EXTENSIVELY SCALDED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23884, 11 August 1939, Page 3

EXTENSIVELY SCALDED

DEATH OF INFANT CONCLUSION OF INQUEST An incmest on the body of David Russell Ellis, an infant, who was extensively scalded by hot water on Wednesday afternoon, and died in hospital the same evening, was held at the Hospital morgue yesterday morning, Mr H. W. Bundle S.M.. sitting as coroner. Sergeant Irwin represented the police. After evidence of identification had been tendered by William Kelso Ellis, father of the child. Dr M. F. Hunter, a house surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, stated that when the deceased was admitted he was suffering from severe burns, which were consistent with scalding. He was semi-conscious and severely shocked, and although his condition improved slightly under treatment, it later became worse, and the child died at 0.30 jp.m. Every possible remedy was applied, and the child was provided with a special nurse, but the burns covered such a wide extent of the body that recovery could hardly have been hoped for. In witness’s opinion, death was due to shock and cardiac failure, caused by severe burns. The mother of the child, Myrtle Eliza Ellis, said that about 3 p.m. she put the child in a tub in the washhouse which contained about four inches of water at blood heat. She went into the house to get some clothes but hearing water running, she hurried out again to find that her other son. aged three years and a-quarter, had climbed up on the tub and turned on the hot-water tap. She immediately took the baby from the tub, applied ointment and wrappings, and telephoned Dr Moore, who was unable to come, but advised her to take the child to hospital immediately. Witness added that she had not been absent from the washhouse for more than five minutes altogether. , . The coroner returned a verdict that death was due to shcck and cardiac failure caused by burns accidentally received while the deceased was being bathed by his mother.