PRISONER'S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 17155, 23 September 1919, Page 8

PRISONER'S DEATH

YICTIM OF ALCOHOLISM.

The Coroner (Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M-) opened an inquest yesterday afternoon concerning the death of Frederick Kiiiston Cowan. Deceased was before the City Police Court on Wednesday hist for drunkenness, and remanded for seven days far medical treatment. Ho was removed to the BttDedin Hospital on Saturday afternoon, and died at midnight. Constable Longshaw said that when deceased was brought to the gaol he was in a shaky condition, and appeared to be suffering trout the effects of drink. He was seen by Dr Evans about 2 p.m. en Wednesday, and appeared to improve in fcealth until on Friday ho was apparently ;\i his normal condition. On Saturday moming be complained of weakness, and Dr Evans ordered his removal to the Hospital. Ha was taken there about 2 p.m. While La the prison ho was kept/under constant supervision, end received tho best of attention. When questionsd about his relatives deceased stated that his mother and sister were in Glasgow, -ami that he had no relatives in New Zealand;. He had been doing clerical work for the Defence Department at Txentham, and hod been drinking ever since bis discharge-, lie had given bis age as 50 years. Dr Evans gave evidence as to hi* visits to deceased "in gaol. There -were yf e -lTjarked evidences of chronic alcoholism. Deceased was a ; so suffering from bronchial asthma. Ho looked to be a man of 65 years of age. Deceased told witness he suffered from asthma, and asked wr a mixture- of chloral Witness pointed, out to Cor.stab'-a Longshaw the necessity for keeping dsoeased warm, and of giving him plenty of hot soups. Deceased showed marked improvement,' both physically and m-entalrv, during the two days following his admission to the gaol. On Saturday his respiration had increased, and his pulse had gone up, and witness ordered h'» removal to the Hospital. Witness understood ho died there early on Sunday morning *rom heart iailcre following bronchial asthma, accelerated by chronic alcoholism. Ho was quite satisfied that dcce&sed'o treatment iu gaol had been satisfactory, and that the treatment ho had prescribed ai the matter of additional -blankets and hot drinka bad been carried out. Witness prescribed bromido and chloral, also sulphate of magnesia. Constable Longshaw (recalled) said 'ho carried out the doctor's instructions regarding hot soups and drinks and additional blankets. Sab-inspector Mathieson said deceased had been arrested on Tuesday by Confetable Moir. He- was manifestly suffering from the effect* of drink, and witness had asked for a remand till the 24-th, so -that deceased might be medically treated. This the Bench, granted. The inquest was- then adjourned till ibis morning, when Claude James Leslie- White, managing clerk for Mr A. C Hanlon, who acted for deceased, said that Cowan's relatives livied in the- Old Country. His proper name was Frederick RaMon Cowan, though, he had been named Frederick Robert Cowan on the charge sheet. Prior -to his father's death, deceased was a_ remittance man, but after that hs received £1 a week from money left him. by Ids father. Witness did not know where deceased had been living in Dtmedin; he called at the offiL-o for all communications. Ihr G. P. Fitzgerald, assistant medical £ifii«r at the Danedin HcspitaJ, said that deceased wad admitted to that institution: mi Saturday afternoon. His condition was very debilitated, and he was suffering' from bronchial asthma, which was complicated by heart and kidney trouble. Witness eaw him twice during the afternoon and evening, when his condition was becoming worse. Deceased failed to_ respond tc treatment, and at Yi midnight got ant of bed. and collapsed, and d:ed en the floor. Witness agreed with Dr Evans that the cause of death was heart failure, following, bronchial asthma, and accelerated by chronic alcoholism. The Coroner returned a verdict iu accordance with the medical testimony, and added that it appealed to him from the evidence th-.it wiiile the deceased- was raider remand in prison he received every care and attention that a man in his condition, required. _ All that was possible had beeii done for him, both by Dr Evans and the police. The nan was a victim of chronic alcoholism and disease, _ and had tome to the timo wlfen it- waa impossible to sava him.