LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 259, 25 April 1855, Page 4

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

CORONER'S INQUEST. A n inquest was holden on Wednesday, in the hospital, ou the body of Jemina Dean, a child aged 2 years, who died ou Sunday last from violen| convulsions. After some introductory observations from the Coroner, Dr. Dudley was examined, and stated that he went to Rhode's Bay on Sunday last to see the deceased, hut found that she had been dead about 12 hours, after suffering for 36 hours. _ He had since made a post mortem examination of the body, when every portion of the child s stomach appeared healthy except a small contraction of the liver, and a little blood in the cavity of the heait. He did not find traces of either vegetable or mineral poison in the stomach. He found that 3 other children at the same place were suffering from similar symptoms to those which the deceased had been attacked with, which led him to believe that the child had not died; from natural causes. These children had been in the habit of eating mushrooms both cooked and raw, and also mussels. He supposed this might be the cause of the.child's death, especially as mussels are at times of a poisonous nature. The child's death wasevidently caused by eating something which produced congestion of the brain.

The Coroner be re explained that at times all fish were poisonous. The mother of the child was then examined, and stated that deceased was taken ill about ■mid-day on Friday; the first symptoms of illness she noticed was a general drowsiness; afterwards the child appeared to be suffering iron) great pain in the stomach. About twejvo

o'clock she had a fit, which lasted a quarter of an hour, and another about an hour afterwards She vomited some green liquid. Witness an! plied warm-baths and othor remedies tjli a o'clock on Sunday morning, when the child died. In answer to questions from the Coroner witness stated that she was not aware of the child having eaten anything the night previous that would hare disagreed with her, and that she did not believe that any poison was laid down in the bay to kill dogs.

After a few observations from the Coroner the Jury returned the following verdict: " That death was caused from congestion of the brain but from what cause there is not sufficient evi'-1 dence to prove." /