CORONER'S INQUESTS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 89, 15 October 1862, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUESTS.

A Coroner's inquest was held, on Saturday night last, at the Bu9h Tavern, on the body of Ellen Elizabeth M'AUister. The jury consisted of Mr. Henry Josey Goodman, foreman, Messrs. Nattrass, Packer, Johns, Howell, Hardy, Crooke, Blythe, Clarke, Wagg, M'Artney, senior, Graham, and Percivah The Coronee, Thomas Connell, Esq., addressing the jury, said he would simply observe that, for all the purposes of justice, he thought it would be better that the case should be developed by the evidence. He was also induced to refrain from making observations, as it was possible thnt a serious criminal charge might arise from the evidence. Their first duty would be to inspect the deceased's body, and, for that purpose, they would adjourn to the house where it was. Such examination, lie presumed, would be but a mere matter of form, not that he would even hint to the jurors that they could not make the fullest examination, yet, as death \va3 alleged to have occurred from causes, about which the jury, without medical testimony, would be incapable of deciding, and, as apost mortem examination had been made, he presumed they would not require to do more than simply view the body. Ho would also inform them that, if they were not clearly satisfied with the medical testimony, it was competent for them to direct any other medical practitioner to make another examination of the body. The jury then proceeded to view the body, and, on their return, the following evidence was received :—: — John M'Allister, being sworn, said : lam the husband of the deceased. Her age was, I think, twentyseven years. She died on Thursday night last, October 9, as the clock struck twelve. That was her body which the Coroner and jury have just viewed. My wife had been confined, a lortuight preceding her death, of twin female children. Mrs. Stewart, who lives on land adjoining mine, acted as midwife, and was present at my wile's delivery. My wife was very ill after the second child was born, and I wanted to get a medical man to see her, but Mrs. Stewart said there was no necessity, as she knew as well how to act as any medical man. My wife had been in labour about two hours when I wanted to fetch a doctor. My wife was bad a week before she was confined. She had a child about two years and a-half since. During the day, I proposed several times to fetch Dr. Thebing, but Mrs. Stewart said I need not, for there was no danger. At night, or early on the following (Friday) morning, I was awakened from sleep by hearing my wife scream out. I think she said " You are touching my very heart." " You are very cruel." " Oh, my John, come and save my life : Mrs. Stewart is killing me." I was not quite awake, but I thiuk that was what she said. Mrs. Stewart said, "If my wife had a doctor, he would do the same," and that "my wife must let her do what was required." Mrs. Stewart told me to go for a doctor, and to run quickly. Both Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. Durrant told me to run for a doctor. This was immediately after I had been awakened. I had asked Mrs. Durraut to assist as nurse, after I had learned that my wife had twins. I ran for Dr. Thebing, and he came: he followed immediately after me. Dr. Thebing was at my house before daylight. Mrs. Stewart was employed by my wife rather against my will. Dr. Thebing did uot remain long on that occasion : he left within an hour. He did not attend again until last Monday, the 6th instant, when I again called upon him, because my wife was very ill. On Tuesday, Dr. Thebing was not well, and Dr. Cusack attended for him. On Wednesday, both Dr. Cusack and Dr. Thebing saw my wife, they came twice together. On the day of my wife's confinement, Mrs. Stewart sent me to a chemist's for some ergot for my wife. I got it at Mr. Tatton's, in Bridge-street, and gave it to Mrs. Stewart, ancl I saw her mix eonio of it, but I did not see her udminister it. It was about noon on the day of my wife's confinement, that I fetohed that medicine. Isabella Stewart, being* sworn, said : I am the wife of Alexander Stewart, who was lately a police constable in Nelson. I knew the deceased for some time. I attended her in her last confinement, which occurred on the 25th September, and at which twin female children were born. The delivery was complete at about 20 minutes past six o'clock on that morning. I saw no peculiar circumstances attending her delivery. Everj thing was perfectly natural. Two months before her confinement she was seized with violent vomiting, and I attendtd her. About 8 dayß before her confinement, I was again oalled because she was vomiting. I think she must have then vomited three bucketsful. After her confinement, the placenta did not come away, ancl, having waited till the evening, I said it was time it should be removed, but she would not allow me to remove it. I then sent her husband for Dr. Thebing. I sent for him because he had attended her in a previous confinement Dr. Thebing came at once, that was about 3 o'clock on the Friday morning. I did not remove the placenta ; Dr. Thebing removed it. I was present when he did so. Mrs. Durrant was, at that time, in the outer room. [Witness, having been cautioned that she need not answer, as her answer migbb be used in evidence against her, said :J Before Dr. Thebing had arrived, I did nothing towards removing the placenta. She would not let me touch her j she held my hand when I offered to do so. I then, seeing she would not allow me to do what was necessary, oalled her husband and told him to go for a doctor. After Dr. Thebiug's visit, the deceased progressed favourably until Sunday, the eleventh day after her confinement. I had seen her up, but not on

that day. When I saw her up it was nine days after her confinement. On Sunday, the eleventh day, her husband told me hia wife was " doing firstrate." On the Monday, the day following, I went into the house to wash the children. I then saw Mrs. M'Allister in. bed in a high fever. Siie told me she had eaten some plum-pudding and drank some beer on the day preceding, and that she thought she had partaken of it rather too freely. I did not again see the deceased, for I thought the family seemed as though they did not like my going to the house. By a juror: Before Dr. Thebing was called, I gave the deceased half a drachm of ergot, in two doses, at different times. Dr. TUebing also gave lier some. I produce uiy diploma in midwifery, which I received, from the Edinburgh University. I am not aware whether Dr. Thebing knew I had administered ergot to the deceased. I cannot °ay what time elapsed between the two doses which I gave her. I gave it as I thought it was neceasary. Dr. Thebing administered ergot juat after he was in the deceased's room. Some time had then elapsed since she had my second dose. I gave the ergot on the afternoon and evening of her confinement. j Sarah Durrant, being sworn, Baid : I live near Mr. M'Allister's house. I attended Mrs. M'Allister after her twin babies were born. I went there at about seven o'clock in the morning. I was principally in the room adjoining Mrs. M'Allister's. On the night of the day of his wife's confinement, Mr. M'AUister was taking a nap on the sofa in the room where I was. Mrs. Stewart was then in the bedroom with Mrs. M'Allistcr. I heard Mrs. M'Allister scream out, " Oh ! Mrs. Stewart, oh ! Mrs. Stewart, you are killing of me." She also cried out, "Oh ! John, oh ! my John, save my life." These cries awakened Mr. M'Allister, and he said to me, " She is crying out against Mrs. Stewart; go and see what it is." I walked into the bedroom, and leaned over the bed to Mrs. M'Allister, who then said, "Oh! Mrs. Stewart, you were very cruel; you touched my very heart." I did not see Mrs. Stewart do anything. She merely said, " Tut, woman, I did no such thing." I had previously seen Mrs. Stewart sweep masses of blood in great quantity from the bed, congealed like liver. When I went into the room, I did not see Mr 3. Stewart's right arm, because she turned it from me and held it down between her and the bed. I was not on the same side of the bed. I stayed in the room for a minute or so, and Mrs. Stewart then said, " Tell M'Allister to fetch a doctor ; his wife will not let me do what is right, and it must be done at once." By a juror : I remained in attendance on the deceased for one week. I then left because her sister had arrived from England. Her sister's arrival did not excite her. Mrs. M'Allister was up on the Thursday after her confinement, but only for a short time, while I made her bed. She did not again get up, I think, till the following Sunday. Mrs. M'Allißter, till just preceding her death, frequently said, " Mrs. Stewart had nearly touched her heart." Mrs. M'Allister was very weak from the day of her confinement until her death. She told me she had had a little plum pudding on Sunday. She had no wine, beer, or spirits in the house ; at least she said she " could not ask me to have any, as there was none in the house." Mrs. M'Allister repeated several times before her death that Mrs. Stewart "had nearly touched her heart." The Coeoneb : Was Mra. Stewart then present ? Witness : No. The Coboneb : Then I cannot take such evidence down. You see [addressing the jury] I cannot take down a statement that might criminate a person, un. less that person was present when the statement was made, or unless it was made, with a full knowledge of impending death, in the presence of a magistrate. Theodore Bernhard Thebing, baing sworn, said : I am a physician and surgeon. I knew the deceased, Mrs. M'Allister. I was called to see her on Friday, September 19, after her late confinement. That was between two and three o'clock in the morning. Her husband called me, and requested my immediate attendance. When I arrived at the house, I found that Mrs. M'Allister had recently been delivered. She was weak, pale, and agitated, and altogether in a state which showed that she must have lost a large quantity of blood. I wag informed that she had been constantly vomiting throughout the day, and that confirmed my opinion. I gave her some Dover's powder to allay her irritability of nerves, and then examined her. I found that the placenta had not been removed. lat once, and easily, removed it in the usual way, and soon after that left her. She was then weak, but in a fair way for recovery. I did not then call again, as it was not my case, and as I had done all I was required to do. The week following I occasionully saw Mr. M'Allister and gave him twice some aperient pills for his wife. I did not, on my first or subsequent visits, administer e*got. When Mr, M'Allister called on me on the 6th instant, he said " his wife had been up, had partaken of some rich food, and he thought it had disagreed with her." He asked me for something to relieve her, and I gave him a powder of four grains of calomel. He came again shortly and said his wife was worse. I went to see her immediately and was much astonished at her appearance and the expression of deep suffering, which appeared by her features. lat once dismissed all thought that such a change could have arised from indigestion. Her great prostration and quick pulse led me at once to fear that she had inflammation of the womb. I ordered her some powders composed of one grain of calomel and one grain of opium, and an enema and then left for the night, but, on that same night, I proposed to Mr. M'Allister that, as the case involved great responsibility, I should wish to have another medical man witli me on the following day. He consented, but, on the following day I was not myself well. I, therefore, got Dr. Cusack to attend for me. He saw Mrs. M'Allister three times that day and, after each visit, came and consulted with me. The following day both Dr. Cusack and I attended and held a consultation. I saw her also agaiu with Dr. Cusack and several times alone. The last time I saw her was ao eight o'clock, as she died at twelve. I distinctly thought she was dying and dying from inflammation of the womb. After her death Dr. Cusack and I, with Mr. M'Allister's consent made a post mortem examination. On opening the abdomen we saw that the bowels were healthy but, on examining the lower parts, we saw Blight signs of inflammation on the surface, on part of the womb. On dividing this we saw that the veins of that organ were in a state of suppuration and that satisfied us as to the cause of death. We could not say whether it resulted from external injury because our examination was made so long after the confinement. By a juror: I did not call again to repeat my visit which I made on the 26th September, because I was simply called to do what I then did, and, as Mrs. Stewart was in attendance on the caae generally, I was not justified in again calling. I found the placenta in the position in which nature ordinarily places it, and removed it without difficulty. Mrs. Stewart informed me she had removed one placenta, but said she thought " this, the Becond one, had grown to Mrs. M'Allister's side." Ergot is usually administered to cause contraction of the womb. Mrs. Stewart recalled. The evidence given by Dr. Thebing was read over to her. Mrs. Stewart repeated that Dr. Thebing informed her he was giving her " a little ergot." Dr. Thebing : You must have dreamt it. Mrs. Stewart : No, doctor ; I did not. I have my position to maintain. I am by some supposed to have caused this woman's death. I maintain that you said you were giving her " a little ergot." Dr. Tliebing : I could not have said bo. I gave her simply Dover's powder. The Coboneb: Mrs. Stewart, you say you did not remove & placenta. Dr. Thebing says he removed but one, and that you said you had removed one. Mra. Stewart : 1 did not remove one. Dr. Thebing : Then Mrs. M'Allister must have had but one child. Mr 3. Stewart : No ; the other placenta must have come away by itself. Samuel Athanasius Cusaek, being sworn, said : I am a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and a Licentiate in Midwifery. I have heard Dr. Thebing's ovidenoe, and, so far as I was concerned in the case, I confirm the whole of his observations. I would explain what, perhaps, the jury may not dearly understand that the cause of the uterine pUeUtis, of vvhioh deceased died, could not, bo many days after her confinement, be positively ascertained*

As a professional witness, I must speak partly as to ' facts, and partly from opinion. As a matter of fact, there wore no post mortem uppearnupi's to indicate how the inflammation was c.iu-<i'd. As a matter of opinion, I think inflammation of the uterus was likely to be caused by any forcible attempt to extract, the placenta, and whether bucli had bjon tho case in the present instance, the jury can form their own opinion. Tho Cohoneh : I cannot take your opinion in evidence. The inflammation mt\y, I presume, have arisen from other causes. Dr. Cusack : It may have arisen from other causes, but, as an expert, I would uieroly give my opinion as to what I think caused it. As a matter of opinion, I think the administration of ergot was immaterial, though I think no chemist is justified in selling, or a nurao in administering it, at any rate, without an order from a medical man. The Coroner : That, of courso, has nothing to do with this inquiry, Bridget Boulger, being sworn, said : lam sister of the deceased. I arrived in Nelson from England last Thursday week. I saw my sister on that day. She was very week, though getting better. She was confined to her bed. Sho was not excited at seeing me, as sho had been prepared for it. I remained in her house until her death. Sho was up on the Sunday after I arrived. She got up for half-an-hour and then went to bed again ; got up again to dinner, and again returned to bed. She had a small piece of fowl and plum-pudding for dinner. My sister got up again to tea, and remained up till about eight o'clock. At midnight sho complained of sickness. She had about half a glass of beer at three o'clock on that Sunday afternoon. The Cobonee asked the jury if they thought they could decide on their verdict without requiring him to read over the ovidence. Several jurors : Yes. The jury then, after a few minutes' consultation, returned the following as their verdict : — " That the said Ellen Elizabeth M'Allister died on Thursday, the 9th day of October, 1862, from inflammation of the womb, arising from natural causes, and not from any unskilful treatment." A Coroner's inqnest was held on Saturday last, at Banzau, on the body of Frank Win, aged three months, who appears to have been accidentally Bmothered while in bed with his parents. The verdict of the jury was that the child "Died from suffocation by accident." Nelson Provincial Land and Building Society. — We are informed that the £25 shares in this Society, realized, on Monday last, the premium of £1 12 a. 6d. per share. Bhead. — Yesterday tho bakers' shops contained an j announcement that bread had fallen to Bd. the 4 lb. loaf.