au inquest was held at the hospital this afternoon, before Mr Coronir Carew and a jury of six (Mr J, YVareham foreman), on the body of Janet Moffat, sgel seventy-one years, William Moffat, husband of deceased, Bald that ho was a laborer living at East Taleri. His wile was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and had been thirty years in tbe oolojoy. , S'ie had been, in dplioat* health for tbe fifteen ye.ar«. Wi'tftesi left home last Thursday morning, and was away for two days workipg for Mr M'bftran at Ndrth Taleri. When he returned op Saturday his wifß seemed to be in her usual health. She said she had,a etiff neck and felt somewhat sore. She seemed about the same for the next two days, complaining- at timfS of. a. cold sensation in her back. On Tuesday she was no better, and was restless at night. Yesterday morning witness suggested that she had better spo a doctor. She replied " Never mind; wait for another day." Witness went to Mosgiel and asked Mr l'eters to examine her, as she was not very well. There was no one else living in the house except witness and hiR wife. When Mr Peters and witness arrived at the house ihey found deceased trying to work. Mr Peters told him that the hospital was the best place for her. His wife did not say anything. She had been suffering from failure of the mind for the last three years. She was not fit to do anything. Mr Peters told him that she was very weak, and would be none the worse for a little whisky. She, however, would not take it. She was not able to talk sensibly, and had not done so for twelve months. Witness and Mrs M'Cutcheon brought deceased to town by the train, and then conveyed her to the hospital in a cab. She was very weak, and died about three-quarters of an hour after her. admission to the institution. He never thought that his wife was seriously ill until Tuesday night, when she could not sleep. He heard it stated that Mr Peters was not a qualified doctor. Witness did not think that bis wife was strong enough to take to the hospital.

To Constable O'Sullivan : When he went away for two days last week he thought that his wife was quite capable of looking after herself. He did not think that she required medical attention on Saturday. No doctor bad seen her for the past seven years.

Jessie MTutcheon, residing at East Taieri, said that she knew deceased pretty well. Hearing that she was somewhat worse on Thursday night, witness went to see her. She looked very bad, and complained of a pain on the left breast. There was plenty of food about the house. Witness saw her again on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Tuesday she seemed stupid and quite done up. Mr Moffat said he would go for a doctor the next day. He said that she often made a fu' s when there was not much the matter with her. Witness thought that Bhe required immediate medical attention. Witness told the husband that she thought it a pity to take her to the hospital, as she did not look as if she would last long. He replied that it was Mr Peters'a orders. Mr Peters told witness that there was no place for hot fomentations out there.

Dr Macpherson said that the woman was dying when brought to the hospital. He could form no idea of her complaint, as she was too far gone. The evidence seemed to Eoint to influenza being the cause of death. [e thought that it was a great mistake to shift a woman in her condition. He had no doubt that that accelerated death. The exposure and travelling helped death very materially. The Coroner, in addressing the jury, said it seemed to him that if the husband had cared for his wife as he ought to have done, he would have gone for a doctor —a qualified one—before he did. If he had got one on the Saturday the woman's life might have been prolonged. The Foreman said that the jury had decided upon the following verdict:—"That deceased died from influenza hastened by improper removal from her house to the hospital in the state she was in."