DEATH FROM GIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12278, 23 May 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

DEATH FROM GIN.

FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRLS FATAL

DRINK.

The extraordinary story of the death of a little five-year-old girl from drinking gin was told at an inquest at Oakford, Devon. The girl's father, James Skinner, who had obtained more remunerative employment at Oakford, moved his household effects from the little cottage home at Rackenford on a waggon, his wife and children— the latter, the little five-year-old girl Bessie, and a little boy about six—riding with the furniture. The heterogeneous collection usually to be associated with this kind of Hitting included in this case a pint bottle of gin. Unfortunately, this was placed within reach of the children, who were squatting in the rear of the waggon out of sight of the mother. The father tramped alongside, blissfully unconscious that the children were helping themselves to the gin. The little ones were certainly very quiet during the greater part of the ten miles, and, as the mother said with tears in her eyes, "I thought they were asleep. I was astonished at the journey's end to rind they had been at the gin. ' Hardly a drop remained. We put the children to bed at once and sent for a doctor.''

The girl was barely conscious, and the boy was unable to stand. When the doctor arrived the girl was unconscious and the boy was without a doubt intoxicated, and both smelt strongly of the spirit. Bessie never regained consciousness, and died from alcoholic poisoning.