WOMAN'S SUDDEN DEATH

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 220, 13 April 1933, Page 4

WOMAN'S SUDDEN DEATH

Found Dead in Bed \J INQUEST AT STRATFORD i • .d A verdict iu accordance with the medical evidence was returned by the district coroner, Mr. J. * L. Kennedy, at an inquest held at the Stratford Courthouse today into the death of Ivy May Rosina Salter, aged 33 years, whose dead body was found on a bed in her home at Pohukura about five o'clock yesterday afternoon. A ’ post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death as acute peritonitis.

Herbert Bertram Salter, farmer, Makahu Road. Pohukurn. husband of deceased, said that he had identified the body of his wife whom he had married at Miramar, Wellington, on June 10, 1930. There was one- child, a girl of ten months old, of witness' marriage with her. Mrs. Salter’s health, witness said, was generally good up till about a week and a-half ago when she took ill With gastric trouble. She had not been attended by a doctor since the birth of her child. On April 10 last witness communicated with Dr. Steven,' informing him of the illness of Mrs. Salter arid explained that she vomited constantly. The doctor said it was advisable that Mrs. Salter should take hot water and he sent out a bottle of medicine which, however, did not improve her condition. About 1.15 p.m. on the same day Mr. Reis, a nearby friend, was sent into the post office at Pohukura to ring up Dr. Steven and inform him of the condition of Mrs. Salter. It was suggested that she be taken' into Stratford. The doctor advised: that it would he better to leave it till (he warmer part ‘of * the next dsy to avoid the possibility of Mrs. Sarier catching a' chill. About 4.20 p.ip. oitApril 12 witness left his wife in the bedroom. He was in the house nearly all day up to that time. She was illin bed, but was up several times rtifr-, ing the day. The same afternoon just--, before I left the room I said to my late wife, “You are beginning to look your old self again.” Her breathing seemed easier and "he told me that, she would probably be able to sleep during the night. My late wife suggested to me that I go and get the postmistress at Pohokura to come up to the house. Mrs. Salter said that she’ would have a talk with the postmistress, The idea was that I go in my car and get the postmistress and bring her to the hou'se and it was at 4.20 p.m. that I left the house for that purpose. I told Mrs. Salter that I would go if I could get the car started nod she told me to get Mf. Reis to give me a hand to start_ the car. When 1 went to get Mr. Reis he was bringing in Hie cows. I asked' him to give me a hand to start the car, hut before going so said that I would go in and have a look at the wife and when I reached the room I found that she was dead in bed. Reis and I then got some hot water bottles and put them around the body and started working the arms with - a view to bringing Mrs. Salter hack to life. When I found that life was extinct 1 communicated by telephone. with Dr. Steven and Constable Colbourue, of Whaugamoniona, i got Mr. Reis to telephone the two parties mentioned. Constable Colbourue arrived at the house at C p.m. and the body of m y late wife was later in the night removed to Stratford fioni b) residence by the constable. 1 accompanied the constable into Stratfoid with Mrs. Salter’s body to the movSl Joseph Colbourue, constable at Wliangamoiuona, said that at 5.15 p.m. on April 12 he received a telephone message to the effect that Mrs. Salter was living and to go to Pohokuia taking' the nurse with him. He left with the nurse at 5.30 p.m. in his car and arrived at Pohokura at about b p.m. On entering the house he Mrs. Suiter in bed iu her night clothes With the addition of a jacket. She was lying partly on the lett side slightly off the fiat of her buck. Ilei mouth was open and her eyes were partly so. She was clean about Hie mouth, but her legs were slightly drawn up at the knees. Mrs Salter did not appear to have been dead foi more than two hours, as there was warmth iu the body. A bottle containing brandy and water was on a chan alongside the bed and thice oit bottles were on the kitchen dresser. Bv the direction of the coroner witness said, he removed the body to the morgue at Stratford. Dr. D. Steven ' reported that no made a post-mortem examination of the body on Thursday morning and found Mrs. Salter had been suffering from acute general poritonitis i the result of the perforation of a chronic gastric ulcer, which caused her deatn. Mr. Salter expressed his thanks to the district nurse. Nurse Robertson, ami Constable Colbourue.