YOUNG MAN'S DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1385, 11 March 1912, Page 6

YOUNG MAN'S DEATH.

SERIOUS ILLNESS IN GAOL. On Saturday, Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., held an inquest concerning the death of John M'Carthy, a young man, who died at the hospital on Friday evening. Evidence was given to the effect that on March 5 the young man had appeared before the Magistrate's Court on a charge of insobriety, and had been remanded for medical treatment. Dr. H. A. H. Gilmer gaol surgeon, deposed that when deceased was admitted to the gaol he was suffering from an acute attack of delirium tremens. Later, deceased had developed pneumonia. The gaol officers had done all they could for deceased with the means at their disposal; but there ought to be some place with doctors and nurses in attendance to

look after such cases. Replying to tho acting-coroner, Dr. Gilmer said that he did not think that it would have made any difference if deceased hod been sent to tho hospital in the first instance instead of to the gaol. Further, it was evident that deceased had received every attention from the gaol authorities. Mr. Scanlon, tho. gaoler, asked the coroner if he could make any suggestion to headquarters as to the care of such sufferers. There were few means at the gaol, but the officers there did their best for patients. However, the gaol was not really tho place for such people. Ho recognised, too, that the hospital was not the place. The acting-coroner said that he would bring tho matter before the Justice Department. Tho verdict was that death had been duo to heart failure, following on delirium tremens and pneumonia. Mr. Riddell added that it was quite clear that the gaol authorities had done all they could for M'Carthy in his illness.