DEATH BY STARVATION.
VICTIM OF DELUSIONS. REFUSAL TO TAKE FOOD. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HAMILTON. Friday. The literal adoption -of the scriptural injunction: "If any will not work, neither let him eat," was tho cause of the death in Hamilton on Wednesday of Mr. John Douglas Pike, aged 26. At an inquest held before Mr. Wyvcrn Wilson, coroner, yesterday, evidence was given by deceased's father that for nearly 12 months the unfortunate man had been an inmate of a mental hospital. He was suffering from delusional insanity and used to quote the text mentioned. As no work was provided for him at the mental hospital he refused to eat, and became so emaciated and weak that he could not be forcibly fed. He was allowed to return home a week ago. Dr. T. C. Eraser, who had attended deceased for some time, said lie suffered from delusional insanity and nothing could be done for him. Death was duo to exhaustion arising from starvation, the result of his mental condition. A verdict was returned according to the medical evidence.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19292, 3 April 1926, Page 10
Word Count
178DEATH BY STARVATION. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19292, 3 April 1926, Page 10
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