PARENTS' OBLIGATIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 67, 20 March 1942, Page 3

PARENTS' OBLIGATIONS

CORONER'S COMMENT AT INQUEST The obligations of parents when their children were injured was given by the coroner, Mr. S. M. Dixon. J.P., who conducted an inquest yesterday into the death of a Maori gin, Heeni Margaret Tui, aged 21 months, who was scalded in the home of her parents at Kauangaroa, on March 4. The child was not taken to the Wanganui Public Hospital until two days later, when she died. "The jaw provides," said Mr. Dixon, "mat heads of families must take the necessary steps to provide facilities for the treatment of injured persons and procure medical aid for children under their care and control.” He explained that if the father of a child was away from home the mother, in his absence, became the head of the household and thus responsible for taking prompt and proper steps. A verdict was returned that the death was caused by shock and toxic absorption following untreated scalds. The mother of the child. Erana Tui. who was recalled, said the child was scalded in her home at noon on March 4 through a kettle overturning. She sent a messenger to Kauangaroa School for a child to be let out to gather leaves with which to treat the burns. The child was not treated i with the leaves as the district nurse was due to call. She got boracic lint from Ihe school to put on burns. She did not attempt to get medical treatment as she did not have the money to pay a taxi to come to Wanganui. She knew that if she telephoned the Wanganui Public Hospital she could have obtained advice. The child died in the Wanganui Pubic Hospital on March 6. the day she was admitted. Doctor C. E. Hands house surgeon, Wanganui Public Hospital, said that ; if medical attention had been obtain- I ed immediately after the child was ’ scalded, the chances of recovery were i about 50 per cent. Because of the large amount of body surface scalded it is by no means definite that her life could have heen saved.