DEATH OF MISS KITCHEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13499, 28 May 1907, Page 6

DEATH OF MISS KITCHEN.

THE MOTHER'S THEORY.

INTERESTING MEDICAL EVIDENCE. The inquest concerning the death of Minnie Kitchen, 15 years of age, who resided in Tararua Terrace, Parhell, and who died on the 12th instant under circumstances said at the time to' be disclosing acute septicemia, was continued at the Windsor Castle Hotel, Parncll, yesterday. The City Coroner (Mr. T. Gresham) conducted the inquest before a jury of six. Sergeant Moore appeared for the police ; Mr. Thome to watch the case on behalf of the owners of Bradford Buildings, in Queen-street, where the deceased was employed ; Mr. P. Basley for the family of deceased/ also the owners of the buildings, and Mr. R. McVeagh for the dental operator who extracted a tooth from the deceased. The health officer (Dr. Purdy) was also in attendance.

MRS. KITCHEN'S EVIDENCE; Martha Ellen Kitchen, mother of the deceased, said the girl was never robust, "always in good health." There was no difference in her health when she went to work on the morning of the 9th instant. Just I previous to this, deceased had ; complained of toothache, and she had a tooth extracted. It did not trouble her afterwards. . About one \ o'clock on Friday morning, the 10th instant, another daughter,- Ada, who was in the room with deceased,, called witness. ; Deceased was then vomiting, and -her arms and other portions of the body were quite stiff. The vomiting continued until daylight. Witness admin- ■. istered soda water and milk, and also a dose of castor oil, but it was not retained. Deceased was delirious from the time witness .went into- the room. During the morning: deceased appeared to rally. At' one o'clock on Friday afternoon Dr. Ferguson ; was called. Deceased regained con- i sciousness after nine o'clock on Friday, j when the delirium left her. She did not complain of numbness. Dr. Ferguson stated the deceased was 'suffering from shock, and that she would be all right on the Saturday. ; Dr. Ferguson prescribed for her. -Only the first dose was retained. Deceased was bad again on the Friday night, but not unconscious. She had breakfast on Saturday and improved slightly. She continued to improve up till one o'clock on Sunday, but her legs were powerless in the morning. Deceased began to get delirious after one o'clock, and Dr. Ferguson was again consulted. She "complained of a pain in her groin. After an examination, Br. Ferguson told. witness deceased was suffering either from septicaemia or plague, and that he was to be called at once should any. change - take place, and that if she-.was no better in the morning ' she would be ordered to the hospital. The deceased became worse, and Dr. Ferguson was called, arriving before her. death. .; Dr. Lindsay was called for consultation, but he did not arrive before death; • '

"A VILE, IDLE RUMOUR." The Coroner: Did Miss Kitchen keep company >ith Miss MaeMiUan '! The reason- I Ask the question is because a number of ..'r'uniotiro - have been .about. One of these is that the deceased and Miss{ MaeMillah-aie a tin of salmon together. | It is a vile,-idle rumour, but the fact is [ that neither of the girls knew "each other. | ; Witness: I never heard my daughter' mention the name. . . , :': ■ , -..,, [The Coroner: Have you anything to say iin addition % ■ :'v ''•''. *.; -...* ,'\;

Witness :■ Anything I wish to say had' better be left unsaid. •I" really believe that my 'daughter's death was caused '•", through ). blood poisoning. . :-'". " S:; ; The- Coroner 'We* do not wish toy thing [hushed-'up: we want to get at the cause of death. . * : .-~ - '~;' • ... , :.": '.Witness:-1 believe it was blood poisoning. If 8, had had the vomiting ■analysed I believe it Would have shown blood poisoning caused through the stuff' she swallowed. : .-..' '■-■'.■*<;:.', [\ A ■ JUror: Did your daughter make"any complaint about the treatment she received at the'dentist's '?'.. *-;'-. - . ■ ■

Witness: My : daughter said the 'dentist said lie'would take no responsibility, and she laughingly •• said she would' take the responsibility. '•*'';."- ,*•"'■ In reply to another question, witness said the. jaw on the side where the tooth was extracted 'from was dark and swollen. ■ She also told Dr. Ferguson that she thought she swallowed some carbolic solution that was! given her for washing her mouth." Prior to, and up to the time of death, there was no discolouration or swelling in the region of the * jaw; it came directly afterwards, and extended to the shoulder blade.' V Witnesscontinuing, said that Dr. Lindsay said the case would have "to be reported to the health officer (Dr. Purdy), who attended later in the evening. Dr. Purely left disinfectants and expressed a similar, opinion to the other doctors. ' There were no restrictions placed on the house until eleven o'clock on Tuesday. ,;; • . . TO Mr. Basley: Witness always thought the room in which her daughter worked Was i clean and healthy, and her daughter had never made any complaint. ' . Ada Kitchen, daughter of the last witness, also gave evidence.'

MEDICAL OPINION. •. : Dr. De Glive Lowe deposed that oh the 13th -instant he performed a post-mortem examination on the body of deceased, in company with Drs. Puroy, Ferguson, arid Lindsay. ; The body was not well nourished, nor well developed; He described the result, of the examination of the various organs ■of'the body. * With; the' assistance of } the other medical men he made an examination of the socket from which the • tooth was extracted. .-This, presented a perfectly normal appearance, and was quite healthy. •■ "; ] ';■■■ The .'1 Coroner: ; From the post-mor-tem examination what opinion did you, form as to the cause of death? ... j

i-j.Witness V Plague 'of bubonic septicemia nature. , ■-,•.-■ .- ' -\

■ The Foreman (Mr. Wood): Is this case similar'to the bubonic plague that is pre- ; valent hi Sydney ? , ) " '.{. Witness: Exactly the same 'as Sydney, arid the East, and tike whole Orient. Mr. Wood: This case might have been caused by contagion? '..'.' , ''"' - Witness :, Either contagion or inoculation —one or the other., /• ;'•

"The operator , who drew the tooth of the J deceaseo stated-that the girl appeared to be as well as most patients. inhere was no conversation between him and deceased as to '" responsibility." ; All the dental instruments ..we're-' properly sterilised after each operation. ; Tlie gum injection could not reach the Stomach, and if any of the! mouth-wash was swallowed no ill effects would follow. !

Dr. Lindsay said he agreed with the other medical evidence. Death was due to bubonic plague of the septicemia type. He was absolutely satisfied the drawing of the tooth had ho connection with the cause of death. ■'.'' ■ • ;: '; x ' .

Dr. W. D. -Ferguson, who was two years resident at the. general hospital, said he had under treatment during that time an actual case of plague. c When he. first examined the deceased she was not suffering any pain,*; nor did he notice any swelling, an'd lie : came to the conclusion she was suffering from nervous shock. There were no symptoms, to-indicate anything of a I serious nature. , Two days later he again ;saw, deceased, who complained of pain in ' her ■ throat, which was slightly dilated. !At the. conclusion of the examination witness, told Mrs. Kitchen that deceased; was suffering from septicemia of some kind, with the possibility of it being' bubonic plague. Later he diagnose."! the case as bubonic plague. The dental; trouble had nothing Whatever to do with the cause of death, neither had cocaine nor the' swallowing of carbolic acid. mouth-wash, if she drank any.

f In reply to questions, witness said he could,form no. idea how the disease , was contracted. He examined' the deceased, but could ' find no 'bite from "a flea. It might have been caused from inoculation,, or through some crack in the skin. It, was a case in which the bubos or lumps j developed late in the sickness. . The sanitary condition of Mrs. Kitch°"V residence was' entirely satisfactory. '• At this stage the inquiry was adjourned) ,until Thursday^' one p.m' ''.'-'..J