INQUEST AT CHRISTCHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14212, 13 May 1908, Page 6

INQUEST AT CHRISTCHURCH

DEATH ACCELERATED BY NEGLECT.

STRICTURES BY TBI! CORONER,

(PzR United Press Association.)

OHUISTCHURCH, May 12. One of tlio most painful eases that have boon investigated for some years in Christchurch occupied the attention ot the coroner (Mr H. W. Bishop) and a jury this afternoon.

It appears that on Monday the. sudden death of an elderly woman, Mrs Margaret Robinson, a widow, residing at Brougham street, Sydenham, was reported io the police. Sergeant Reiner mid Constable Baird proceeded lo the cottage to remove " the body- to the morgue, and discovered a condition of affairs that for filth and squalor could hardly he imagined. Tlw tody lay in a bed in an utidooori liable condition, while the bedclothes were simply awful with filth. Both officers were literally overcome with the stench, and were attacked by violent sickness when performing their unpleasant duty.

At (Jie inquest the deceased's son, Win. Robinson, aged 26. unmarried, gave evidence, lie said Hint bis mother was a widow, 61 years of age. She lived with him, and he found everything. He paid 6s a. week rent. His motherVas addicted to drink, but slip was quite well up to three weeks ;i(*o. As a result of a fall about that time she injured her back) and she had l>ecn in bed over since. His sister (Mrs Savage) and ho used to attend to the deceased. She could not walk or move. He did not call in a doctor. His wages amounted io £2 2s per week. On Monday morning he gave h'n mother some gruel, which alio drank, at 6 a.m., and he left for work at 7.30 a.m. He returned at 9.15 a.m. and found her dead in lied. She had been very weak, and he had to feed her with a spoon. People had offered to come in and help him.

Margaret Havage, a young woman, said that lier husband was a bootmaker. She was deceased's only daughter, and lived some distance from her mother's house. She used to call every day at 10 a.m. to see her mother, and since the deceased had been ill witness went frequently. Witness used to wash, dress, and feed hcv. At 10 a.m. on Monday witness went to tho house and found her mother dead. " I ouglit to have done more than I did to keep her clean," tho witness tearfully admitted to the coroner. : 'We gave her no stimulants. She told me she had had a fall, but I didn't take much notico of what slic said." Dr Irving, who had made a post mortem examination of tho body, said that, death was due to pneumonia and advanced pleurisy. The deceased must have suffered great -pain. On tho left side there wa3 a largo bruise and a graze, evidently of long standing. Ho described the terrible state of the body. The Coroner: Was there anything to lead you reasonably to believe that ■ her life would havo been saved with care and attention? Dr Irving: I certainly think it could have been saved. There wero some large bed-, sores on the body, and the woman evidently could not have been moved for somo time. The Coroner: Apparently they let her wallow in her own filth. Dr Irving: The body was in a disgusting state of filth. Tho Coroner: Thero is no reason why her life should not have been saved by proper attention? Dr Irving: Her life could certainly have boen saved by proper attention. The Coroner: If neither tho son nor tho daughter took tho trouble to olean her, that would bo detrimental to her health? Dr Irving: Yes. In addressing the jury the Coroner said that this was ono of that class of cases which unfortunately were occasionally met with in cities. The evidence showed that thero had been absolutely inexcusable neglect on the part of those responsible for looking after this.old woman. The son had been earning good wages, and was a singlo man; but lie allowed his mother to remain in a condition- that must havo accelerated her death. She was suffering from pneumonia and pleurisy, but thorc was no reason why, if proper attention had been given, she should notl have recovered, as these were not very serious complaints nowadays. Instead of that, for three weeks they allowed her to lie liko a kg, uncarod for and unattended, lying in her own filth. Ono morning she was found dead. It was a horrible story, telling of abominable •neglect on the part of the only 6on and daughter towards their mother, who, at. least, had somo claims on them. The daughter, at least, had the decency to attend and acknowledge that she had not dono all that she should. The question was whether, by their gross, abominable, and inoxcusablc neglect, the son and daughter. had contributed towards the decease of their mother. If the jury accepted the evidence of tho doctor the answer must be clear. It was extraordinary that theso young people, who professed affection for their mother, should allow 6«oh a state of things to obtain, It was horriblo to think of the woman lying there neglected and unattended. If tho jury considered that death was hastened by this neglect they should not hesitate to say so. Nigtibours had offered assistance, hut apparently the offer had not been well received by people who should have jumped at it. After a short retirement the jury returned a verdict that deceased had died from pneumonia, and that death was accelerated by gross neglect on the part of her son and daughter. Sergeant Reiner: That is tantamount to manslaughter, your Worship.