INQUESTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3316, 3 October 1917, Page 49

INQUESTS.

DEATH FROM PNEUMONIA/ Tho adjourned inquest touching the death of Alexander Lucas, who died from pneumonia in the- Hospital on tho 22nd, was held on tho 28th by tho coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew). The fatal illness, it will be remembered, supervened after Lucas had been knocked down by a motor car in Frederick street. Dr Newlands said that he saw tho deceased in tho Hospital on the loth inst. and found two bruises on his left hip. On the 18th Lucas appeared fit to leave tho hos- . pital, but later pneumonia was quite evident. Tho cause of death was acute pneumonia. There was another case of pneumonia in the same ward with deceased, - but not near the cot occupied by him. Tho accident was probably a remote factor leading to the deceased contracting pneumonia.

John Barnes, coach-builder, motor car proprietor, and licensed taxi-driver, deposed that about 7.10 p.m. on tho 15tli inst. he was going- south along- King- street on hia proper side, and tho car lamps were lighted.When approaching the intersection o£ Frederick and King streets he sounded his horn and his car was going about six miles an hour. At, the crossing ho saw no one, but heard someone call out ''Oh!" Witness stopped the car in. its own length. He saw deceased about a 3'ard and a half away from the mudguard, got out, and saw Lucas trying to" get up. Witness had known deceased for some time. Deceased, in reply to witness, said he had " got it on his left hip," but would rub something" on the hurt and it would be- nil right. Witness took Luca 3 to the Hospital, but he did not want to go. Deceased was hard of hearing, and tho night was dark and wet. Witness did not notice any signs of drink on deceased. John Douglas Howie, carter, who witnessed the accident, and helped to lilt deceased into Barnes's car, said he thought tho driver was not in any way responsible. The lighting of tho car might, he thought, have been better. The coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, remarking that there was nothing to show carelessness on the part of the driver cf the car, but he thought that care should be taken to see that cars were sufficiently lighted. CHILD'S DEATH FROM SCALDS. The three-year-old daughter- of Mr and Mrs J. Simpson, of 215 Melbourne street, South Dunedin, who was admitted to the Hospital oh Tuesday, 25th ult., suffering' from scalds on the body, died at 3 p.m. tho next day. An inquest was held at the Hospital late in the afternoon, before Mr H. A. Young, S.M., sitting as coroner. Tho evidence showed- that the child's name was Margaret Mavie Simpson, and tha't tho mother was engaged washing clothes in tho wash-house, and had taken a quantity of boiling water out of a copper, which sho poured into a bath. The child was then playing in the yard some little distance away. The mother had her back turned towards the bath for a moment and was standing about a foot away from the receptacle, when the child came in to tho wash-house, quite unknown to the mother, and, stumbling, fell backwards into tho almost boiling water. The little girl was pulled out instantly, and DrLindon arrived promptly. The child was admitted to the Hospittal, and died as stated. Dr Bowie gave evidence as to the admission of the deceased to the Hospital. He said she never recovered from the shock, and died of shock following the scalds. A verdict of death from shock following injuries received through accidentally falling into a bath of boding water was returned. CHINAMAN'S SUDDEN DEATH. At 9.45 a.m. on tho 26th Young Binn, a Chinaman, aged about 47 years, residing at Macandrew road, whilst engaged pumping water in his garden, suddenly collapsed. He was carried into his residence, but expired almost immediately. An inquest was held at the Morgue in the -afternoon, Mr Young (coroner) presiding. Dr Evans gave evidence to tho effect that when he arrived at the deceased's residence he found him quite dead. From an examination of the body and the history of the case ho was of opinion that the deceased died from heart failure, following disease of the heart muscles. It was stated that deceased had a wife and two children in China. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.