WOMAN’S DEATH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20205, 16 January 1934, Page 7

WOMAN’S DEATH.

MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE PREFERRED. Kaikoura Hospital Case. FORMER MATRON APPEARS IN COURT. r* A charge of manslaughter in respect of the death of Mrs Lilian Rhoda James in the Kaikoura Hospital last October was preferred against Edith Laura Francis, matron of the hospital at the time of the tragedy, in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. Mrs James died in the hospital on October 22 as a insult of carbolic acid poisoning, following the administration of an enema. Accused’s present address was given in the information as Morris Street, Avonside. The text of the charge against the accused was as follows : “ That on October 21, 1933. at Kaikoura, having charge of a patient, Lilian Rhoda James, in the Kaikoura Public Hospital, she did, in the absence of care, and being under a legal duty to take reasonable precautions against, and to use reasonable care to avoid danger, cause the death of Lilian Rhoda James by administering to her an enema containing poison, namely carbolic acid, thereby committing manslaughter. Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., heard the case. Chief-Detective Dunlop conducted the prosecution, and Mr Lascelles appeared for the accused.

Chief-Detective Dunlop said that Mrs James was admitted to the maternitv branch of the hospital on October 21. The matron was in charge of the hospital on the day and. as was customary, proceeded to administer an enema. It was alleged that in doing so the matron got a basin containing carbolic acid.whereas an ordinary enema consisted of soap and water. The enema was mixed in a basin and was injected. Sudden Collapse.

The patient showed immediate signs of shock, and she collapsed and became unconscious. Mrs James died without regaining consciousness about 2.30 a m. on October 22.

Andrew Stewart, engineer, of Kaikoura, produced a plan of the maternity portion of the hospital. Dr R. L. Withers, of Kaikoura, said that Mrs James was admitted to the hospital in a pregnant condition. She was not suffering from any disease He went to the hospital in response to a telephone message from the accused and found Mrs James unconscious. Accused proffered the suggestion that carbolic might have been in the enema basin and the appropriate stimulative treatment was applied, without success. 1 r Mr Lascelles, witness said he had found Matron Francis to be highly qualified and a capable nurse, and in the case of Mrs James’s collapse after the administration of the enema she had done everything possible. Husband’s Evidence. William Ernest James, labourer, of Kaikoura, said that his wife was thirty years of age. lie had taken her to the maternity branch of the hospital and had left her quite cheerful. Early next morning a woman, whom he later found to be Matron Francis, came to his home and told him that his wife had died. She said she had used a dirty dish which she thought contained carbolic. She added, “ Unfortunately, it was my fault.” Accused then left the house and he accompanied her to the front gate and saw her off. Later at the hospital the matron said to him that she was sorry for what had happened and that undoubtedly she was to blame. To Mr Lascelles, witness added that the matron, when speaking to him, was in a state of distress.* Harold Albert Waghorn, farmer, of Kaikoura, stated that he took Mr James to the hospital and heard Sister Francis say to Mr James, “ I am very sorry this has happened, undoubtedlv lam to blame.” With that the matron broke down and was very distressed. She then went into the hospital and he and Mr James went home. Marion Elizabeth M’Combe, a maternity nurse, who was at the Kaikoura Hospital from 1929 until October 22 last, said that on October 21 6he went off duty at 2 p.m. and was on call duty during the night. She -was in charge of the hospital maternity ward, but was under the control of Matron Francis, who relieved her at two o’clock on the aftennoon of October 21, a Saturday. That night she went to the maternity ward, where Matron Francis was with Mrs James. The matijon ■was excited and was holding an enema can. She seemed upset about the patient’s condition and said she had got a basin from a cupboard in the corridor. The matron also said something about a smell and witness thought she had said she wondered if it was carbolic. Witness saw the basin, which had a piece of soap in it. About a week before the death of Mrs James witness placed in the cupboard a similar basin that had been used for sterilising purposes, and the basin produced was similar to the one placed in the cupboard. The basin in the cupboard contained both carbolic acid and carbolic solution. After the accused had told her that the basin had been taken from the cupboard she saw that the basin she had placed there was missing. About a week before the tragedy witness used carbolic, which she secured from the theatre. (Proceeding.)