Inquest at Otaki

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 July 1916, Page 4

Inquest at Otaki

A OASE OF DIPHTHERIA. The coroner, Mr W. C. .Nation, an inquiry at the Eaihvay Hotel, Otaki, yietorday morning, concerning the death of Charles Arthur Thorner, a boy of .seven years of age, which occurred on Sunday evening. The mother, a widow, was away from home, nuraing, and the grandintother ('Mrs Morris) looked after the children. In her evidence she stated that tbo deceased lad on Friday complained of a sore throat, andi on Saturday the went to Mr Dann, chemist, and tMId him ehe thought the boy had the 1 mumps. Mr Damn told her to !°;jt up an ogg and give it in milk, to rub in warm oil and put flannel -ound the throat. On Saturday the boy was all about, the house. That night he got no rest; on Sunday he was in bed all diay, and towiarda evening Mr D.mr was sent for.

Air Dann said he went to the h'ouse about 6.30 oil Sunday evening, found tlie lioy unconscious with laboured breathing and he could not feel the pulse. He 6en't for the doctor. Dr. Hutliwaite stated that just I <•- fore seven o'clock on Sunday evening lie received a message to go andi see a- child of Mrs Thorner, who was ill. On arriving at the house he found that deatl-i had taken place half an hour before. From the statement of the grandmother us to the symptoms he was of opinion that the boy died from diphtheria. Constable Satlherly deposed to viewing the body. He found a 'lump on the right side of the throat, wihioh was much enlarged. 'Mucus was coming from the mouth and nose. The mother had seen the boy since Wednesday week, being engaged at a distance from the home, nursing. She was a widow. One of her boys is a jockey. He is on crutches, having been thrown from a horse and dragged -for a distance, with the result that one leg was broken in five places. The grandmother of the deceased lad goes out cleaning. The lot of the family at the present time is a hard one. The coroner 'brought in a verdict that diphtheria was the cause of the death.