SCHOOL TEACHER'S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 18810, 8 December 1924, Page 2

SCHOOL TEACHER'S DEATH

I DUE TO NATURAL 'CAUSES. SUSPICION OF POISONING COMPLETELY REMOVED, The inquest on the body of Christina Weir, a school teacher of forty years of age, who was found dead in her bedroom at her home in iPeel street, Mornington, on November 23, was resumed this morning before Mr J. B, Bartholomew, S.M. (sitting as coroner). The inquest had been adjourned to enable an examination to be made of the contents of deceased’s stomach, and of a. number of vessels found in her room, it being suspected that poisoning might have been the cause of death. This morning, however, further evidence was adduced to show there was no trace of poisoning, and that deceased was subject to epileptic fits. ergeant M'Carthy represented the police. Sergeant M'Carthy said that, in consequence of letters received which stated ■<i'c .•iced suffered from epilepsy, he made certain inquiries. Ho. interviewed Dr Batchelor, who said ho had treated deceased in. 1919 for epilepsy. The let1, lowed mat the seizures occurred mostly at night time, and that deceased had endeavored to keep them secret as ... ..us. me. Dr Lynch, clinical pathologist at Otago University and public analyst for Otago and Smithland. said that in accordance with the coroner’s instructions ho had made an of the contents of tho stomach and of vessels found in the r~oms. In neither had he found any poisonous substance. In view of the fur- ■ . _ vving that deceased suffered from epilepsy, the circumstances of the death were explaind, and he was lof opinion that respiratory failure occurred during an epileptic seizure. All I suspicion that she had taken poison, had been removed. The Coroner said the further evidence ha a c.e.re... up the circumstances of the I dealb. It had been shown that deceased suffered from epilepsy for some years, but that her father had been unaware of it. Out of consideration for her father she had evidently concealed the real nature of the malady, and all the father knew • ■ iw 'suffered from cramp. Cbm--1 plete investigation, however, had shown , that, death was due to respiratory paralysis during an epileptic seizure, and a verdict would be returned accordingly.