DEATH FROM INJURIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16555, 14 October 1921, Page 7

DEATH FROM INJURIES.

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST An inquest was held at the Courthouse this morning before Mr S. E. M’Carthy, district coroner, touching the death of Robert Hamilton, a single man, seventy years of age, who resided at London Street, Lyttelton and who died in the Christchurch Hospital yesterday afternoon presumably from injuries received in a fall. Dr G. H. Upham, of Lyttelton, said that on October 6 he was called to attend ' deceased. He found him suffering from an injury on 1 the right shoulder. His right ear was very much swollen, but ihero were no signs of fracture on the head, or of compression of the brain. He had some difficulty in eliciting any answers from deceased who said, however, that he had had a fall. The following day he again visited him and found, that he had signs of irritation of the brain. He ordered that Hamilton should be removed to hospital. He considered that lie died from a fracture of the skull near th© right ear, though there were no outward signs of a fracture. Assuming that the fracture was in existence it would account for Hamilton's death. Ho considered that Hamilton was an alcoholic subject. James Seaton, a waterside worker, said that Hamilton had lived door to him in Lyttelton. On the evening of October 5 he heard a noise as of some one tumbling about in Hamilton’s liouso and went to investigate. Ho .found Hamilton looking for a bottle of whisky in a- cupboard. Ho himself had a look for the whisky but could not find it. He saw that there was something wrong with Plamilton and advised him to go to bed. Hamilton fell and lie picked him up and put him to bed. To the Coroner: Hamilton had been inclined to drink and he had been prohibited once. Tho inquest was adjourned until 5 p.m. to-day when further medical evidence and evidence of a post mortem examination will bo taken.