CLAIM FOR £241

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20513, 3 September 1936, Page 13

CLAIM FOR £241

ATTENTION TO AGED WOMAN DECISION RESERVED An extraordinary story of how a woman of 73 spent the last 20 months of her life was unfolded in the Timaru Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when Jean McKay, of Geraldine, claimed £241 from the executor of the estate of Emily Filshie. Plaintiff was represented by Mr W. F. Tracy (Christchurch), Mr Mervyn Raymond appearing for the executor. Plaintiff claimed £241 for board and lodging from July 12, 1934, to March 11, 1936, at the rate of £3/12/6 a week, funeral preparations and clothing and bedding destroyed. It was admitted that something must be paid, but the question was the amount, said Mr Tracy. The dead woman was an extraordinary example of human nature. While it was regrettable to have to establish in an open Court the amazing' habits of a human being, it was necessary to do so. She was a woman not wanted by anyone in the world, not even relatives, friends or an institution. She was not diabetic in a medical sense, but was a glutton, or a gourmandiser with an insatiable appetite. She was between 17 and 20 stone in weight and was incurably lazy in every possible way. Plaintiff answered an advertisement that, an elderly woman wanted board and agreed to give it to Mrs Filshie at the rate of 25/- a week. Within a week his client found that Mrs Filshie was an enormous eater, and that she had a gastric disorder. She was naturally lazy and at times refused to get out of bed. As a result plaintiff found that Mrs Filshie was not a boarder but a patient. At the end of a fortnight she found it was impossible to cany on and that her boarder would have to find somewhere else to go. Mrs Filshie could get about when she liked and chartered a taxi and tried two other places in Geraldine. They refused to take her in and Miss McKay agreed to take her back while she communicated with relatives. Client Was Like “Sinbad” “My client found that like Sinbad she had a burden which she could not get rid of," said Mr Tracy. No reply was received from the relatives and plaintiff was saddled with the woman until the day she died. What the woman required was an attendant. She 1 had screaming fits when bathing was insisted on, and it took two or three people to handle her. Dr. Curtis of Geraldine had said- that he had never seen such a bad case. The patient died on the floor of her room and plaintiff had to prepare her for burial. The district nurse felt sick and almost refused duty. No relatives came to the funeral and it was necessary to get a squad of unemployed to bury her. Plaintiff presented a claim, but it was found that the monumental masons were the only beneficiaries under the will. The woman was not a normal type and her strange habits in life could be gauged from the fact that she left her money to provide for the erection of a monument over the graves of herself, her husband and another relative. Mr Tracy produced medical certificates from three doctors to the effect that Mrs Filshie had an enormous appetite and would make heavy demands on anyone taking care of her. Suffered From Mental Laziness Dr. G. W. Curtis, of Geraldine, said Mrs Filshie was a patient of his. She was suffering from a gastric disorder and this necessitated a special diet, which she objected to having. The woman suffered from mental laziness and was a neurasthenic. She was very difficult about cooking and made great demands on her attendant. She was calling for attention day and night. To Mr Raymond: Witness would not have been prepared to have certified Mrs Filshie as insane. Miss McKay had looked after the woman very well. Mary McHardy Rattray, district nurse at Geraldine, said that Miss McKay was quite capable of doing the work and cared for the old lady very well. Witness was first called in a few months after Mrs Filshie came to Geraldine and received occasional calls after that. She was there constantly during the last 10 days. The attendant had to give nursing treatment as the old lady was difficult and the duties were unpleasant. She expected others to give her every attention and clean up after her. Miss McKay had plenty, of tact, but when Mrs Filshie did not get her own way she at times screamed. The old lady became very concerned when Miss McKay told her she would have to go, and remarked to witness that if Miss McKay kept her plaintiff would not lose by it. The attention demanded of her made claims on Miss McKay’s health. Witness said she last saw. Mrs Filshie lying on the floor dead. At the end it was the worst case witness 1 nd had anything to do with. She estimated that Miss McKay’s services were worth £3/157- to £4 a week. A registered nurse would not have liked the job. Soon Became a Patient The woman who came to her as a boarder soon became a patient, said plaintiff in evidence. She had a phenomenal appetite and for breakfast she would have three pints of warm milk, three raw eggs and four rounds of toast. Witness detailed the extent of the meals, which included morning and afternoon tea and supper. She drank a gallon of mil-: a day. Mrs Filshie practically lived in bed. Witness told her that she would have to pay as a patient or go. Mrs Filshie secured a taxi, but returned and said that she could not get a place. Mrs Filshie told witness that she had a wealthy brother in Christchurch and she would write to him. This she did, but received no reply. There was a similar result when she wrote to a niece. Mrs Filshie said she would not go to the hospital or to a home. “When I told her that she would have to pay as a patient or go, she used to go to bed and cry and ask for sponge cake,’’ said witness. The Magistrate: Did she get the sponge cake? Witness: "Usually she did.” Mrs Filshie told her that her solicitor would pay witness for any extra trouble she was put to. Witness asked her about the extra money several

times, and received a reply that she had nothing to worry about. She paid her board regularly. Maurice G. Annett, of Templeton, a nephew of plaintiff, said that he was staying with his aunt and heard Mrs Filshie say that her solicitor would see that plaintiff was well paid for the extra trouble. Frank B. Johnston, a Geraldine taxidriver, recalled having driven Mrs Filshie on two occasions when she i was looking for board. He was asked ito drive her back to Miss McKay’s I because "they would not have her.” j Decision was reserved.