SUPPOSED PTOMAINE POISONING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12646, 2 June 1919, Page 4

SUPPOSED PTOMAINE POISONING.

DEATH IN CHRISTCHURCH. ‘ At about 1.20 p.m. on Friday, Mrs Mary Theresa Williams, a widow' fortylive years pi age, died at the residence of her nephew, 117, Salisbury Street, her symptoms suggesting death from ptomaine poisoning. Dr A. F. J. Mick'o was called in to attend the deceased on Jhuisday and visited her again tu ire on the day of her death. Ho declined to give a death ecrtilicate, however an! an inquest was accordingly held yosterday by the District Coroner, Mr 8. E. At Carthy, S.M. Iho lirst witness was Henry Terenxi Holloway, a sailor, and nephew of Hie deceased, at whoso residence deceased had been living lor some time past. Witness stated that on Thursday doceased purchased some pressed beef i.t the Belgium meat shop. Witness, his mother, ln s wife, child and the deceased all partook of the meat for tea. The deceased ate a hearty meal of it and the others had a fair amount of it His wile became ill at 1 ami. on Friday. His mother and the child were not after ted- Witness suffered certain aftereltects. He saw deceased about 3.40 a.m. on ilriday, when she said she was having a bad night and expressed ft wish that sho had not touched the pressed beef. Ho next saw deceased at /.o) a.m. when ho took her in a cup of hot water. Sho refused to take this and asked for a hot water bag, which witness brought her. He offered to call in a doctor but deceased told him to wait till dinner time. In the afternoon Dr Mickio was called in. Witness saw deceased at about 3.30 p.m. She was then much worse and could not S \ ,Ca C ' i Gn a nurse arrived soon after she said that a change had come tor the worse. Dr Mickle was again sent for and arrived shortly after. Ho could do nothing for deceased, however, who diet! at 4.20 p.m. Dr A. F. J. Mickio stated that vie was called in to attend the deceased at 11 a.m. on Friday. Sho complained that sho was in very groat pain and said she had been very sick. Witness made inquiries and finding that the other members of the family had also been very sick came to tho conclusion that the sickness was due to some irritant poison.' Witness treated deceased with a- view to eliminating any remainmg poisonous matter. Ho saw deceased about 1 p.m. the same day. She was then very much worse. Ho could detect no pulse, though the stethoscope revealed that her heart was beating steadily. He administered morphia to alleviate the pain and told Mr Holloway that deceased could not recover. Ho. returned about 4 p.m., having anticipated tho message calling liim, and found deceased just passing away. He saw the remains of the meat decease! had eaten. It looked fresh and clean Ho told Mrs Holloway to keep the remains as they might be required. He then went round to the Belgium Shop, whore tho proprietor showed him the block of pressed beef from which he had cut the supply the previous night- It looked all right, except that tho outside looked a dirty greyish Colour. Witness drew the proprietor’s attention to this He cut it off, showing witness the fresh meat underneath and said that its appearance was due to exposure to the air, adding that he always cut the in.sido when supplying customers. Witness reported tho matter to Dr Cliesson, District Health Officer, who promised to have the meat inspected. "Witness called again at tho Belgium Shop on the next morning and the proprietor told him that the Health Inspector had taken away the block. Tu witness’s opinion deceased died from ptomaine poisoning. Ho had attended deceased for the past twenty-five years. Generally her health had not been good for the past two or three years. She had influenza at the time of the epidemic and was in a bad condition, for resisting any germ attacks. Dr H. L. Widdqwson, who made a post mortem examination of deceased, gave evidence that her abdomen was swollen and partly discoloured. The largo intestine was enormously distended and completely recrossed. Death was, in witness's opinion, duo to ptomaine poisoning. At this stage the inquest was adjourned till Friday next at 2.30 p.m., to enable the remains of the pressed beef to be analysed by the Government analyst.