INQUIRY INTO WOMAN'S DEATH

Chronicle (Levin), 14 September 1949, Page 6

INQUIRY INTO WOMAN'S DEATH

Press AssociationJ

Body Exhumed From Grave At Hamilton

(Per .

■ HAMILTON, Sept. 13. * ,-Th'e eireumstqjiees . surrounding the death of NgaeiA'jLeslie ^obinson, also knowu as Ngaire Olive Jenkins, aged 32 years, wliose body was reeently cxr liurned from a grave at the Hamilton East Cemetery, are being investigated iii Hamilton before the Coroner, Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M. H?irold Franeis James Jenkins, farmer, of Rukuhia, said he first met deceased at Morrinsville seven years ago. They became friendly and lived together as man and wife. , From tlien on she was known as Mrs. Jenkins. Deceased gave birth to six children, twins being born in December 1948. Six weeks prior to her death in the tarly hours of July 21, dfeceased told him she was pregnant. She said she did not want the baby. She took some tablets but said they did her no good. She said she was going to see Dr. Blundell, of Te Awamutu. The purpose of the visit was to be a miscarriage. On July 13 she visited Dl\ Blundell and said she was told to return a week later. On July 20 she left home in good health at 1.30 p.m. About 2 a.m. on July 21 Dr. Blundell -telephoned witness and told him he hhd some sad uews for him. Deceased had collapsed. Dr. Blundell sent a taxi to take witness to Te Awamutu. When witness aslced Dr. Blundell the cause of death, the reply was that she had bled inwardly. Witness said Dr. Blundell asked him if there would be any relations inquiring, .regarding deceased 's death. Witness ;said he did not think so. Dr. Blundell told him not to worry about expenses •regarding the funeral and said that he would make arrangoments. Later that ■ m'orning witness v/as told the burial would take plaee that . afternoon. _ Deceased was dcad and buried a little over 24 hours after leaving home. On July 28 the body of deceased was •disinterred at the Hamilton cemetery, witness continued. Permission wa3 uever sought by Dr. Blundell to conduct a post-mortem on the body. Doctor's Evidence On July 13 deceased told him she had been taking pills as she did not want the child, said Franeis Clough Blundell, medical practitioner, at Te Awamutu. Deceased asked him if there was anything that could be done for lier condition. Witness said uotliing could be done. He said he would examine her to see if everything was all right. lt did not seem to be a uormal pregnaney. He advised her that after she had this baby she should liave an operation. Witness said it was incorreet tfiat the purpose of deceased l's return visit a week later was for a miscarriage. Witness said there was nc diary record of the two visits paid b> deceased "to him. He did not thiiiK this unusual. When he examined he) on July 20 he saw she was in the pro cess of liaving a miscarriage. Thert Vvas no hospital bed available sc witness arranged with Mrs. TayJor t( accommodate her at her house. Witness : .1 n-f liic nvflr liavl ;

ttllU. JLIU Ul/llGJJ. jJ U V-L- w » v/* — miscarriage at Mrs. Taylor's. At 10.30 p.m. Mrs. Taylor rang him to sav that the patient was losing a lot of blood, said witness. He found deceased in a good deal of pain and bleed- j ing very profusely. He did not use . any instruments tlien or in any previous , examinations. About 1 a.m. he took deceased to a private hospital. i8he was 1 dead wlicn carried into the hospital theatre. Witness said he decided to 1 i earry out a' post-mortem examination. lt was carried out without any

authority from any person. He thought that it was proper. He said that certain organs which he removed from tlie body were destroyed by the sister. lle asked her to keep them but apparently she did not hear him. Witness was of. opinion that the cause of death was post-partem haemorrhage and loss of blood following a miscarriage. At no stage did he consider it liis duty to notify the Coroner. Dr. R. Rea said it was not impossible tor a woman to leave home at 1.30 and arrive at a doctor's surgery a couple ot hours later with an impending miscarriage. Witness said' he would have sent a woman in sucli a condition to hospital. He would not liave considered conducling a post-mortem witliout the -authority of the Coroner jc relatives. lie had uot knowu vital exhibits removed from bodies iu jiostuiortems to be destroyed. lle would not think it within liis capacity to arrange burial within a matter of liours 1 after death or at any time. 1 Answei-ing the Coroner, witness said » a woman wlio nad^iccessfully "borne ' six children vvould no,^ ^I)0ctc^s^s ^ - lose the seventh. If she did it would r be expected that therpost-morteni would " reveal the caiise. If there was mechanii cal interference it would be shown iu ~> the post-mortem. > (Proceediug). 3