F. WAITING'S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 15899, 3 September 1915, Page 2

F. WAITING'S DEATH

An inquest was opened at the Dunedin Hospital yesterday afternoon by Mr Bartholomew on the body of Fredk. Watling, who died that morning. Senior-sergeant Dart represented the police. Albert John Watling, railway fireman, residing at 46 Richardson , street, St. Kilda, said that the body seen by the coroner was that of his father, Fredk. Watling, who was 68 years of age. Deceased's wife was alive, and there were five children. He met with a tramway accident five weeks ago, and had been in the Hospital ever since. Witness had seen him occasionally, but had never got from him an account of the accident. Prior to that he was physically in pood' health. Mentally, age was telling on him, and he had delusions at times. Dr Angus Marshall, house surgeon at the Hospital, deposed that deceased was admitted on the 27th July at 9.30 p.m. Witness saw him the same night, and mad© an examination. The patient was unconscious and suffering from concussion. There was a slight bruising on the right side of the head, such as mi<dit be caused by a fall. He bled from the left nostril and vomited blood. In conjunction with other symptoms these indicated fracture of the base of the skull. Dr Stanley Batchelor also made that diagnosis, which was subsequently borne out. There a slow tendency to get worse. The actual concussion—the period during which he was unconscious—was very short, but he showed mental symptoms which in witness's opinion asifravated the general condition. The "case was grave from the beginning, and the man died at 4.45 yesterday morning. It would be impossible to state the exact cause of death without knowing his mental condition. If he fell off a tramcar on the day of admission it was quite possible that the injury alone was the cause of death, but it was impossible to say how much his mental condition may have contributed to it. The approximate cause of death was the injuries received. The inquest was then adjourned till Monday at 2.30 p.m. at the Law Courts, to secure further witnesses as to the accident.