DEATH OF MRS. SARAH CR001.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9096, 3 July 1888, Page 6

DEATH OF MRS. SARAH CROOI.

CONCLUSION OF THE INQUEST.

A JURYMAN MISSING.

The adjourned inquest upon the body of Mrs. Sarah Croot, who died on Sunday, June 24th, in Auckland, under circumstances fully detailed in our issues of the 25th and 26th of June. The first portion of the inquest was held on June 25th, and was resumed at the Pier Hotel yesterday, before Dr. Philson. On the jury assembling, only five answered to their names— C. Woollams (foreman), Thomas Powlfey, David Cromarty, Robert • Mackie, and James Champion, John Clifford being absent. It transpired on inquiry that he had left Auckland for Sydney on the Rotomahana on Wednesday last. After consulting the Act guiding inquests, it was decided to go on with the remaining five jurymen. Inspector Broham appeared on behalf of the police. Mr. Madden watched the case for the relatives of the deceased.

William Croot, husband of deceased, a gumdigger at Dairy Flat, deposed that himself ana wife came into Auckland on the 21st. Mrs. Croot complained of a pain in her back. They came into town to get medical advice. They stopped at Mrs. Proctor's. Witness' wife asked him to get her some of the Canadian doctor's medicine. Witness did so, paying 7s 6d for it. There was a box of powder and a bottle of the "Perfume." There were instructions as to how to make up the medicines (produced). Witness then deposed to seeing Mrs. Proctor make the medicine according to these instructions. Witness did not see his wife take any of the medicine on Thursday night. Witness was out about an hour. He went to bed first, and believed his wife went to bed about eleven o'clock. He heard no vomiting during that night, and did not hear of it. He thought she was cheerful that night. He first saw deceased take any medicine about eight o'clock on Friday morning, when witness also' took some of the medicine at the same time—an equal dose with his wife. The medicine had no effect upon him that he .knew, nor did he notice that it took any effect on his wife. He never saw- any vomiting on the part of his wife, or anybody else all the time he was in the house. Witness's wife did not complain to him of vomiting, only of pains in her chest. He saw her take two doses, one in the morning and the second at dinner-time. Witness left Auckland about three. - Witness asked his wife if he should stay, but she replied " No : go look after the things." His wife seemed to him to be in her usual health. He took some of the »;edicine home with htm, and took three or four doses of it. It had no effect, good or bad, on him. His wife had been in town some months previously, and consulted Dr. Lindsay at the Hospital. By Mr. Madden: Witness had desired to stay! but his wife had requested him to leave. His wife bad told him the medicine was doing her good. Mrs. Proctor did not tell witness of his wife vomiting. When she had these pains she appeared to suffer considerably, but as soon as the psvins were over she was cheerful. By inspector Broham : Witness went to bed ait about ten o'clock on Thursday night, und his wife ivas up then. By the jury i There was no drinking going on at Proctor's. Witness did not drink, or care to see others.

James Alexander Pond, colonial analyst, deposed to obtaining on June 26th, from Constable Kelly, three bottles, and two bottles from Sergeant Lyons, containing what' was alleged to be medicine, sealed. He analysed all the five bottles. The first three contained portions of a dead boa\y, being the stomach, its contents and portions of liver, kidney, spleen, and brainv Witness analysed the contents of these bottles; and failed to detect any alcoholic poison, any mineral poison, or any evidence of the presence of corrosive ' fluids or substances. Witness next received the bottles containing the medicines, and found that the fluid in the large bottle was an infusion of rhubarb, gentian, and ginger root, the precipitates or sedimentary residue giving microscopic evidences of the presence of rhubarb, gentian, and ginger, and bearing out the flavour and scent of the extract. The extract; contained 1.01 per cent, of dry solid matter, of which .268 were mineral salt« ; chiefly tartrates and carbonates of pota;ih and soda ; present also lime and magnesia, as carbonates in very small quantities. lam of opinion that this medicine is innocuous to a person inordinary health, and not calculated to cause serious or fatal injury. The -coloured fluid ("the perfume"), of about loz in quantity, and said to have been used as a lotion, I believe to be an oxidised methylic alcoholic solution of gum guiac.um, in a menstruum of glycerine, and perfumed with some of the essential oils, probably of cinnamon, cajeput, peppermint, and neroli. Mineral salts were present only as a trace. Guiacum is a very old remedy for rheumatic affections, and could not be the cause of any injurious results from an external application. Dr. Mackellar said that on Monday, June 25, he made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased. The body was well nourished. Near the navel there were some marks, probably caused by some blistering agent; pupils rather dilated ; no indication of spasm on the body. Witness first opened the chest. There were old marks of pleurisy on both lungs. The lungs themselves bore no signs of disease, no pneumonia or tubercle. The heart was rather dilated, pale, and flabby texture, soft, and very friable. The signs of fatty degeneracy were well marked, and advanced. The cavities contained a moderate amount of blood, partly fluid and partly showing afterdeath coagulation. The valves were normal. There was some fatty degeneration of the blood vessel known as the "aorta." The abdomen contained a rather thin pale yellow material, mixed with small white clots, evidently milk curd. There was no peculiar odour. The membrane of the stomach showed well-marked passive congestion, somewhat red. There was no ulcer or abrasion. The intestines contained in the upper part material similar to that in the stomach, no ulceration. In the lower part the contents, were firmer and darker. The bladder and uterus were normal. The kidneys had no inflammation and were normal; and the liver was about the normal size, fatty, and to a slight extent nutmegged. The brain was healthy. I took away certain portions of the body and the contents of the stomach, and bottled, sealed, and handed them ' over to Constable Kelly. In my opinion, the cause of death was due to some shock, or exertion, or strain that had exhausted and caused syncope in a person that had a fatty heart. The liver was fatty also. Vomiting would be a sufficient cause. There was no appearance of previous ill-health. There was no sign of deceased having b;en of drinking habits. Witness found no cabbage in the stomach. I think death resulted from natural causes, not by violence ; but I think whatever caused her vomiting caused her death. I think the attempt to catch a train or anything of that sort would cause death. Very little would cause death from the state of her heart. Her disease was incurable. The Coroner : I)ou you think she died of disease or not ? Dr. Mackellar : By disease, which might have been aggravated by vomiting. Had there been no vomiting or other strain she might have lived for years. Very little would cause vomiting from the state of her heart. Cabbage would do it, but I found nothing in the stomach to cause it, as would any unpleasant, medicine. This was all the evidence. The jury, after consulting together, returned a verdict that deceased died from " natural causes."