MAYOR’S COURT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2484, 1 February 1871, Page 2

MAYOR’S COURT.

Yesterday

(Before His Worship the Mayor, and W. H. Reynolds, Esq., J.P.)

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER

Eljeu Waterhouse was again brought up charged with this offence, _ Mr Hargett, prosecutor, and Mr Barton with whom was Mr M ‘Keay defended, [Ah error occurred in yesterday's report. In the evidence of Mr Cochrans, it was stated that when Mr Hocken saw the deceased for the fccond time he exclaimed. “.No. that’s not the kind of medicine.’’ It should have been, “.No, it’s not the medicine and in cross-examination lie explained that, in making tijat exclamation, he understood the doctor meant that the deceased’s appearance was' got the effects q! the n]G([icine. I Mary M‘Nair and Ellxa Simpson’s ovb donee was a repetition of that given at the iii(|uc t. Thomas Moreland Hoeken : I knew the deceased. I was called to attend her a few days before her death. 1 went to sec her on the 22nd December, between six apd sever, o’clock. Her husband told me that she hail been attended by Mrs Waterhouse, and he wished he had never seen her face. I went at once to the bedroom and saw the deceased. Mic told ale she had had a long and painful labor j shp }jq,d .a _ very haggard expression of countenance, her pplse was at 120, and s!>t» oomplmoed of S yprp pains fn the abolomen, which uliQtinid b ( gd pommeuped dining labor and continued from that time up to the time of my visit. Her stomach Was also swollen. She complained also of inability to move her left leg, which was somewhat numb, and painful on pressure. There had been very little of the proper discharge, and what little there was was foetid. From the symptoms I discovered and from

what she told me I arrived at the conclusion that she was suffering from some inflammation or injury during labor. I thereu on prescribed that her strength should he kept up, and that an injection for the womb should be used, also that she was to have hot poultices or hot salt applied to her stomach. • I told the husband to come to town the same evening to let me know how she was, so that I could see her again or vary the treatment according to the a count he gave, or give her wine. Giving her wine was was a question ot importance, which T preferred shoukl stand over until the evening. In the evening the boy brought me a letter from his father. It stated that his wife was much better ; that tbe discharge bal appeared, and that if she got any worse he would let me know. From what I was told, I know that the discharge had taken place before I left the house. The son, an intelligent lad of about 13 or 14, appeared to be very jubilant, and thought it unnecessary that I should see his mother. He spoke to that efleet. I told him, however, that his mother was iu dancer, and must not be neglected, and that if they wished me to see her again they must let me know very early in the morning. I also told him to come in the morning in any case. I got no word whatever in the morning, and about seven or eight o’clock in the evening of that day, the husband came, asking me to go out and see her. He could not tell me how she was. He said she seemed low, hut was unable to give me any further particulars about her. 1 rebuked him for his carelessness iu not sending mo word, as I had requested. He said that he had been away during the day, and his sou at the Taieri, 1 think. 1 was not able to go then, being on the point of starting for the N. 15. Valley, to see some people there. I told him to take out some good wine ami give it to her, and if he would send a cab for me earl. iu the morning. 1 would go nut before I saw any other patient. He sent for me about half-past ten the next morning ; I went out and found her dying. She was cold, livid, covered wi thperspiratioii.and insensible; her stomach was enormously swollen. lat once sent into town for an instrument to draw off the urine from the bladder, and with it I took away half a gallon of matter. I prescribed some bark and other stimulating and st e.ngthenmg medicines, but she soon died. I heart! then for the first time to my astonishment that Mrs Waterhouse had been daily visiting the deceased. That 1 thought explained to me the oddity of the husband's letter, evidently wishing me not to go back again. I took the letter and the lad’s statement that his mother was better for what they were worth ; but was greatly surprised to hear she was so. When Ito st saw her I considered it a dangerous case, and told her husband so that morning. It was impossible to say whether it was a case in which recovery might he looked, for; that could not ho told from a first visit; one must compare the effect of the treatment. If real labor pains ■ xtend over twelve hours, I should consider,, as a rule, skilled assistance or interference should be called in. I do not include preliminary pains, which sometinf's extend over a week. The accused could not possibly mistake preliminary pains for actual labor pains. Some patients might mistake them, but I do not think a woman like Mrs 1, Cochrane, who had six children, would mistake them. They would not confine her to bed, would not render her legs powerless, or make her unable to move herself in bed without assistance—they have in fact no ill effect. Real labor pains if severe would make assistance for her necessary. In very fortunate cases real labor sometimes only lasts for quarter of an hour, but, judging from my ovn experience an ordinary, natural labor is accomplished iu five or six hours. If labor continued over 12 hours, I should fhink there was something wrong ; if it continued over 24 hou s 1 would think it seriously aniss. I wo dd never let it last over 12 hours, save urd t exception; 1 circumstances. If it continued over 12 hours I should be guided by cir mmstan 'es ; I should turn the child, use instruments, or perhaps destroy the child; at any rate I should terminate the labor. I most undoubtedly consider any midwife, whether a medical practitioner or not, who allows labor to last beyond 24 hours—much under that 1 think —to be guilty of gross ignorance or negligence. 1 never heard of such a case. I think a person not a medical man—a midwife iu the ordinary sense of the term—who. allows labor to go beyond 12 horns without calling in the skilled assistance of a medical man is guilty of gross want of care and gross and culpable waA pf skill—with the exception of course, of cases of only spurious pains. 1 made a post mortem examination of the de- eased, in conjunction with Dr Alexander. [The witness here described the appearance of tbe body.] 1 ascribe death to the mortification of the tissues, caused by the lonsrenutinued and improper pressure of the child during labor. It must have been lying there for a great many hours, and from its pressure upon those parts which were in a state of slough, caused information, which resulted in mortification. 1 have no doubt it was a case in which labor should have been terminated by artificial means ; and if such means had been used, the dec sed’s life would in all probability have been saved. The child must have been improperly lying in those parts for many hours after it should have been delivered, either nq,tqrqlly qr by artificial means. The Court rose at C 40 p m., the case being adjourned till Friday, and. the accused admitted to hail as before. Tms Day. (Before his Worship the Mayor.) DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. Antonie lludcp ,gml Jqlpi Murray, jwu men belonging to the ship City of Dunedin, were discharged with a caution, ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, Philips v, Solomons, a charge of using abusive language, was dismissed for nonappearance.