DEATH IN THE LUNATIC ASYLUM.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4402, 29 April 1875, Page 2

DEATH IN THE LUNATIC ASYLUM.

An inquest was held by Dr. Johnston yesterday afternoon, at the Mount View Asylum, touching the death of Mary Galbraith, which took place on Tuesday last. 1 Emma Galbraith, having been duly sworn, stated as follows: I am the wife of Michael Galbraith and mother of the deceased child Mary Galbraith. Eor the last eighteen months she has been an inmate of the Asylum, and she has been devoid of intelligence since her birth. The deceased was ten years old last February. I have been in the habit of visiting her every week ; and when I arrived at the Asylum yesterday afternoon at a quarter to three o’clock, she appeared to me to bo in her usual good health, playing in the grounds of the Asylum. I remained outside with her for some time, and then carried her into the Asylum. We went into the waiting-room, situated on the right hand side of the hall; on entering by the front door. A little boy named Shoebridge, a brother of the attendant, was with us, and ray other child, Lizzie Galbraith, who had accompanied me on my visit. During the whole time we were in the room, soma ton minutes, the deceased was sitting on my knee. When we arose to go home, Lizzie took the deceased out through the hall to the attendant in front of the Asylum. The children did not stop in the hall at all. I watched them outside, and saw Lizzie place the deceased in the hands of a young woman named Louisa Allington, who is herself an inmate of the Asylum. Miss Shoebridge, the attendant, was sitting close by at the time. Lizzie then returned to me in the waitingroom, and we there received my third child, Norman, who is also a patient. The attendant informed me that it was a quarter past three. After sitting with him a few minutes, the boy was taken away by the attendant, and I immediately left, passing out by the hall door. As I passed the corner of the building, deceased, who was still with the patient, Louisa Allington, under the verandah, ran up to me. I kissed her and went home. I heard no morp until 7 p.m., when a messenger came and said the child was very dangerously ill. I returned_to the Asylum, and found her dead. Dr. France, sworn, stated : I am a legally qualified medical practitioner, and medical attendant on the patients of Mount View Asylum. I visited the Asylum yesterday, about 2 p.m., and left again about five minutes

to 3 p.m. Just before leaving I placed a small bottle, containing three doses of chloral (about ninety grains), on a shelf outside the surgery-door, which is the usual place for all medicine intended to be distributed after my visit, to be left. It is usually taken away at once, but I suppose the fact that all the patients and attendants, with one exception, were outside being photographed, and there being no visitors at the time, caused it to be left longer than usual. Shortly after 5 p.m., Assistant Ingueson came down on horseback, and said a little girl had taken the chloral I left in the hall. I gave him two emetic powders, with instructions to administer one immediately on arrival. I followed, and found her insensible and almost in a state of collapse, exhibiting all the usual symptoms of poisoning by chloral. The deceased had.a weakness for endeavoring to obtain any drinkables that were placed in her reach. Mary Ann Shoebridge, sworn, stated : I am attendant at the Mount View Asylum. The deceased was in my charge. I was with her when her mother arrived. Mrs. Galbraith came up to us, and wo went into the house, Mrs. Galbraith carrying the deceased into the waiting-room. I then left them together. About ten minutes after this, Lizzie Galbraith brought the deceased out to me in the grounds. She carried the deceased to me. She remained twenty minutes near me ; she then fell down and knocked herself about, and appeared to me to be suffering from a fit, but as she afterwards went off into a deep sleep I took her to bed in the ward. I was very much alarmed, and could not arouse her by any means. Mrs. Seager was in attendance on the child as well as myself, and she, seeing something serious was the matter, sent for the - doctor. I may here mention that Miss Seager brought me a bottle from the front door, which she had picked up on the floor of the hall, and which was nearly empty. She asked me who had been at the bottle. Some of the contents had been spilt on the floor. Mrs. Seager then immediately surmised the cause of the child’s deep sleep. I did not see her take the bottle, or perceive any smell from the chloral. I had four patients under my charge at the time of the occurrence. The ./jury, after deliberation, returned a verdict of “ Accidental poisoning.” When the inquest was over, Mr. Seager courteously showed the jury over the entire establishment.