INQUEST AT ASHBURTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5910, 4 February 1880, Page 6

INQUEST AT ASHBURTON.

An inquest was held at Quill’s Hofcelyesterday, touching the death of Elizabeth Buihanan. Mr Frank Guinness, 8.M., conducted the enquiry, and Mr Donald Williamson was chosen foreman of the jury. After the jury had viewed the body the fallowing evidence was taken : John Edgar Buchanan, sworn, deposed: The deceas«rwas ms wire, one aiou an jroo. 1, and had i ailing since the middle of Dec. last. Dr Boss had attended the deceased up to Jan. 19. Dr Bass ceased to attend the deceased when deceased refused , to take any more medicine he prescribed. The quinine and brandy ordered for her by Dr Boss made her worse. Did not consent to her wishes, as to dispensing with the doctor’s treatment for some time. After Jan. 19 the deceased was treated hydropathically by Mr A. Saunders, who treated her at intervals up to her death. The method adopted was warm baths, body bandages, milk and vegetable diet. Witness was under the impression that the deceased was getting better up to Jan. 31. The deceased then appeared to be; very much distressed in her breathing. Witness gave her some gruel, and remained with her, and during the night before her death she appeared much better. The following morning witness went to Dr Boss and told him how ill the deceased was. Dr Boss came to see her, and administered a wineglassfull of champagne, and gave instructions as to diet, &e. About 7.30 p.m. her sister, mother, and witness were in the room, and she appeared very comfortable. A short time afterwards Dr Boss came, and on going into the bedroom they found his wife was dead. The deceased appeared to improve daily under her father’s treatment. Witness consented to the treatment of Mr Saunders, her father, for two reasons, viz., the deceased’s implied wish, and her father undertaking the responsibility of the case.

By the Coroner: Deceased did not complain of any pain in her chest after Dr Boss had ceased to attend her. Deceased complained of a pain in her right arm. Her father ordered a hatli to the temperature of 102 degrees, and had a rest made, so as the arm could be supported in bed. This gave deceased great relief, and she did not complain of any further pain from this cause. Witness’ mother and Mr Saunders nursed the deceased the whole time. The deceased had a strong belief in hydropathy. Mr Saunders was not a duly Qualified practitioner. Courtney Ned will, M.D., a legally qualified practitioner, residing in Christchurch, deposed; Made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased. Examined the intestines. The lower part of the small intestines was much congested. The heart was healthy. The immediate cause of death was the failure of the heart’s action. There was a large quantity of matter in the right cavity of the chest. The body was fairly nourished. The congested state of the lower bowel was a sign of typhoid or low fever. Seeing sufficient cause to account for death, did not make any further examination. By the Police : He would not make use of the same treatment, for such a case, especially as regards the complication of the chest, as the deceased had undergone by hydropathic treatment. Did not think that by refusing that treatment, it would be injurious to the patient. . . By a juror : He generally used quinine, and in some cases brandy was also administered at the same time. By the foreman s Could have ascertained the cause of death of deceased without holding a post mortem examination bad witness attended the patient before her death. The evidence of Mrs Buchanan, mother-in-law of deceased, was taken, hut was corroborative of what had been given by Mr J. B. Buchanan. Alfred Saunders said he was the father of the deceased. Saw deceased the day before Christmas last, when she was in a very low state. Dr Boss was attending her. Witness advised her to get a warm bath every day. She took three or four, and was well enough to go hom* on Saturday, Deo, 27 last. Witness saw deceased figaih on Jan, 17, and found her in great pain, and principally complaining of suffering from extreme exhaustion by forcing milk and other things down her throat, which brought on a violent urging or vomit. Her skin was dry and the temperature of the body was 105, or a little oyer. Her chest was heaving rapidly, and she could only get her breath m one position on her right side. Witness procured a long bath and wrote to Dr Boss telling him that he (witness) should treat his daughter hydropathically. He put deceased in a warm bath, and afterwards she rested better than for some time previously. Witness covered her with flannels, and removed them every two hours. He then put a hot bran poultice oh her back, and cold bandages oh her neck; The deceased said that allopathic treatment did her harm; and was-convinced that hydropathic treatment was the beat. Witness told her that it was a difficult matter to deal with her properly by the latter treatment, owing to the noxious drugs and stimulants which

eho had lately taken. Witness ordered her to take no meat, but to eat rice and vegetable* with tome fruit, - and ; nothing of an . astringent nature, ashe feared; dysentry or some kind of fever would: ensue. On Friday evening witneaa left his daughter, and on Saturdayher mother left her, as ehe was improving. The deceased' was. kept, in a bath of a temperature of 103 degrees for one hour. Know. that there was something wrong with the lungs, but, did not know the exact nature of the disease. , , Bf the Police: Was not a qualified medical practitioner, but should always treat his own children in preference to any medical man’s treatment. , ■ , , , , : Ur Boss stated that he attended the deceased since the end.of December last. Mr Buchanan called witness in to see tbo deceased. Sho was . suffering from extreme biliousness and exhaustion through pro-1 longed nursing of her infant child. The’ deceased was removed from her homo to the mill. The symptoms 1 shortly afterwards proved to be of typhoid faverJ Patients die- sometimes by height of fever alone. After three weeks, witness received a note stating Mr A. Saunders wished to treat, the case hydropathioally, and asking him not to cause the patient any annoyance. Dr, Trevor and witness saw her on Jan. 19, and on Sunday last at noon. Deceased was in a completely exhausted condition, so much so 1 that ha would hot attempt -to examine her. Witness returned at 8 o’clock, and found she; had just died. He assisted at the post mortem examination, and corroborated Dr Nedwill’s evidence as to the appearance of the body., Mr Saunders’ treatment was entirely opposed; to witness’, and hisr (witness’) was disre-i garded from the first, as deceased'desired to be treated by her father. Dr Trevor corroborated the evidence of Dr; Boas. ’ 1 After a long retirement, the jury returned a verdict of “Death from natural causes,’ ’ addinga riderto the effect that “ they strongly ( disapproved • of any other than legally qualified ’medical men undertaking the conduct of serious cases.” : .