FOUR DOCTORS BAFFLED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18571, 1 December 1923, Page 11

FOUR DOCTORS BAFFLED.

MAN'S OBSCURE DISEASE.

MYSTERY DURING LIFE.

Four medical men were baffled by the illness of Arthur Herbert Wilkin, aged 50, of Rockwood, Teignmouth, Devon, a retired superintendent of the Indian police, whose death in a London ncirsing home formed the subject of a Marylebone. inquest. Dr. Sydney Wollf, said he was called in September 13. Wilkin complained of pains in the back, arms, and chest, but as witness could find no critical symptoms of disease he thought the patient was merely suffering from indigestion. Wilkin grew worse, and witness called in Dr. Hector Cameron, of Guy's Hospital, but he also was unabje .to make a positive diagnosis., In the course of the next few days Wilkin's case became serious, and Mr. Sampson Hambley, of the Middlesex Hospital, and Sir William Hale White, of Wimpole Street, were also consulted. Neither of these gentlemen was able, however, to say definitely, what the patient was suffering from. "Then four doctors, two of them at least of great eminence in the profession, saw this man." remarked ttfie Deputy Coroner, Mr. A. Douglas Cowburn, "and not one* of them was able to . make a diagnosis." .' . . Dr. Thomas L'ose, police divisional surgeon, spoke of having made a post-mor-tem examination. He said he found that there was degeneration of tfye heart muscle, an obscure disease known as thrombosis of the coronary artery. He could quite understand that it might have been impossible to diagnose this condition during Wilkin's life. . A verdict of "Death 'from natural causes" was recorded.