CHILD’S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 23692, 27 September 1940, Page 6

CHILD’S DEATH

PEANUT LODGES IN THRDAT An inquest was held at the Hospital this morning by Mr J. R- Bartholomew. S.M., acting as coroner, concerning the death of a 19-months-old child Bernard John Dreaver, of 33 Harboui Terrace, who died yesterday after swallowing a peanut. Sergeant Sugrue represented the police. Evidence of identification was given by Arnold William Dreaver, motor driver, father of the deceased. _ Ivy Kathleen Dreaver, mother of the child,'said that yesterday deceased was in the scullery with her when she gave him a shelled peanut and a sultana to eat, as she had done previously. The child began to cough as though slightly -choking, and witness put her linger down his throat. She felt the nut, hut it slipped further down, and the child began struggling. Witness then ran to the clinic across, the road and Mr Thompson tried artificial respiration and rang for several doctors, but was unable to get one. Mr Thompson then took the child to the Public Hospital in his car, but he appeared to have collapsed before he left the clinic. There was no delay, the time between the swallowing of the nut and when the child was taken to the Hospital being not more than 10 minutes. Thomas Thompson said that Mrs Dreaver had come to his rooms in an hysterical condition, and told him her child was choking. The child when brought to witness’s clinic was still breathing feebly. While witness was trying to resuscitate the child a nurse was ringing up doctors, and eventually got into touch with Dr Russell, who advised immediate removal to the Hospital. Dr Thomas Finlavson Miller, house surgeon at the Hospital, said that when the child was brought to the Hospital at 3.3 p.m. life was extinct. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to accidental asphyxiation, caused by a peanut becoming lodged in the deceased’s throat. His Worship expressed sympathy with the relations of the child.