NEEDLES IN HEART.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 October 1919, Page 6

NEEDLES IN HEART.

.___..'..Q.___.._.. ~ ‘LADY DOCTOR’S TRAGIC D‘EA_TH‘

At an inquest at York, on Miss Henrietta Martha Thomas. of Hesiington Road, York, a. doctor of medicine, but ‘latterly a patient in the Retreat, ‘York, Where she was admitted‘ a. year ago’ it was stated that on November 17, when he mother vjsited_hei-, she found her in great D3lll, and Miss Thomas then said she ought» to be dead», as she had attempted to kill her. self by sticking a needle into" " her heart. V Dr Bedfbrd Pierce, the medical sup--. erintendent, was informed, and found two pricks under the left breast, but no inflammation. Miss Thomas was sufiering from nfeianehorlia, ‘an-"i de-] ,veloped suicidal tendencies, but she‘ grew very much better, and the delu—sions left her. Nothing more was! heard- about the needles till the post: mortem, Miss Thomas having died after a. few days’ ilness, when Dr. Mac.kenzie found one needle sticking [ and a. second one in the walls of the yheart. There was a good deal of iniflammation of the membranes through the scratching of the needle. Dr. Mackenzie agreed it was a curious thing that there was no earlier evidence of the mischief consequent upon the in-‘ sertion of the needles. . _, - Dr. Bedford Pierce informed the Co‘roner that if it had been knovvn vvhile the patient was alive that there was a needle in the heart, it Would, in his judgment, have been almost iinpossible to remove it. i

The Cbroner certified that death was due-to pericarditis, result’ing‘fr’om deceasged pushing a. needle into the heart While insane. ‘