DOCTOR AND DYING CHILD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1140, 30 May 1911, Page 6

DOCTOR AND DYING CHILD.

Serious allegations were made against Dr. W. T. Meagher at the inquest on the three-year-old son of an Islington gasfitter, named Lovcday. It was stated by the mother that on the afternoon on which the child died the doctor sat by tho bed dozing and smoking cigarettes. He also started singing to himself. Another witness said that the doctor—whom ho thought was drunk—challenged him to a fight, while a woman who lodged with the Lovedays said that on the doctor's second' visit she saw him sitting on the bed beside tho child smoking a cigarette. There were two cats in the room. Tho doctor was taking them up by tho tails and dropping them. Afterwards he throw a cat round her neck. The father stated that after the child died the doctor said to him: ''Never mind, old chap. Never mind] father. It's only a piece of cold clay now; it is no use." A medical witness stated that the doctor had followed right methods in his treatment, and Dr. Meagher said that he had been suffering from sleeplessness and influenza. He did not think he was the worse for drink. The jury found that the death was natural and was not caused or accelerated by gross negligence on the part of Dr. Meagher.