SCHOOLMASTER'S SUICIDE.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14129, 4 July 1916, Page 2

SCHOOLMASTER'S SUICIDE.

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.

James Edward Granville, aged 44, a school teacher, residing at Barbadoes street, St. Albans, who had been suffering for some tince from neurasthenia, and who had been under treatment at the Papanui Sanatorium, cut his throat, and died later in the Christchurch Hospital. Ab the inquest Gustav Arthur Brandstater, a trained male nurse, deposed that he was in charge of the sanatorium institution, and took all classes of patients. . The deceased applied for . admittance as a patient, and Dr. Orchard, his physican,. concurred. Witness treated him with electric baths and mass-ago. Dr. Orchard came up and entered the deceased's nrime or. the sanatornuu register as suffering from neurasthenia. The deceased.showad no signs of wishing to coitmit •suicide, and had he donfT so witness would not have admitted him. Witness thought he discovered traces of mental weakness in the deceased, but lie was reassured by a conversation with idie deceased and the assurance of Dr. Orchard, and put down the peculiarities as due to the deceased's deafness. , The sanatorium belonged to the Seventh.Day Advehtists. It was a vegetarian institution, and they used no stimulants. " ' "

"I shall report this to the Inspector of Hospitals, and I warn you that you axe taking a great risk in taking thpse neurasthenic patients. Aro you liconsod?" asked Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., the Coronei-. -..,.' "Yes," said witness.

"You may get your license cancelled. However, you are quito safe. Yon asked for the doctor's advice, and acted en it, but still you are running fi .y'-eat risk. Doctors*may send patients there ,simv>]y to.release their friends." A verdict was recorded of suicide while in a state of unsound mind.