INQUEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17635, 27 May 1919, Page 8

INQUEST

BABY DIES FROM BDBNS. . An inquiry was held at the Hospital yesterday morning by the coroner (Mr Widdowson, S_M.) concerning the death of Basil King, 10 months old, who died' on Sunday night as the result of burns to the face and chest, caused by the upsetting of a pot of boiling porridge on Wednesday, morning. Sergeant M'Kenzie appeared for the police. Ernest James- King, of 346 Highgate, Maori Hill, chief sanitary inspector for the corporation, stated that he was father of deceased. He was just outside the door when the accident occurred. He heard a call, and saw his wife coming through with the child, whose face was covered with porridge. They cleaned this off and anointed the face with oil and flour, afterwards sending for a doctor- On arrival Dr North said the right measures had been taken, and ordered ftxe child into the Hospital. Rosina Alice King, the mother, stated that she was sitting on a. low chair on one side of the fire, with the child across her knee. There was a gas ring on the range, with a boiling porridge pot upon it, and the tube from lie ring ran quite close to her. She was fixing- the child's clothes, and thought she -would move away for fear the child should touch the ring. She moved the chair a little to one side. The child evidently had an arm. round the tube, and the porridge pot was pulled over on his face. She had been with, the child in the Hospital since, and he had been splendidly looked after. Dr J. "W. Hall, house surgeon, said deceased was admitted at midday on the 21st, suffering from burns of the face, neck, and right armpit, which might have been caused by the accident described. The burns were mostly of the aecond degree and the treatment given before admission was correct. The child was suffering from ehock, but not so much as could have been esfcxeoted. All the 22nd tihe child progressed favourably, but collapsed about 5 p.m. next day, and did not rally again until the end. Death occurred at 945 on Sunday night. The cause of death waa shock and collapse following upon the injuries received. The Coroner found that death was due to shock, following injuries through being accidentally scalded.