DEATH OF MRS WHITEHOUSE. THE INQUEST.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 274, 20 June 1888, Page 2

DEATH OF MRS WHITEHOUSE. THE INQUEST.

An inquost was held at the Pal nee Hotel yesterday morning, on the boil y of Mrs A. LI, Whitehouse, who died suddenly on Sunday last. Mr W. N. Searancko, coroner, Irom Hamilton, conducted the inquiry and a jury of six were enipannelled ; of which Mr Ebert was chosen foreman. Sergeant Emerson was present on behalf of the police. After the jury were sworn they proceeded to view the body and the enquiry was then commenced. Alfred Henry Whitchouso, husband of the deceased was the fiist witness. He stated he had been married nine years, and during that time his wife had been frequently ailing. A few months back she had a fit in the road near Mr lAirreil's shop ; in which sho remained unconscious for some time and was ill for about a fortnight afterwards, but then recovered. Dr Cooper attended her. She had not an attack since that finio, bnt nbont ten days ago she complained of pains in hor head at bed time. He was at home on the 17th of June. Deceased was taken ill about 4 o'clock on Saturday morning. She aroused witness a f that time with a peculiar noise in her throat. He took her in his arms ani she commenced te vomit. After it passed off sho seemed to swoon. He sent his little boy to call a neighbour in — Mrs Heathcote ; when she ai rived they bathed deceased's head with cold water, which seemed to revive her. At her request witness put some camphorated oil on her head. He then left her in charge of Mrs Jleathcoto and went out to see if he could got Dr. Cooper. He was not at home. He wont back and stayed with her until day light. When she aroused she seemed slightly delirious. During the day she was occasionally sensible end spoke several times, complaining that hor head was giving hor great pain. Mrs Cocks nursed her during (he day. He called several times to see if Dr. Cooper could come, as ho had attended her in her previous illness and he thought he would understand the case. At night sho complained of her head again, but afterwards seemed to sleep quietly until 2 a.m. Witness slept on a couch in a room adjo : ning. with the door open. The baby awoke him at two o'clock and when he got up he found his wife trying to raise herself, She asked him who had taken thp baby from her. ( Witness havl previously placed it in (he entile on the floor). Sho was quite sensible thon, and wont to sloop soon afterwards. He laved down beside her. The baby commenced crying fit four o'clock and ;t; t disturbed her asrain. Sho did not tike any nourishment, to his knowledge the wholo of Saturday. When she sat up sho vomito 1 and placed hor hands to her head exclaiming, " Oh ! this pain will kill me." Site turned as if to put her hand to her head again, and gave throe scream^. She appeared to go into a fit ; her face becoming purple 11 0 called upon the little boy | for water to bathe hor head ; and sent him again for Mrs Hoathcote. When Mt« Tleathcote came in she laid the deeonsed on the bod svhero she appeared to remain in an unconscious state for about half an hour afterwards. Mrs Iloathiiotewont away and witness watched deceased. He asked Mrs Heathcote to return again at day light. When Mrs Ileatheote returned he wont for Dr Wright, who came at onco, and upon examination pronounced life oxtinet. ITor passing away wa<* quito unknown in witness as he thought she was merely in a fit. By the Foreman : He first hoard that Dr Cooper was away at Faeroa on Saturday morning. His reason for not calling in Dr Wright on Sunday was because Dr Cooper had pieviously attended the deceased. He did not then think her case seiious. Examination continued : He had always lived on the best of terms with his wife, who ivas of a very ge?jfcle nature. When sho had the previous fit sho fell on the footpath and remained there some time in the rain. He would not call her a strong, healthy woman. He had five children ; the eldest was eight years, and the youngest seven weeks. This was all the husband's evidence. Mrs Hannah Cocks was next called She deposed that she knew deceased for i about seven years. Previous to this sickness she had made no complaint to her as to not being well. She was not at all a strong woman. I Witness was called in to nurse her on Saturday morning. She was not nearly as bad as she had seen her in the previous fit. Witness nursed her all day. She slept well and appeared comfortable when she awoke she gave her a little tea. Witness did not see any nourishment given her. She vomited two or three times during the day. Witness remained with her until about ten p.m. She went to her again on Sunday morning at about eight o'clock aud found that she wa9 dead. As far as sho knew the husband and wife had always lived on good terms. By the Foreman : Deceased dearly loved her husband, and had never made a complaint of being ill-treated. Witness did not think it necessary to call in a doctor as she had seen her so much worse at other times. The coroner here remarked that it was a great pity Dr Wright, who was in the township, had not been sent for earlier. By a Juryman : When deceased had the previous (it Dr Cooper attended her a^d prescribed medicine for her, witness , believed Mr Whitehousc procured it. |

Mrs Mary Jane Heathcote deposed that she know deceased for about six years. Remembered her lasfcfit wag about a year ago. At that time she complained of pains in her head. At a quarter past throe on Saturday morning witness was called in to see Mrs Whitehouso nnd again on Sunday morning. When asked the cause of the pains in her head she said it was from cold, By the Foreman : When witness wont to see deceased on Saturday, she told Mr Whitehoiiso to call in a doctor. Did not think the case- serious, as she had seen her worse before. In her opinion Mr Whitehouse was a kind and good husband. By a Juryman : The Friday previous to deceased's illness she had done some washing at the back of the house. She was a frail and delicate woman. Witness did not think she did more than her share of house work. ])r Alfred Wright was the next witness called. He drposod that he was a duly qualified medical practitioner, registered in Groat Britain and New Zealand. On Sunday at about ten minutes past seven he was called by Mr Whitehouso to attend his wife. When he got to the house ho found her lying on her right side in bed ; she was dead. By means of the stethoscope he satisfied himself that life was quite extinct, and from the flaccidity of the body he felt sure that she had been dead about two hours. He stated that he examined her on the 10th of August last when an attempt had been made to insure her life in the Government Insurance Office. He found that one of her lunss was affected, and that her heart was abnormally strong for so weak n woman. At that time he did not think she would live long. In answer to a question by the coroner as to the cause of her death, Dr Wright a".id that as he had not made a post mortem examination he could not give an accurate statement, but the evidence taken went to prove that the death had been consistent with natural causes. His theory was that small fibrous deposits collected in the blood and arrested the circulation which would cause all the symptoms described ; and by going to the brain would give pains ir the head and ultimately cause death. lie irade a thorough external examination of the body ; th?re were no marks of \iolence on it. He gave it as his opinion that if proper medical attention had been accorded her she would not have died. The jury after a short consideration returned a verdict of " death from natural causes," in accordance with the medical testimony.

From tho annual statutory declaration presented at the ineetitiir of the Thames Hoinmjh Council on Thur-day e'-enini^ last, from the manager of the Bink of New Zealand, it nppoars that during 1 the past month the amount of trold purchased was 20.'Uozs Id \vt. obtained a* follows: — Thames Borough, 102Gozs 17d\vts ;Th imes County, 1500ozsl2d\vts ; Ohirieninri,33o>M Bdwts ; and Piuko, 283»zs 4d\vt>.