DEATH FROM SWALLOWING A FORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8065, 5 October 1887, Page 5

DEATH FROM SWALLOWING A FORK.

The Melbourne Age of the 26th ult. records a singular suicide of a lunatic. It says : — Dr. Youl held an inquest at the Kew Asylum on Friday upon the body of a patient named Julian Smith, a man 30 years of age, who was' admitted on the 9th of March, 1886, and died after a short illness on Wednesday last. It appeared from the evidence of the attendants that deceased had repeatedly tried to commit suicide by ? hacking his throat with knives, swallowing paint, needles, and in a variety of other ways trying to terminate his life. His suicidal mania was so pronounced that Bpecial watch was kept upon him night and day. On the 20th instant he became very ill, and when questioned as to the cause he stated that he had swallowed a fork some months previously. Nothing could be done for the sufferer, who gradually grew worse. He further stated that he had not told anyone about the fork for fear that an operation would be perfortred upon him to remove it. Soon afterwards he died. In consequence of his statements and the mysterious circumstances accompanying his death was decided to have a post mortem made on the body. Dr. Nield conducted the examination, with the result that he found a large German silver fork, the handle of which was in the stomach aud the prongs buried in the kidnevo. This foreign substance created an inflammation which was the causa of death. A verdict of peritonitis was therefore agreed upon. The fork in question did not belong to the institution, and there was no explanation as to how he obtained it.