DEATH FROM HEART FAILURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18444, 4 January 1922, Page 3

DEATH FROM HEART FAILURE

An inquest was held by Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., at the Morgue yesterday morning concerning the death of George Reuben Summers, who dropped, dead near the foot of Frederick 'street, near Harrow street, late on Monday afternoon. Sergeant Shanahan represented the police. Jessie Hamilton Summers, wife of deceased. stated that she and her husband resided together in Albany street. Deceased was a seaman and labourer. There was no family. Deceased had been in bad health lately, and suffered with a bad cough. He was worse last winter, and witness had hard work to keep him in out of the cold. He had been all right after winter time. He never bothered about ,doctors. On Monday afternoon he complained of a severe pam in the chest. It attacked him quite suddenly. Witness thought it was indigestion, but deceased thought it was something worse. About 6 o’clock deceased went out with a friend to have a drink, and witness did not see him again alive. David Cameron seaman and labourer, said he resided in Albany street, near deceased. He had known deceased for 16 years. He complained of a pain about the heart, in the chest. Witness saw deceased at 20 minutes to 6 on Monday afternoon. They went out together to have a drink. They were going along Harrow street, and deceased suddenly fell forward on his face, and did not again move. Witness got some water and tried to fevive him) and informed the police. Dr Evans stated that deceased was unknown to him. When ho saw deceased there were recent abrasions on the face. The body was quite cold, rigor mortis being well marked. The history of the case showed deceased had degeneration of the heart muscle. He died of natural causes, the cause of death being degeneration of the heart muscle. , Constable M‘Rao stated that he was informed that a man was lying on the road at the bottom of Frederick street, at Harrow street. Going there, he found deceased lying on the road, with a blanket over him. Cameron was alongside of deceased. Witness found that the man was dead, and ho had the body removed to the Morgue. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical testimony—that death was duo to heart failure, following on degeneration of the heart muscles.