ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 795, 19 April 1910, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

'.: ;.;■■■■;:-—»—■•;,■; :[ \ -.-•■ A TOUNG WOMAN'S' DEATH. ■ FINDING, OF A JURY. . ■ (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Dunedin, April 18. The inquest touching, the death of Jeanuie JU'Coll, of Wa,itahuna, who died at the residence of, Mrs. Durston, at Wornington, on March 25, was resumed this , morning before tho Coroner (Mr! H. Y. .Widdowson, S.M.) and a jury of. six. The inquiry. .had been adjourned' from' April (i to enable the police to secure tho attendance of Thomas Can , as witness.;'if possible. The police stated that exhaustive inquiries, had been made regarding Cany but no trace of him coiilcl.be discovered. He was employed by the Railway Department, and was now absent froin work without leave, which would probably Wad to his. clismissal. Mrs. Durston was closely questioned by the Coroner. as ; to the taking of deceased's temperature. In .summing up, the Coroner pointed out that there was iio evidence whatevei conmituuijj. lUt,, jibriod ■ between March 12, when' deceased came to Dunwlin, and March 15, when she was said to have arrived at Mrs. Durston's house, llifc doctor's evidence disclosed that the immediate cause of death was general septic peritonitis, due to puerperal infection following a mishap. The only reasonable . conclusion from the doctor's evidence was that cef tain ineaus had been used, altbough there was a remote possibility of other cause. The Coroner went on to review Mrs. Durston's evidence, which, he said, ehe had given in a very frank, free, and open manner— tho manner that would be used by an innocent person. It must be admitted that Mrs, Durston had been very kind tu deceased, and had done all that she could for she had failed in her duty in.not palling in a doctor earlier. He was' rather surprised that a woman of her experience had not (notwithstandiiig Utctasiitl'i) proleils) called in a 'doctor if Only for her own sake. He felt bound to say that though she might feel that she had done all that she could, and' Hint no blame attached to her, yet she had been decidedly wanting in her duty in the direction indicated.

.After twenty minutes", retirement the jury returned Mio. following ■ verdict-— " Ueccnsed, .Teimnie M'Coll, d'iei) on the 25th day of March, the cause of her di.ath being gojiwal septic peritonitis, iliie to puerperal infection following a mishap. The jury are of opinion that Uie puerperal infection was caused by an instrument having' bt-cn used, but by whom it was so used the ovidence dobs not show. Tho jury are also of opinion that Mrs.- Dwrabn groatly erred in her .fluty in. neglecting to call in"a doctor at an earlier period."

i A TRAP OVERTURNED. Carterton, April 18. The gale on Saturday overturned a gig on the road to Mouut noldsworth, nn3 Mr. J. Nicholls, manager of the Wairarapa' Brick, Tile, and Drainage Company, and a friend received severe bruise's. Mr. Nicholls's young son, who was with him, got, down to open the gate, and was instantly blown into a manuka clump. At the same time, gig, horse, and occupants' wore ' turned right ovor, both the shafts of the gig being broken. The horse was uninjured. '

COLLAPSED UNDER CHLOROFORM. . Timam, April 18. Eric Cameron; aged 18 years, died whilst under chloroform to-day. He was about to undergo an operation ■ for a nasal growth, but .collapsed before the doctor started. An inquest will be held to-morrow.