AN ENGINEER'S DEATH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7356, 7 February 1911, Page 1

AN ENGINEER'S DEATH

DUE TO FATTY DEGENERATION OF THE HEART.

An inquest was held at the morgue yesterday by Dr A. McArthur, coroner, touching the death of William Reid Jardino, an engineer, in the employ of the Union Steam Ship Company, who died suddenly while at his work yesterday morning.

Dr Fyffe, who conducted a post-mortem examination, stated that the cause of death was syncope, due to fatty degeneration of the heart, complicated by granular kidney. His condition was such that ho might have died at any time.

Margaret Jairdine, wife of the deceased, stated that he had been in the employ of the Union Company as an engineer for the post three years. Ho was sixtyone years of age. Of late he had not been in very good health. Dr Harty had been attending him. He left for work, as usual, at V.].) a.m. yesterday, and that was tho last time ‘ witness saw him alive. He made no complaint of ill-health that morning, and was better than he had been for a week, eating his breakfast heartily. Frauds Smith Phillips, fitter in the employ of the Union Steam Ship Company, stated that ho had known the deceased for the past four years. He bad frequently complained to witness of pains which_ he ascribed to indigestion. Witness noticed yesterday morning that deceased did not look well and inquired regarding his health. He replied that he was suffering from pains across the chest which came on while he was in the shop. He gradually got worse and witness sent a man for a stimulant, but as deceased continued to get worse bo sent for a doctor and a cab to take him home. A spoonful of the stimulant was administered, and this ' appeared to momentarily revive him, but before the doctor arrived he died. The matter was then reported to the police. Joseph Waterson, a blacksmith employed in the Union Company’s yards, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness.

A verdict was returned that death was due to fatty degeneration of the heart.