FATAL INJURY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 116, 13 April 1927, Page 9

FATAL INJURY.

BLOW FROM HORSE. YOUNG GIRL’S DEATH. Death from blood poisoning following injuries to the face accidentally received was the verdict returned by the Coroner (Mr. A. J. Graham) at an inquiry this morning into the circumstances surrounding the death of Edna May Scrimgeour, a 15-year-old Ashhurst girl, who died in the Palmerston North Hospital on April 8. Senior-Sergeant O’Grady conducted proceedings on behalf of the police. In evidence, Caroline Emma Kearns, mother of deceased, stated that, on March 24, her daughter had complained to her that, while watering two horses, one of them had suddenly raised its head and given her a blow in the face. Deceased, although crying at the time, had not appeared to he suffering from any injury. Four days later her nose had started to bleed, but, as she had been given to bleeding, from the nose from five years of age, witness had not attached any significance to the occurrence and, as had been her practice, had applied cold packs. Later, on April 5, one side of deceased’s face had started to swell, and witness had put her to bed after applying hot fomentations. Under the treatment, the swelling subsided, only to return two days later on the other side of the face. Witness had then oome to the conclucion that her daughter was suffering from mumps, as her other children had had similar symptoms when attacked by this complaint. Thinking that the swelling might require lancing, witness communicated with the Palmerston North Hospital and, acting on advice from there, sent her to the institution. During the whole of the time from the day when she complained of' the blow in the face to when she was admitted to the hospital, she had not once complained of any effects of the blow, other than to say at times that she felt giddy. Prior to the accident, she had enjoyed good health, except for the bleding at the nose.

To the Coroner: Except for a 6light bruise, there was no sign of external injury. Witness had not thought it necessary to obtain a doctor sooner, as up to the time that she djd so she had no cause for anxiety. Dr. N. H. Fulton, acting medical superintendent of the Palmerston North Hospital, stated that deceased had been admitted to the institution at 9.30 a.m. on April 8 suffering from septic abrasions of the face, which, witness had been told, were tire result of an injury caused by a blow from a horse. Deceased could not speak at the time, and her whole condition was indicative of septic poisoning of the large veins at the base of the brain. Two of the honorary medical staff had examined deceased and had expressed the opinion that her condition was hopeless. She died four hours after admission. The following day witness performed a post-mortem examination and found that the large veins at the base of the brain were blocked with septic blood clots, which had obviously spread from a wound on tire nose and the left upper eyelid. In witness’s opinion, death had been dye to blood poisoning arising from septic abrasions of the face and affecting the laifge veins at the base of the brain. It was quite possible that, if the blow from the horse had caused only slight abrasions, not much attention might have been given to them. The coroner: Is there any justification for the parents thinking that the injuries were not serious? —Yes;’ small ' injuries to the face are often considered not serious. In other words, you are not surprised that they did not get medical attention sooner? —There should hate been serious symptoms apparent a day or two before deceased was brought to the hospital. In reply to further questions, Dr. Fulton stated that medical attention two or three days earlier might not have been of any avail, but that, if deceased had received attention right at the start, she would not have developed the subsequent condition. Robert Lionel Kearns, of Aslihurst, horse-trainer, and stepfather of deceased, deposed that, on the morning of March 24, she had assisted him in his training operations on the Ashhurst racecourse. Witness that morning had been exercising three horses. Returning to the stable at about 11 o’clock, he had handed two of the animals over* to his step-daughter to feed from a water trough nearby. While she was attending to this, witness had seen one of the horses throw up its head and catch her a blow in the face. She had then commenced crying and had gone home at witness s direction. When the bleeding from the nose commenced witness did .not attach much significance to this because of previous similar occurrences. For three or four days after the accident deceased continued to assist witness in Ins work. It was a work that she liked. This concluded the evidence, whereupon the coroner returned the verdict stated above. . . „ “It is unfortunate, said Mr Graham. “that medical advice was not obtained immediately, after the accident, as it is apparent from the medical evidence that that was her only chance. It is quite understood how the parents failed to realise the gravity of the case. I am satisfied that there li as no wilful neglect oi» the part of the oarents, and that cleath came as a result of the injury caused by the horse ind the lack of medical attention.