AN UNFORTUNATE TANGLE
A DYING MAN'S JOURNEYS
INQUEST ON JAMES H'GILL
On Saturday morning Mr. W. G. Rtddell, S.M., resumed the inquest concerning the death at Porirua Mental Hospital of one James M'Gill. The Coroner had previously heard medical evidence to tho effect that deceased died on June i from meningitis. Inspector Mareack appeared for the police. Kathleen Cairney, sister of deceased, said that tho latter was the son of Andrew M'Gill, of Green Island, Otago. He was 24 years of age and single. He had been away from home for about three years, and when witness last heard of him he was bushfelling at Tolngo Bay. Deceased was not a returned soldier. He walked with a limp, which was the result of an accident. May Bright, a housemaid, employed at the New Commercial Hotel, 6tated that on the night of Sunday, June 3, she saw deceased lying in bed, apparently unwell. Next morning she visited his room about 7.45 o'clock, and found him in a very heavy 6leep. He seemed to be worse than he was on the previous evening, and after another visit to him later on witness had the doctor sent for. Before the doctor arrived M'Gill became violent, and was screaming and tossing about. First Dr. Cahill and then Dr. Gilmer saw deceased, who was finally removed in the Hospital ambulance. Robert Yarrow, a returned soldier, ■who had made deceased's acquaintance at tKe hotel, said that he accompanied M'Gill in the ambulance. The man in charge of the ambulance said he had instructions to drive to the Buckle Street Barracks. (This was apparently due to the impression prevailing that M'Gill was a soldier.) The ambulance went, however, straight to the Hospital, arriving there about 1 p.m. "The doctor canio along," said witness, "felt deceased's pulse, and eaid 'Tale him back again.' The doctor thought tho man had been drinking." Continuing, witness stated that they next went to the Alexandra Barracks and were Tefused admission; then to the Mount Cook police station, where they were told to >o to Lambton police station. Thev arrived at the latter station alxnit 3.30, and the police there took M'Gill in charge. Witness knew deceased for a temperate and steady young fellow. Dr. Cahill said that he saw deceased at the hotel between 11 and 12 a.m. He was not certain then whether the case was one of extreme hysteria or acute mania. It was clearly a case, however' for treatment in a mental hospital. Witness therefore rang up the police and asked them to commit M'Gill as a. mental defective. The police replied that they could not enter the hotel and, take M'Gill away, though if he had been at large they might hare dealt with him. "It is a scandal and a disgrace, this poor, unfortunato man's being taken from one place to another like that," said witness. The case was not one for tho General Hospital, he -proceeded, because M'Gill would have disturbed the other patients. The Coroner: With your knowledge of the case, then, you can understand why deceased was refused admission to the Public Hospital?— Witness: "Yes." Dr. Milne, of the Wellington Hospital, said that he examined M'Gill in the ambulance. Ho considered M'Gill to be in a maniacal condition, and he was under the impression that M'Gill was a returned eoldier. Ho never gave anybody to understand that lie thought Jf'Gill was under the influence of liquor. He sinvnly asked if M'Gill had been drinking. Witness was not aware that deceased was suffering from meningitis. The man was sent to tlie Hospital without any notice whatever. The Coroner: DM you not notice that hp was seriously ill? Witness: His condition did not seem to differ from that of oivlinary sufferers from an epileptic form of mania. Tinder ordinary circumstances that would not be dangerous. . Witness .«<vkl that' he communicated ■with tlw officer .in charge of tlie Victoria Military Hospital, and was inform Pfl that thprp wns no accommodation for deceased there. The main hospital was in an cxlmme state of ovvcrowding, find it would have been dimcult to find accommodation there either. Therefore witness took the advice of the officer in charge of the Military Hospital and ordered the ambulance to the Alexandra Barracks. Dr. Hemv deposed that lie saw M'Gill at tho Lambton polico station about 8.80 p.m. Deceased was on a stretcher theTe. Witness examined him and noted eymptoms of cerebral irritation. ■ Deceased was inclined to bo violent when touched, was insensible to his surroundings, and looked like a, man under the onset of an acute disease, -which was ushered in by symptoms of a maniacal nature. For the benefit of deceased witnes3 signed an emergency order for ■ his admission to the Porirua Mental Hospita. Witness first tried to get into communication with tlie doctor at the Wellington Hospital but failed. The Coroner: Can you understand M'Gill's being refused admission to the General Hospital in his condition?— Witness: "I don't, know what his condition was at that time." The Coroner said that after hearing all the evidence one could understand that while deceased might have had better attention earlier in the day. it was doubtful if he would have recovered. Under the Mentnl Defectives Act, where a an an was found to be in the condition that M'Gill was in he did not have to be taken in charge by a constable, but could be placed in a mental hospital on an emergency certificate. Everybody did ■not know that, and that was jtist where the tronble had arisen. There TiivJ been a linniW of wronT iinprpwions in the mind* of Hip people nttoncKn? to (leceae<>d. From the whole evidence it was clear. howevPr. hw the mistakes 01purml. and Hi? Worship did' v.r*- think there was a wilful mistake on the part of anyone. The verdict must Iv> R ? rnnlv, "That deceased <lieil from meningitis."
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Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3107, 11 June 1917, Page 6
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981AN UNFORTUNATE TANGLE Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3107, 11 June 1917, Page 6
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