SUDDEN DEATH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 11, 15 May 1939, Page 4

SUDDEN DEATH

MAORI WOMAN COLLAPSES . — m ASTHMA AND HEART FAILURE - An inquest wa s held at the AVha. katane Courthouse on, Friday into the sudden death of Paeta Wi otherwise known as Mrs Rogers, a _ ,i| Maori woman aged about 60, wbiSflT" occurred at her home in the Whaka- " tanc Pa about 8.30 p.m. The inquest was held before the district coroner Mr Brabant. The evidence showed that on Thurs day night deceased had tea which consisted of beef bones and potatoes at the house of Dick Rangihika. She then appeared to be in good health. '-» She left about 6.30 p.m. to go ta her own house and at 8.15 p.m. she called out to neighbouring natives to' come and help her as there was somef v* thing wrong with her. When help arrived she was found sitting on, the ground outside her house. She had trouble in breathing and complained of pains in the region of her heart. She collapsed and died within about five minutes. Evidence to this effect was given by Riparata Rangihika ? Riri Horoj papera—wife of Dick Rangdiika and Tamati Meihana. f Asthmatic. Dr F. J. Appleby in his evident sa : d he had examined the body which was well nourished. From iaforma- r tion it was definite that deceased had suffered from acute attacks of asthma for some years. From the description of symptoms he believe cL-ihat . the final attack must have been a very severe one, and in his opinidji the woman died from heart failure brought on by a, sudden attack of asthma. There were no marks of violence on her body, but sh«.? was rather stout, and this would tend further to cause heart complications. He gave it as his opinion that the cause of death was a heart attack brought on by an asthmatic spasm. Constable H. Hedley said he was informed on Friday morning of the? death. He found the deceased on the floor of the living room of her house. There did not appear to be any marks o£ violence on the body,. From inquiries the constable snid it appeared that the woman suffered rather badly from asthma and lie found asthma tablets in the room. He was satisfied that the death was a natural one, there being no suspicion of foul play. The verdict was that Pacta Wf Keepa died at the Maori pa, V/ ha_ katane, on Thursday, May 1i from! natural causes, the immedia f e cause being heart failure brought about by an acute asthmatic spasm.