DOCTORS PUZZLED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 26 June 1931, Page 3

DOCTORS PUZZLED

DEATH OF MARRIED WOMAN

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST The reasons for the development of lho conditions which caused the death of Edith 'Rose Rees, a married woman, of 135 Opawa road, at the Lewisham Hospital on 14th April, puzzled the doctors who gave evidence at the inquest, reports the Christchurch “Press . Mr 11. A. Voting was the Coroner, and Mr \V. F. Tracy appeared for the husband. Dr. J. F. Landieth said that ho had seen Mrs Rees on Friday. 10th April, when she had been admitted to Lewisham Hospital. Dr. B. H. Gilmour had then informed him in the course of a conversation that he had been attending her, that for two days she had been in a condition of alternating unconsciousess and delirium, and that on Wednesday and Thursday he had given her a total of 45 grains of medinal. Airs Rees had at the time been deeply unconscious, and there had been no evidence pointing to any local brain disease. Her condition had not changed until her death, and no definite indication of any disease had been found on a further examination. There had been no external marks on the body, and he had thought it possible, in the absence of other evidence, that death might be due to a narcotic. Everything possible had been done for her at the Hospital. RESULTS OF POST-MORTEM Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Public Hospital, who had made a postmortem examination, said that he had not found any gross pathological conditions in the body, the only change found being oedema of the brain, which would be in keeping with the conditions described by Dr. Landreth. Airs Rees had had previous operations, but everything concerned with them had been quite healthy. Certain organs had been sent to the Government analyst, but his report had been negative, although he had been particularly asked to look for traces of the drug. 110 had found general congestion of all organs, but that was nothing exceptional. Oedema was a water-logged condition of the brain, which might arise from many causes, though he did not think that excessive worry could cause it.

The Magistrate: It has been suggested that Mrs Rees died of a broken heart. Is that recognised ill your practice ? Dr. Pearson : No.

Continuing, Dr Pearson said that he was of the opinion that the administration of the drug might have brought about the oedema. Forty-five grains of ! medinal was not excessive for a normal patient. Airs Rees might have been peculiarly susceptible to it. He was surprised that the Government analyst t had been unable to find any trace of the drug. No amount of worry could have caused oedema of the brain, and domestic unhappiness could not have given rise to the unconsciousness and delirium referred to by Dr. Landreth. HUSBAND’S EVIDENCE Evan Barr Rees, a clerk, said that on Tuesday, 7th April, he had arrived home at about 11 p.m., after going to the pictures with bis wife and his sister. His wife had gone straight to bed. He had been in the next room, and had later heard his wife sobbing. He had gone into the room, and .had found, his wife sitting up in bed, seeming to be hysterical. He had. spoken to her, hut she had not answered, and he had gone out and boiled some milk for her, but she would not take it. He had then gone for his neighbour, Airs j Double, who had come over. At his j suggestion his wife had been given two tablets of medinal, and he thought that she had taken milk with them. She had | then gone to sleep. The next iviowning her condition had been ,about the same, and he had sent for Dr. Gilmour, who had given a prescription for medinal tablets—two every four hours. The actual administering of the tablets had not been in his hands. To his mind it seemed as though the tablets had kept her in the semi-delirious condition. PREVIOUS ATTACKS Oil tiie Wednesday or the Thursday the doctor had injected morphia, and on Friday 10th, on the doctor’s suggestion, Airs Rees had been sent to the hospital. Between October and Doecm.- | her of 1930 his wife had had a similar attack, and Dr. Gilmour had then been called in. At that time lie had prescribed medinal tablets, a tonic, and a special diet. Before going out that evening he had an argument with ins wife, but they had not been unhappy in their married life. At the theatre | his wife had been quite hersell. j The Coroner returned a verdict that death had been caused by oedema of the brain, and general congestion of , tlie organs.