DEATH IN HOSPITAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26641, 11 December 1947, Page 8

DEATH IN HOSPITAL

WOUNDS SELF-INFICTED Special to the Daily Times OAMARU, Dec. 10. An inquest touching the death of John Stewart Wellington Bunting, married, aged 67 years, of 26 Foyle street, which occurred at the Oamaru Public Hospital in ihe early hours of yesterday morning, was held by the coroner, Mr A. W. Woodward, at the hospital last night. Senior Sergeant D. Wilson conducted the inquiry for the police. Evidence was given by Helen Middleton Ryburn, a nursing sister, that she examined the Fraser ward about 3 a.m., when Bunting was all right, but she received a call about 520 a.m. to the ward, and found he was dead. There was a cut on his throat, and she saw a razor with blood on it on the locker.

Corroborative evidence was given by Louise Juliet Sutherland, senior nurse, and further evidence was given by Joy Mildred Somerville, nurse. Evidence of identification was given by Thomas Ross Beatty, and medical evidence by Dr R.' C. Melsom, house surgeon, and Dr Bevan Brown, medical superintendent, that there were severe incised wounds bn both sides of the throat, and Bunting was suffering from nervous depression. The coroner returned, a verdict that Bunting died on December 9 at the Oamaru Public Hospital from the effects of a severe wound in the throat, self-inflicted, while suffering from serious depression.