Mrs. O'Dowd's Death.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9974, 21 June 1901, Page 3

Mrs. O'Dowd's Death.

THE DOCTOR'S EVIDENCE

Tiiri INQUEST ADJOURNED.

AUCKLAND, June 20.

Dr Lowe, in reply to the jury, said he did not at any stage in the illness consider it necessary to consult with any of his brother-practitioners, for the following reasons :—

Firstly, he was perfectly satisfied in his own. mind as to the nature of the illness, also that the treatment given at the time was correct; htere was never any doubt in his mind on'any point in the case. Therefore, ac far as witness-was concerned, he required no consultant.

Secondly, had Mr O'Dowd, or the deceased, or anyone interested in tie deceased, expressed the slightest wish to see another medical man, or other medical men, witness would Ijave been only too willing to iiave met anybody they might have named. Witness described the condition of the body after death. A patch of discoloration could be clearly made out on the right side of the abdomen five minutes after death. The spread of post mortem rigidity was unusually rapid. This would indicate a sudden, Violent form of death. . -.

Mr Tole: You declined later on. to give a certificate of death? I did.

Mr Tole: What do you say then was the. cause of death?

Witness: Acute septicemia (blood poisoning). That state was brought about by the presence in the uterus of a decomposing macerated foetus or embryo.

Were the appearance you observed consistent with the 1 use of'mechanical means, such as the insertion of an instrument? .. .;-. Witness:. Tha t: hard to answer. The Coroner: Were the conditions such as could have been occasioned by instrumental agency? Witness: Yes, certainly. . Mr Tole: And would that be a cause of setting up the blood poisoning? ■ : . Witness: A very likely cause. Mr Tole:WWats t there any natural diseasei of the womb to account for these appearances? Witness: Oh, no, no'fc the slightest. All the organs were perfectly healthy. To Mr Reed: There was no sign of violence anywhere. , , The appearance of the post-mortem were consistent with abortion, natural or otherwise. . , Mr Reed: Was there any sign of an instrument having been used? Witness : There was no sign. The Coroner : : Could an instrument have been used without leaving any trace?. : Witness :< Yes, easily. In answer tp further questions by Mr Reed, witness said the death was unusually sudden. But for the postmortem disclosures, witness would have imagiped that death from incomplete abortion would have taken place at a later date, or that the abortion, complete or incomplete, had been braight about earlier than the Wednesday. Later. Concerning the death of Mrs F. O'Dowd, the inquest was adjourned till July, Ist in order to allow Mr Reed, counsel for Dr. Wilkins, to nroceed with^ the volunteers to Christchurch. Some of the jury are indignant at the delay.