DEATH OF EARL’S DAUGHTER

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1926, Page 6

DEATH OF EARL’S DAUGHTER

REFUSAL TO SEE D 0( I’OR. coroner and Christian science. Conimonts on Christian Science were made by the coroner at an inquest on tiie daughter of an earl who refused to summon medical aid, although she lay on her death-bed.* *1 no inquest was held at Prestbury, near (Macclesfield, on Lady Victoria Alexandrina Murray, aged 48, sister of the Earl of Dunmore, and a prominent Christian scientist, who died at her residence at Prostburv.

Lady Victoria had been blind since lasi. February. A verdict that death was due to sarcoma (cancer) was returned. A nurse, who said that she had practised Christian Science for ten years, stated that Lady Victoria had a growth and refused to allow a medical man to be earlled in. She did not dissuade her, as it was part of her training not to do so. She helped to pray, and Lady Victoria enjoyed her life, although she suflered seme pain. Lady Victoria became not quite responsible for her actions, and Dr. Wise, of Poynton, near Macclesfield, was sent for, ‘'not to give her treatment, but to throw the responsibility off myself.” Dr. Wise said that he found Lady Victoria tn a very critical condition. She was suffering from sarcoma of both upper jaw bones, which had spread. She was semi-conscious, and probably suffering pain. When he saw her again

she was unconscious. Even if a doctor had been called in before, her life could not have been saved.

Tn reply to a solicitor who represented Lady Victoria’s relatives,. the doctor said, “From what I saw she had every care, except medical attention.” The solicitor then read an extract from Lady Victoria’s will in which she. prohibited anyone about her from calling in a doctor.

The Coroner: Tt i« perfectly pathetic, in my opinion, that an educated woman should arrive at such a condition as not fo call in medical aid. when we all know that, without that aid life cannot, even, by prayer, be prolonged.

As Lady Victoria, was evidently very strong-minded, no negligence, he said, codl«1 be attributable to those iiig her*