HOW SHE DIED.

NZ Truth, Issue 250, 9 April 1910, Page 7

HOW SHE DIED.

Jeannie McColl's Fate.

On March 26 an inquest was commenced into, the circumstances surrounding the death of Jeannie McColl, a single woman about thirty years of age, who had recently been keeping house for her brother Dugald, at Waitahuna Gully. Jeannie left Waitahuna on March 12 for a holiday, and she went to the house cf a Mrs Annie Durston on the afternoon of the 15th. On the following day she was prematurely delivered of twias. Dugald came to town In the following week and saw his sister, and about the 24th she seemed to he getting on very well, hut on the following morning she died at an early hour. On March 26 the only evidence taken was that of Dugald. The inquiry was continued on April J , Mr 11. Y. Widdowson acting as coroner.- The inquiry was conducted by Station-Sergeant King, and Mr B. S. Irwin watched the proceedings on- behalf of Mrs Durston. Annie Durston, widow, said she was an unregistered ladies' nurse. Her house at 10 Havelock-street, Mornington, had seven rooms, of which she let some on occasions. About 3.15 p.m. on March 15 - deceased came to the house and asked for tbe room for a week or two, saying she had been unwell for some time aud wanted a quiet place to rest. The room was let to deceased. She said she was married, and that she 1 would need some attention for a time, as she had had diarrhoea and had been vomiting for some time past. Her luggage; 'she said, had been mislaid when she changed trains at Milton, and she brought none with her. That night (the 15thy deceased and witness retired to the same bed about 9 o'clock. Deceased had a cup of cocoa for supper, which made her sick, but she advised witness to take no notice of her, as she had been the same way for tlie past six weeks. As the , night wore on, deceased became worse, and witness asked her several times if she were ill, but deceased always denied this,' until at last witness asked her straight out if v she did' not expect soon' to be confined, when witness admitted that that was so ; and added, farther, that for the past four months she had been taking medicine and pills. This admission was made at 3.30 a.m., and witness examined deceased, telling hex that confinement was approaching. About si* o'clock deceased was delivered of .a dead' child, about four months old, m such a , state of decay as to suggest that it had been dead for a fortnight. At 8.30 another child (dead) was born. . Witness destroyed the bodies, burning them m the copper fireplace at about 10 o'clock. The deceased appeared very well, considering, but she could not keep down solid food, and witness did not press it .on her. Questioned by witness, deceased said nothing had been done to, promote a miscarriage beyond the . taking o£ pills and medicine. Her married sister, she said, knew of ■ her condition. Deceased refused to give the names of her. relations, but witness communicated with them as soon as she found but where, they were. The name of Mrs Carr had been given by deceased when she arrived, and it wasn't until March 19 that witness knew Miss L. McColl, North-East Valley, was her sister. Deceased had promised to tell witness everything later on, for , which reason no trouble was taken at the time to ascertain her name. On the 21st deceased wrote letters -to Kef sisters, m Dunedin and Warbanyna, and witness also wrote to them. In response to a message from witness, Miss L. McColl came up on March 22, accompanied by her brother, .and on the following day Miss Sadie McColl and Mrs Walker (another sister) also called. Tlje sisters suggested that a doctor be called m, but witness said ifc wasn't necessary, as the patient was getting on nicely. On the 24th Dugald and Sadie called again, and deceased seemed. very lively, but m ted that night she had fits of fainting and sickness. Late at night witness decided to get a doctor, and sent for Dr. Marshall McDonald, who deceased said had previously treated her. Dr. Macdonald couldn't be got, and nothing was done for a time, deceased urging that no doctor be sent for; but about 11 o'clock she became ill, and Dr. Fitchett was sent for, arriving about la.m.. Ten minutes after the doctor came, deceased died, having been conscious, up 'to a short time before his arrival. Witness said she had considerable experience of confinement cases without a doctor. She had been nursing for ten years, but she wasn't m the Habit of taking women to her house for the purpose of coiifineme&t. Deceased made no arrangement for payment. She (deceased) made no statement as to who was responsible for her condition, and witness didn't press her about it. " To Mr Irwin : From the time of her confinement deceased continued to get better, and each day there appealed less and less necessity for a doctor. To the '. Coroner : Deceased's brother seemed not to wast to know about her condition, and her sisters would hardly believe it. Witness told Dugald that ia her opinion deceased bad died from heart failure. She saw no sign of blood-pois-oning. Deceased never told witness that an instrument had been used 'on her! She said a lady m the tram had directed her to witness 1 house. To Dr. Pitchctt : On tbe morning of the confinement, deceased's temperature was 99, but thereafter it was normal. Her temperature was taken two or three States a day. Witness disinfected her hands when examining deceased and .when attending her during confinement.. Dr. Fralifc ; Fitehett said he axrive'ri at Mrs Durston's at 1.20 o'clock on the morning of the' 26tb, and fount! deceased pulseless, unconscious, and making occasional gasping respirations. She ceased to live at 1.30. The abdomen was found to be distended and tyaipanitic. Mrs llarston tiirfsvt; seem to realise the gravity of the case, and spohe to deceased after death as if she would rally. On. the 2fith, . eleven hours after death, witness made a post moriera examination under i»stru«tions from tbe Coroner. There wt-r.e no marks of violence, there was no evidence of heart - failure, and all fine organs were healthy. In the abdomen there were marked evidences of septic peritonitis. The cause of death was general septic -peritonitis, due to puerpera! infection— in other words, blood-poisoniflg. To Sergeant 'Kiag : There was no in- " jury, which he v/as at a loss to explain. The suggestion was that an instrument had been vsed. It was anlikely to . have occurred m any other way, though he wouldn't care to deny tfiat it might have . happened naturally. To the Coroaer : If an instrument was used, it had been m the hands of a skilful person. There were two indications that supported the view that an instrument was used. If tbe pulse had been taken as well as the temperature, witness thought the gravity of the case would have been recognised. In witness' opinion, deceased had been dying for two or three days.. To 3VEr Trwin :He couldn't swear positively that an instrument had been used. At tliis stage the inquiry was further adjourned. When the inquest was resumed bn Wednesday, deceased's brother was recalled, and deceased's sisters vere examined. t!o additional facts of importance were elicited. The inquest was again adjourned.