CORONER'S INQUEST.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 557, 21 September 1869, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

Yesterday an inquest was held by the Coroner, Dr CKlea, at Grant's Star Hotel, relative to the death of a man named Francis Dixon.

The following was the evidence given :

Margaret Read: I have seen the body of the deceased. I recognise it as that of a man whom I have seen for the last three or four days About half-past eleven a.m. yesterday he called me. He was standing at the door of his house, and I was at my door opposite. He wanted me to look for the bell-man who was living in the house with him, to get a doctor. He said he was ill. I did not know where to find the bellman, but I asked deceased if I could make him a cup of tea, or do anything for him, but he said " No." After this, for about half an hour, I saw deceased in the house. He was walking about. After t a'o o'clock Robert Meed went over to see him, at my request. I saw no more of him.

Robert Meed: I live in Bright Street. I have seen the deceased for the last three or four days, living with the bellman in Bright Street. Yesterday, when I came home to diuner, I went over to see the deceased, at the request of Margaret Bead. This was about two o'clock. I found the inner door nearly closed, and on pushing it open I found the deceased lying on the floor with his face downwards. I turned him over, but I could not tell, for certain, whether he was dead or not, and I went to get assistance. I returned with Constable Williams, who said he was dead. When I first found the body, the arms were underneath the chest, and the legs were crossed. There was some liquid on the floor, near the mouth. The face looked very black and swelled. I have not seen him alive since Friday night. He was then drunk. I have" known the deceased about the town for two or three weeks. He seemed to be " hard up," and I think he drank when he got an opportunity. William Williams: When I saw the deceased, the body was quite cold. I reported the circumstance at the station, and the doctor was sent for Dennis M'Q-arrell ■ I am a bellringer, and live in Bright-street. I knew the deceased, but I did not know his name. He had been living with me for the last four or five days. The last time I saw him was at the Empire Hotel yesterdaymorningbetween eight and nine o'clock. He left me there, and I supposed he was going home. He had been about half-an-hour at the Empire with me. I had left my house between five and six that morning, leaving the deceased in bed, apparently all right. He had nothing to drink that I know of, that morning. When he came to live with me he said he had lately come out of the Hospital, and had been two days without food. I cannot say much as to his habits. He told me he had disease of the

heart. He was not the worse for drink when I saw him yesterday morning. He did not complain of being ill, but I saw him putting his hand to his chest and coughing. John Derungs: I am a publican residing in Gladstone-street. About six weeks or two months ago the deceased came to me, stating that he had come down the river, and that he was sick and wished to go to the Hospital. He stayed three or four days with me, aud then left saying he was better, and would go up the river again. He came back next day, saying that he felt sick. He stayed a few days longer with me, working in the kitchen. He occasionally complained of pain in his chest. At the end of that time he got into the Hospital. He came out of the Hospital in about two days, and returned to me again. He stayed with me about a week, working in the kitchen as before. He complained more or less all that time. At the end of that time he became an out-patient at the Hospital. On Tues day, when he ought to have attended at the Hospital, he got drunk, aud I discharged him. Since that I have ouly seen him occasionally about the street. During the time he was with me, he was pretty steady. I understood from his own statement that he had been a pretty heavy drinker. He said, when he came out of the Hospital, that he was not sick enough to keep there. Dr Thorpe: I made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased. I first saw the body about four o'clock in the afternoon. It had apparently been dead for two or three hours. The head and face were very much congested, and there was foam, tinged with blood, about the lips. The hands were clenched, and the body presented the appearance of having died in convulsions. On examining the head, the vessels of the seal]) contained a large quantity of blood, as well as tho?e of the interior of the brain. There was no effusion either of blood or serum within the brain. On opening the chest, the heart and lungs were healthy ; the heart was gorged w T ith blood. Each side of the cavity of the chest contained serum. There was no evidence of any recent disease, or of inflammation in the chest, but there were some very limited adhesions about the left lung. There was a good deal of fat about the heart and pericardium. The heart contained a large filmiuous clot, which was probably the result of coagulation after death. There was little or no serum in the pericardium. The stomach contained about a pint of turbid liquid, with fragments of half-digested food. The stomach was perfectly healthy. The body was not at all emaciated. I believe, from the state of the brain, and from the iU'.-arannes of the body whp.n I first saw it, that death resulted from epileptic convulsions. I first saw the deceased about two months ago. He came to my house with a recommendation to the Hospital. Ho stated that he had left the barque Alliance at Nelson, and had come overland down the Buller. He said he was destitute, and had had nothing to eat for two or three days, but he did not complain of anything in particular. 1 examined him cai'efully, particularly his chest, but could find nothing wrong except that he appeared rather weak. I sent him to the Hospital at once as a case of debility. He said it was chiefly food and shelter he wanted. He remained, I think, four days in the Hospital. At the end of that time he said he felt all right. I examined him all over again, and discharged him. He had some underclothing given him on going out. He made no complaint whatever on being discharged. The next time I saw him was on the 2Sth August. He came with a recommeudatiou, and said he was staying with Mr Derungs. He complained of piiu on his chest when lifting anything or doing any work. I carefully examined him again, giving particular attention to the heart, but could find no symptoms of disease. I prescribed for him, and made him an out-patient, as he said he was receiving wages from Mr Derungs. Four days after this he came and said Mr Derungs had discharged him. In consequence of what Mr Derungs told me I expostulated with deceased on the folly of drinking. He said he had only done so since I had been attending him. I said that in that case I must decline to have anything to do with him. Three or four days afterwards I met deceased, and he then seemed to be really ill. I took him into my house and gave him a- note to the steward for admission. He was then complaining of pain in the chest. This was relieved by the second day, and he complained of nothing afterwards. I examined him carefully several times, but could find no signs of organic disease. On the Saturday following the Monday on which he was admitted he expressed himself as feeling all right. As he stated the same thing on the following Monday he was then discharged, after a further examination. That was this day week. He had his dinner and half-a-crown on leaving. That was the last time I saw him alive. I cannot trace any distinct connection between the symptoms he complained of and the appearances observed after death. I believe death was caused by an epileptic fit. There was no evidence of drink having been recently taken, but former habits of drinking, if they had been indulged, would predispose to such an attack. John Harris : I am a publican residing in "Westport. I know the deceased. About three weeks ago he was at my house until twelve o'clock

at night. He said he was destitute and had pains in his chest. I gave him a bed that night. He seemed ill, but said he could not get admission to the Hospital, and that Dr Thorpe had refused admission. Deceased stayed about four days after that, aud then left. I saw deceased again on Thursday last. He then said he was bad, and did not know what to do. He said he had been ordered out of the Hospital. I also saw him on Friday, and he then seemed very ill. He said he could not get into the Hospital. William Henry Poole : lam steward of the Westport Hospital. I remember a man named Francis Dixon being a patient in the Hospital. He was admitted on the 23rd of July and discharged on the 26th or 27th. He complained of being weak, and the doctor ordered him good diet. When he was discharged he expressed himself as being well, and appeared quite satisfied. He complained of nothing but want of food. On leaving I gave him half-a-crown to get a bed and supper. Deceased came again in the beginning of September, as an outpatient. On the Gth September he was admitted as an in-patient. He complained of general debility, and pains in the left side of his chest. He looked much worse than he had done before. He had good diet, and got better every day. He only kept his bed one day. He went out on Monday, the 13th inst. I gave him half-a-crown on going out. He went out quite willingly, and would have gone on the Saturday, but the doctor kept him in. I saw him again on Friday evening last at half-past seven, in Gladstone-street. I asked him how he was . He said he was very well. I told him if he would come to me on Saturday morning I would give him two or three shillings, as he said he was doing nothing. He never came. James Simpson : I am a member of the Hospital Committee. I saw a man named Francis Dixon, about the 3rd or 4th of this month. He was then at Mr Harris's. He said he felt very ill. I spoke to Mr DeruugandDr. Thorpe about him. The man told me he had been in the Hospital. He did not say he had any difficulty in getting in, nor did he complain of having been discharged. He did not request me to get him in. I saw him him on Friday last, about 11 a.m. He told me that he thought he was all right again.

James "Wilson Humphrey : lam a member of the Hospital Committee. Shortly after the Ist of August deceased called for a recommendation to the Hospital. He got an order from Mr Bailie, my partner. I saw him after his discharge. He said he was not strong, but he was better. He made no complaint to me. In the early part of this month T was a mem. oer of the Visiting Committee. Dr. Thorpe came to me to get my sanction for his having admitted the deceased to the Hospital. I afterwards saw deceased in the Hospital. He made no complaint to me.

James Simpson, recalled: Dr.Thorpe came to me to explain why he had discharged the deceased from his attendance as an out-patient. He afterwards came to me, believing I was a member of the Visiting Committee, to obtain my sanction to the admission of the deceased to the Hospital. The verdict of the jury was "That the deceased died from the visitation of God." They added the rider: " There appears to bo no blame whatever to be attached to the Hospital authorities."