WORKED TO DEATH

Waikato Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 4730, 15 June 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

WORKED TO DEATH

An inquest was held on April 20th, at Wroxail, Isle of Wright, on Sergeant Stokes, of the Royal Array Medical Corps, dispenser at Parkhurst Barracks, who was found dead in a cave on the downs near Wroxail on the previous Saturday evening. The jury returned a veridet that the sergeant committed suicide “by poisoning himself with prussic acid while in an unsound state of mind produced by ill-health and prolonged hours of duty. ” The jury suggested that representations should be made to the W ; ar Office with a view to an inquiry being instituted as to the conditions of employment of the medical staff at Parkhurst. In a diary found upon the body the sergeant had written; “My poor old brain is going fast. It has tried to do its best, but the inexorable hand of fate is against ‘Stokey. ’ WhaS we ask for is rest and again rest. For 13J years we have served to the best of our ability, but we can’t all be Haldanes. ’

On another document he made charges of unfair treatment against two non-commissioned officers of the staff, hut the jury added a rider freeing them from all blame. This is the second suicide among the medical staff at Parkhurst within 12 months traceable to overwork, and the coroner pointed out to Lieu-tenant-colonel Donegan, commanding the medical staff there, that the history of (he staff seemed to be a very unfortunate one, The colonel said he had reported officially that he was understaffed, and he had reason to believe that the error would be corrected. He gave the sergeant all the assistance he could. Asked by the coroner if the man was overworked, the colonel replied that he would like the question recorded, hut he preferred not to answer it. He also said that the widow of the sergeant had told him that her husband worked until 11.30 at night, starting early in the morning. Two non-commissioned officers of the medical staff attended as witnesses, and looked so thin and ill that the coroner commented upon their unhealthy appeaiance. They admitted under examination that they were in a chronic state of overwork at Parkhurst, working from 7 in the morning till 11 at night seven days a week, and were then unable to cope with the work.