MYSTERY DEATH SOLVED

NZ Truth, Issue 1237, 15 August 1929, Page 10

MYSTERY DEATH SOLVED

Reefton Man's Sudden Collapse - Due To Natural Causes,

FUNERAL SENSATION ' EXPLAINED

(From "N.Z. Truth's." Special Sydney Representative). '• Although sensational disclosures were, expected following the dramatic graveside seizure of the body of William .Francis Minihan (formerly of Reef ton, N.Z.), by the police, 1 at the inquest held by the Sydney; coroner, Mr. E. A. May, a verdict of death' by natural causes was returned.

MINIHAN, a New Zealander, who 'lived with his <wife and two children in 1 Hougten Road, South Kensington, T^ent to^a Macijuarie Street doctor on the morning of July 20 to be inoculated against typhoid, ( as he intended going to New "" Guinea mining with, a friend namqd ,Monteith. '"Both were -inoculated 'with the same vaccine. The same evening after a* fit of vomiting, > Minihan collapsed and died., ' -f i > Dr. Stratford Sheldon, Government medical officer, told the coroner that on July 21 hie made an intenrfal examination of the body and *" found traces of heart i disease. v « ' ' ( " "In ,my opinion," he added, '/the inoculation with anti-typhoid vaccine, m the forenoon had no cause or connection with his death, r * In ;-eply to Mr. Rogers, who appeared for the "Crown, JDr. Sheldon, said that vomiting might easily accompany heart trouble w and was; at times the first warning. . i . i Dr. Earnest Leslie > Morgan, "*prmcipal microbiologist of . the , State Health Department, said he had examined the vaccine very thoroughly. "I do not think it r could have m any way contributed towards the man's death'," he said. ' • Dr. Arthur i Hamilton.Tebbutt ,said that he also had found no harmful qualities ii\ the vaqcine. Dr. Victor Marcus Coppleson, of Macqiiarie Street, said that on July 20, Minihan "ana Monjeith came to his rooms for Inoculation against typhoid "fever as th'^y, were' going -to New "Guinea. • ' \ ** > , > " , "I inoculated' them , at the same ' time m the'samV room, as they were friends*** I' used the 'same' vaccine -on both, and the same needle. , , The doctor said that .during the past few months he had used the same vaccine on 16 or more and 'had not heard of any* ill effects on the others. ' - <• , -Mr. Neville , Montague ' (for the /relatives) i Did Minihan say he' had been suffering |any pain in ''the 1 heart or Stomach ?rrNo i; he said he was m good health and he appeared to foe", too. The \doqtpr added that both men said they -felt airrighl after the injection. the war, he .said, mij,- --• ■'■•. '■'I •>"

lions of injections of the vaccine were given and not one dealh had been at-tributable:-to" it. Annie Minihan said that her hubba^id was born at Reeftoii, New Zealand, and that she married r him 'm 191?. There -were two children, James and Mary Isabel,' aged 16 and 13. Airs. Minihan -said that while m New Zealand* her husband complained of gastric trouble and consulted a doctor over there about it. He' 'Was of tern: perate habits. Mrs. Minihan described again how her husband had come home from a football match m the afternoon, and, after vomiting; and going to bed, he died about 6 p.m. William Tobin, of Burwood Road, a ■workmate of Minihan at the Long Bay water and sewerage woikh, told the coroner how on several occasions at v, ork , and coming- home from v ork, Minihan had been seized with" sudden pains * m the stomach and had to sit 1 down. i > , , The coroner delivered his verdict as stated. » . i