SUDDEN DEATH AT HELENS VILLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8500, 26 February 1891, Page 5

SUDDEN DEATH AT HELENS VILLE.

CORONER'S INQUEST. AX inquest was held at Babylon, a native settlement about six miles from Helensville, on Saturday last, by Mr. R. Sinclair, J.P., acting-Coroner for the district, and a jury of six, of whom Mr. Richard B. Craven was chosen foreman, on the body of a native woman named Pera Pongaro Pihama, who died suddenly at Helensville on Friday morning, the 20th instant, in a tent ac the back of -Mr. Meggson's store. The following are the particulars of the case as given at the inquest :—Deceased, who was about 36 or 37 years of age, was returning home from Onikei, in company with some other natives, where they had been staying for some time. Previous to getting into the train at Newmarket, on Thursday morning, the 19th inst., deceased comnlained of having severe pain in the head. When the train got to Mount Eden station she likewise complained of pains in the lower part of the abdomen. When the train got to Woodhill the pain in the bowels was so severe that she fell off the seat of the railway carriage, and had to be assisted by her companions. When the train arrived at Helensville they gob out, and went to the chemist's shop to get some medicine to Relieve her. Deceased walked from the train to the chemist's shop without assistance. Mr. Eccles, the chemist, dispensed a bottle of medicine from a prescription given him by Dr. Bakeweil, who had prescribed for a Maori woman who was sick at Helensville about a fortnight or three weeks ago, and who, it was stated, was suffering from typhoid fever. The chemist thought the symptoms were similar to those affecting the woman prescribed for by Dr. Bakewell, and made up the medicine from Dr. Bakewell's prescription. He also gave her four pills with directions, and told her to keep herself warm, and eat nothing but rice and milk. Deceased took two of the pills and two doses of the medicine. The medicine did not relieve her. She remained in great agony all through Thursday night, and died about six o'clock on . Friday morning,, as above stated. Dr. Lindsay, of Auckland, who was summoned to give evidence in the case, said that he had not been able to make a ■post-mortem examination, on accounb of the strong feeling the natives had again it; but from the history of the case, as obtained from the previous witnesses, and from the Maori women of the settlement, who were intimate with the deceased, he had no hesitation in saying that retention of urine 'was the cause of death. He had seen the prescription from which the medicine produced was dispensed. It had nothing whatever to do with the woman's death, bub it was not calculated to relieve her. , A surgical operation was what was required, and had he, or any other qualified medical man been present the woman's sufferings could have been relieved in a few minutes, and her life saved. In answer to questions from the jury regarding the symptoms of typhoid, Dr. Lindsay said that the course of the case was totally distinct from that of : typhoid, and that there were no symptoms of typhoid fever whatever. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.— [Own Correspondent.] • :