DEATH FROM CHOKING.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 471, 10 October 1919, Page 2

DEATH FROM CHOKING.

Little Child a Victim. Cartridge in Throat.

The death occurred by choking, of a 3£ year old child, Ernest Harold Caddigan, youngest son of Mr Ed and Mrs Florance Caddigan, of Ness Valley, Clevedon, on Tuesday afternoon last at about 3.30 p.m. and was the subject of an inquest held at \Clevedon on Wednesday before the district coroner, Mr Cecil Eoadley J.P. From evi !enco, submitted at the inquest, it appears that the child had been playing with the shell of a pea rifle cartridge for some hours previous to 3 p.m, the time at which death occurred. On account of the parents always warning their children not to place anything in their mouths, and with the idea of anything untoward happening nothing had impressed them. About the time above mentioned, the mother s attention was drawn to he child who appeared to be in a distressed condition, gasping for breath. The mother immediately took steps to remove the solid article which she realised was in the child's throat. She administered an emetic and when she found that this failed she forced her finger down the child's throat with the intention of removing whatever obstruction might bo there'. Tne father called in I)r J Wall {who recently commenced practice at Clevedon) who on arrival found the child in a state of collapse and beforo he could successfully remove the obstruction which he located in the child's windpipe, death ensued The coroner in the course of returning a verdict of accidental death, commended the parents for intelligent although unsuccessful attempt to save the child, saying that the mother in particular had shown more than ordinary resource under such distressing and unexpected circumstances.