CHILD SCALDED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20312, 23 May 1934, Page 5

CHILD SCALDED.

Teat Came Off Feeding Bottle. EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 22. “ This is the first case of its kind to come under my notice,” said the Coroner (Mr F. K. Hunt) at an inquest concerning the death of a nine-months-old child, George William Banbury, who died in the Auckland Hospital on Sunday following burns received when he pulled the teat off hi? bottle of hot milk. Harriet May Rayner, of Papatoetce. foster mother of the child, said she gave the child a bottle of milk. She had heated the milk in a container and put it in the bottle with a rubber teat attached. “ I tested the milk with my finger before putting it in the bottle and it appeared to be about the right heat.” witness continued. “De ceased took the bottle with his two hands, with the teat in his mouth, and began to suck. He always used to feed himself from the bottle and we did not have to hold him up to feed him. I looked at him almost immediately after giving him the bottle and noticed that the teat was off. It was then in his mouth, having come off the bottle through his tugging at it. The contents of the bottle were spilled over his head and shoulder.” “ I think I can come to no other conclusion except that it was a case of misadventure,” said Mr ‘ Hunt, in returning a verdict that death was due to toxaemia and bronchitis, following burns accidentally received.