CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1899, 13 April 1888, Page 21

CASUALTIES.

An inquest was held at Romahapa on the 4th inst. on the body of a man named Wtlker, who came to a sudden end in a singular manner. He was pushing a railway truck along when he BUd denly cried out " Stop," and fell down dead. Dr Christie gave evidence to the effect that death resulted from a rupture of the ventricle of the heart induced by exertion, but that fatty degeneration was the primary cause. The jury returned a verdict accordingly. The Bruce Herald states that a serious accident happened shortly after dark on Thursday evening to James Curran, son of Mr John Curran, of Brooklands, a lad of abonb 17 years of age. While Dr Christie was driving in his buggy up from the railway station* he met Curran and another who were riding on horseback. The doctor turned to the left side ef the road in order to pass them, but Curran unfortuuately turned his horse's head the wrong way and came into collision with the shaft of the buggy, receiving a serious wound in the abdomen 6in in extent. He was removed to th© doctor's residence, and carefully attended to. Dr Christie sent for Dtf Stewart, and held a consultation with him, after which the former performed the necessary operation upon the lad. As he is strong and healthy, it is anticipated that he will recover.

Mr Carew held an inquest at MusseKburgh on Saturday afternoon touching the death of Hilda Beatrice Grocott, aged three months. Mes Grocott had put her child to bed at 10 o'clock on the previous day, and, not hearing it awaken went into the room at 2 o'clock and found it apparently dead. She at once put it into a warm bath and called in some neighbours, but life had evidently departed. Dr Martin was sent for, and examined the body. He found no markaof violence, and .was of opinion that death had probably resulted from diarrhoea. A man named William Dundas was received into the hospital on Saturday night suffering from a fracture of the leg. It appears he was sitting on the outside of a railway carriage coming from Waimate, and as ihe train pasted the end of the platform at the Waihao 'station his foot struck against the platform with such force as to break the limb.

An inquest was held at Christchurcb. on the body of James Fergwsoa, who was drowned in the Avon on Friday. Two young men named Beck and Simons, deposed that they were going up the river with a party of ladies in a beat when they saw the deceased lying drunk on the bank, with his feet in the water. They removed him half-a-doaen yards from the watet's edge, and returning three-quarters of an hour later they saw him in the water. He appeared de»d. They went and informed the police before getting him ou,t, because they thought! he must be dead, and bepause^pne of the- ladies nearly weot into hysterics. When the police frqkr the man oot he was dead. Coroner, Beetham said it was the most stupid thing he ever heard of. They should have taken the man out of the water and given him a chance. What was 'a lady's agitaiioh compared with the chance of saving a man's life ? The jury returned a verdict' of " Found drowned," with a rider censuring the young men for want of thooght in mot removing' the body when it was first discovered in the .water, . At Amberley on Tuesday Arthpc Ryan.aiockay employed by Mr H.M'Lean, was'thrbwn while exercising the toree Ingomar over hurdles, and ' received • concussion ■ of the, brain. . Very riighfc • < hopes of bis recovery are entertained../ , , A child named Thomas B. Norman, aged' IS ' ' months, fell into a pot of boiling water near Heleneville,, Auckland, on Sunday,. and' died in a short time.