SWALLOWED THE BED KEY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8178, 20 July 1912, Page 9

SWALLOWED THE BED KEY

WOMAN’S NOVEL METHOD OF SELF DESTRUCTION.

Tho case of a woman who swallowed a large iron bed key .ilia long came from Doncaster (Eng.) recently. A\ hen tho woman in question, Elizabeth Tyson, fiftynine years of age, was taken to the hospital, her story was not at first believed. An examination by the x-rays, however, showed tho iron bar in her stomach. An operation was performed, tho bed key removed, and the woman died. Her husband at the inquest told a pathetic story of the woman’s continued attempts to destroy herself. She was paralysed down ono side, and had been kept to her bed. She had been under the caro of a doctor. She could not get out of doors, and had been very low-spirited. Ho used a bed key to fasten the window in order to prevent it from rattling. Ono day lie could not find it, and when he asked his daughter where it was. his wife, pointing to her mouth, said, “It is down Uere. You will never see it any more.” Witness did not believe her. They could not find the key and his wife tho next day said, ■ “I WISH I HADN’T DONE IT.” She told them several times shs had swallowed it to kill herself. She thought it would kill her. Ada Tyson said her mothervcould get in and out of bed, and walk round the room with assistance. She had asked witness* to .give her some poison and take a knife up to her. "She never cried about anything," tho witness added. “She was, only low-spirited. Father and mother always got on all right together. Father has always been most kind to her.” Mother had told her when asked about the bed key, that she thought it would choke her and. that sho would bo put out of her misery. Later, she said, sho was sorry. After she said she had swallowed it she continued to have her fond regularly. Shu? always hud a good appetite. Tho house surgeon at tho infirmary said when ho went to see tho woman at) \ her homo she told him she had swallowed tho key, but lie did not believe her-. , Sh<j said HER LIFE WAS NOT WORTH LIVING) on account of tho pain in her head. Asked by tho coroner if the woman could have lived with the key'in her stomach, the doctor said he thought at the time there was a chance of it staying there and doing no harm. Ho did not know then that it was so big. The coroner: Is it possible for u person' to live with a key that size in tie stomach Y Yes, it might have ulcerated the stomach and ultimately caused her death. Ho would not interfere with her talcing food. Ho had her removed to tho infirmary, and took an x-ray photograph, and in consequence', after a consultation with another doctor, it was dccided.that an operation was immeditely necessary. This was performed, and tho key was taken out. The woman got over the operation, and seemed likely to do well, but she died a few days after. Sho seemed disappointed to find she was alive after the operation, and , WISHED THE DOCTORS TO POISON HER. Ho believed she then suffered from pains in the head. The immediate cause of death was congestion of the lungs. Ho was satisfied an operation was absolutely necessary. The jury returned a verdict that Mrs Tyson committed suicide while of unsound mind.