DEATH OF RAILWAYMAN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2881, 20 September 1916, Page 8

DEATH OF RAILWAYMAN

THE INQUEST. An inquest was held at the Hospital yesterday afternoon by Jit. D. ti. A. Cooper, Coroner, into the cause of death of Charles Leonard Mandorson, afied 27, a railway shunter, who resided at Onepai Uoad, • Kilbiinie, and | woo, while returning liome on Monday evening, was thrown oil: the bicyclo Ik> was riding through tho maehhl'u skidding on tho tram rails, near the Kilbirme Post Office. Sergeant O'Halloran 'appeared for tlio police. Dr. De Latoiir stated that he was callod on to sco Munderson, and di>scribud his condition. Witness advised fclie removal of Mandorson lo tho Hospital, but deceased's wife preferred to take tho injured man home. About two hours later witness was again called to seo Manderson at his house. Ho was then showing more symptoms of compression of the brain. He was then in a semi-consoious state, and could be. roused with some difficulty. Ho ordered the man to the Hospital, and ho was immediately sent there. Witness telephoned the Hospital authorities and told them of ■ the symptoms that bo had 7 noticed. Dr. lsdale, if tho medical staff of the Hospital, stated tbafc when Mniidcrson was brought to the Hospital about 11.30 p.m. on Monday he was semiconscious. There was a consultation with tho superintendent, and it was decided to keep the patient perfcctlj quiet and observo the result. In the morning Manderson Deemed perfectly well, except that lie complained of pain in tho right shoulder and of a slight headache. The only signs of injury were euperfioial bruisos on the face and .scalp, and tho concussion symptoms appeared to liar© passed completely away. Manderson insisted on getting up on Wednesday, and was anxious to get back to bis home. Ho \r«9 perfectly normal, but waß told that the doctors would not bo answorable for the consequences. He still insisted on going home, and in"tho afternoon his wife stated that she could nurse him quite as well nfc home, lie was told, that ho could go home at his own risk. Mandorson left the Hospital on Thursday morning, and he then seemed to be in normal health. On Friday ho was brought back to tho Hospital quite unconscious, and suffering from pneumococcal meningitis. There was no signs of brain pressure, and an operation was not deemed necessary. He was treated for meningitis entirely. Manderson died at 0 o'olook on Monday morning, the cause of death being pneumococcal meningitis associated with low vitality caused by tlio injury. The fact that the man was not sent to tho Hospital immediately after the accident did not. militate against him, provided he was kept quiet. In answer to questions, witness said tho Hospital authorities could not keep a patient who was sound mentally in tho institution if ho desired to leave. To Sergeant O'Halloran: Thero wcro no symptoms requiring medical treatments He was kept quiet in bed. Mrs. Manderson stated that she did not demand her husband's removal, as stated in a newspaper. When she Baw her husband on Wednesday he said he was suffering from headache. Dr. lsdale: He never complained to me about it. Ho said he had a slight hoadaehe. >Dr. Dc Lautour, recalled, said that when he first advised the removal of the man to the Hospital there was nothing in his condition to indicate any necessity for an operation. The only tiling that could bo done for hiui; was to provide rest and quietness, with skilled nursing and attention, in order to look out for any symptoms that might arise requiring treatment. This skilled nursing and attontion could only he got in a properly-conducted hospital. Mrs. 'Mandorson, wife of the deceased, said sho was called to seo her husband, wlio was lying on a sofa in a private room some timo after the' accident. Dr. Do Lautour was summoned, and after- an examination said ho thought there was slight concussion, and advised sending him to the Hospital. Her husband was quite conscious then. Ho told witness that he had fallen off his bicycle, and he wanted to go home. He was taken home and put to bed. Later lie seemed to get worse, Dr. De Lautour was called in, and again advised removal to tho Hos< pi tal,- which was done. On Wedriosday she visited her husband at the Hospital. He complained that his head was very bad, and said be wanted 1 , to go home. Witness told the nurse to ask the doctor if Mr. Manderson was_ in a fit condition to he taken homo; if so sho would take him home and attend to him. The nurse stated that the doctor said her husband could be taken homo provided he had a few days' rest. About two hours after, reaching homo her husband was taken had and was sent hack to the Hospital on Friday. He was then, unconscious. This concluded the evidence. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to pneumococcal meningitis, as 1 disclosed by the evidence of Dr. Isdalo.