MAORI CHILD'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20988, 26 September 1931, Page 8

MAORI CHILD'S DEATH.

DOCTORS' ADVICE NOT TAKEN. NO HOSPITAL TREATMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] NAPIER, Friday. The inquest into the death of Koukou Tutu, the nine-months-old adopted child of Simon and Mary Tutu, of Tangoio, revealed that the foster-parents failed to follow the advice of two doctors who strongly urged the child's removal to hospital. The evidence showed that Mary Tutu took the child to Dr. Waterworth, who told her to have it taken to hospital. She said she would take it home again and nurse it herself, and in response to the doctor, who asked her again to take the child to the hospital, she requested him to prescribe medicine, which he did not do. She then returned home with the child and later asked Dr. Edgar for some medicine, which she received next morning. She treated the baby with the medicine and poultices, but after a slight improvement it died. Mrs. Tutu admitted Dr. Edgar strongly advised that the child be sent to hospital, but said she thought the child was too weak to be moved. It was further shown that Dr. Edgar had said if the child was not brought in to the hospital he would take no responsibility. In returning a verdict that the child died as a result of pneumonia, the coroner, Mr. A. M. Mowlem, said he desired to impress on the native mind the fact that when the parents took a sick child to a doctor, they must abide by what he told them. He pointed out if the parents neglected the child by not doing what the doctor told them, they were answerable.