DEATH IN HOSPITAL

Evening Star, Issue 20972, 10 December 1931, Page 3

DEATH IN HOSPITAL

COLONIAL INQUIRY RESUMED The inquest into the death of Dugald Paterson, who died in the hospital on Tuesday, was resumed before Mr J. 11. Bartholomew, S.M., this morning. The deceased, who was employed by the Drainage Board, had been an inmate of the hospital for about a week. Sergeant O’Shea conducted the inquiry for the police. Evidence was given yesterday to the effect that the deceased had said that he had given himself a strain while lifting a heavy grating. Dr D’Ath, pathologist at the Dunedin Hospital, stated to-day that he had conducted a post-mortem on the body. In his opinion, death was duo to spinal meningitis, due to the spread of infection from an abscess situated in the lower lumbar region. In reply to counsel for the relatives, Dr D’Ath said that such a strain as the deceased had sustained might have torn one or two fibres of muscle or it might have ruptured a small blood vessel, causing a clot of blood. At the post-mortem he was unable to demonstrate whether either of these two injuries had taken place because the abscess was so extensive as to have destroyed what evidence there might have been of these injuries. The opening and draining of the abscess also helped to obscure the earlier changes that might have been present. If there had ben a clot it was possible for germs to settle in it and give rise to an abscess, but ho was not able to state definitely that that was what had happened. To counsl for the Dunedin City Corporation, Dr D’Aih said that the abscess might have been brought on by something entirely different. Further evidence is to bo heard tomorrow afternoon.