ELECTRIC SHOCK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21639, 3 November 1933, Page 12

ELECTRIC SHOCK

DEATH OF A WIDOW RADIO AND POWER SUPPLY WARNING BY THE CORONER A request that social welfare organisations which instructed daises of boys at different schools on the making of radio sets, model aeroplanes and similar devices should camion pupils never to interfere in any way with electric-lighting systems was made by Mr. E. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, at the adjourned inquest yesterday concerning the death of Mrs. Caroline Lilian Mason, aged 56, widow, of 10 Gladwin Road. Epsom, on October 12. Deceased was found dead in the back yard at her home, holding a clothes line which was connected to the household electricity supply. Dr. Walter Gilmour. pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, who examined the body, said he found a burn on the inner side of the left upper arm anil another on the inner side of the left forearm. In his opinion death was due to an electric shock and fatty degeneration of the heart. Clothes Line ElectnScd David Hislop Kennedy, baker, said he found deceased lying on the lawn. The clothes line was lying across her chest apd she was holding the line with her left hand. A wet blanket, was over her right arm and partly over the clothes line. Witness caught hold of the clothes line to lift it off her and received a fairly severe electric shock. It was not powerful enough to knock him back. He then realised the clothes line was electrified and so used the wooden clothes prop to lift it off deceased. A roadman switched off the main electric light, switch in the house. Effie May Cant, of S Gladwin Road, Epsom, said she was called to deceased's home about 10.30 a.m. She saw deceased lying near the back door. A blanket and clothes line were on the ground and seemed to be entangled in deceased's feet. She touched the clothes line and got a shock, and her arm ached for a considerable time afterward. Wireless Set Examined William Stephen Langridge, an overseer of the Public Works Department, said he examined deceased's home. In a back room he found a small wireless set arranged for connecting to a lighting socket by a length of flexible cord and lamp-holder adaptor. A direct connection with cotton-covered wire had been made between the clothes line in the backyard and a terminal on part of the wireless set. The terminal was also connected to the end of the flexible cord and lamp-holder adaptor. The full voltage was obtainable between the clothes line and earth when the adaptor was' inserted in the lighting socket in the room. At the time of inspection the adaptor had been removed and the ceiling snap-switch controlling the light socket was in the "on" position. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned by the coroner. He said he did not think there was any need for him to add a rider, as sufficient publicity had been given by the power boards and authorities to the dangers attendant upon illegal interference with electrical equipment.