PTOMAINE POISONING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 23 September 1914, Page 4

PTOMAINE POISONING.

FATAL RESULTS'TO A NATIVE..

An inquest was held on Tuesday a fc the Ketemarae Pa (our Normanby co--respondent reports) touching the death, pf a native, Kau-a-te Jftangi, locally" knmvQ as Jack Akau, Mr. Iv\ Howe,. J. 1., being acting coroner, and the following being the jury: Messrs E. Cain (foreman), M. X gall, C. Paine, Waitai, Hokinga, and Pou. Constable Hadler submitted the evidence was given by' the widow that.tor some days deceased had com--plained-or sickness and pain in thestomach but on Friday last he appeared better, and went to the beach • but on returning home at night he' said lie felt cold. Deceased ate a good tea ot crayfish and ka-vhai. She gavedeceaseu a warm bath and put him to, bed. On Saturday he was somewhat worse, and the widow wished to send tor a doctor, or for deceased to go to"* Hawera and. see one. This, however, ■" he would not do. On Sunday niorninc.' witness went to Hawera and consulted Dr. MaeDiarmid who prescribed^ land she took the medicine home ami gave deceased three doses as directed. However, lie gradually got worse, and, pa£ s , away at about 4.30 on Sunday. *i /, - aol? iamid > "* his evidence, said that ttiG deceased's wife came to him,on bunday morning, and from what shetold him he iiad no doubt that the deceased was suffering . from ptomainepoisoning. He prescribed for him, arid, told the woman to send for him (thedoctor) if there was any change for the worse. This, however, she did not do, and from what he gathered there, . was little hope of saving the jnan'&lire at the time he was consulted, but probably had he been called" in earlier • he couJd have saved the man. 'Had seen the body and had no doubt thatthe cause of death was ptomaine poisoning. The-doctor wished it to be explained that ptomaine ■• germs developed very quickly in 4iot weather,. a? n^ -,was to partakers of shell-fish or fish of any kind unless it was perfectly fresh. Crayfish *anil mus~ ■ :«els were particularly liable to be af-~ i iected,- and he would urge the natives ■ to be very careful. ■"■ ' The_jury, without retiring, returned a verdict m accordance with the medical testimony. , •-..■■■"-.■ j The deceased native was well-khoWtt- ! and highly respected in the district.