MARRIED WOMAN’S DEATH

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16820, 24 August 1922, Page 8

MARRIED WOMAN’S DEATH

oINQUEST RESUMED, The inquest touching the death of Ada Larney, a married woman. 31 years oi age. who died on August 12 while an inmate of St Helen’s Maternity Hospital, was resumed before Mr Wyvern Wilson. S.M.. coroner, this afternoon. The deceased, who had been admitted to the hospital for confinement. resided with her Jiusband and family at 6, Horatio Street, City. / Dr A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, gave evidence that he carried out a post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased on August 13. There were ho external injuries on the body. The deceased was in a pregnant condition. Indus opinion death was due to toxic inflammation ot the liver and kidneys, associated with pregnancy and accelerated by cerebral hemorrhage. Sergeant M’Kenzie: It has been alleged that the deceased had been ill-treated. Did you find any marks that would be consistent with ill-treat-ment ? Witness: Owing to her dark skin I could not detect a remarks at all. Internally there were no si&ns of bruises. J4r H. L. W iddowson said the deceased consulted him on Friday. August 11. She stated that she expected to be confined in four or five days, and that she had made arrangements for two of the St. Helen’s nurses to attend her. She had received a message asking her to go into St. Helen’s Hospital at once, and asked witness what the message meant. Witness advised her to go into the hospital at once, and she consented to go that afternoon. On the evening of August II witness received a message from the matron of St. Helen’s, saying that Mrs Carney had not arrived. Witness told the matron to get in touch with Mrs Carney at once, and treat her. At eight o’clock the next morning he heard that Mrs Carney had died at the hospital. She had arrived at St. Helen’s the night before. Labour had already started, and the nurses treated her for the toxic condition of the kidneys and liver. In spite of that, fits began at about 5 a.m. She had several fits, and then died suddenly. The coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.