SUDDEN DEATHS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 155, 26 July 1909, Page 3

SUDDEN DEATHS

> AN OLD SOLDIER. U -<-* ' Another of Taranaki's old soldiers passed away on Saturday evening, and With ,painful suddenness that cauaea a (hock to .the community. Mr. Charles Freer Crawford, of Courtenay Street, left his home for an evening stroll into town. Meeting Mr. Bundle, a friend of many years' standing, he went into the White Hart Hotel. Within a couple . of minutes he swayed and, fell to tne floor. He was conveyed to the fresh air, and medical aid telephoned for, but he expired without regaining consciousness before th e doctor arrived, and within ten minutes of leaving the sueet. The news of his death came as a painful shock to his family, to whom he had appeared to be in his usual good health upon leaving his house. He had been busy in the garden for the greater part of the day, and had complained of a little consequent stiffness. But he had; not ieen ailing at all, and looked fit) for many years yet. i Prior to commencing his sermon lastf Bight, the Rev. F.' G. Evans, vicar or < St. Mary's Church, made reference to the sudden ending of the life of one of St. (Mary's old parishioners and church 'workers, Mr. Crawford having been a member of the choir for some thirty-five years. At the conclusion of the service the organist, Mr. Renaud, played Chopin's Funeral March. /* lie late Charles Freer Crawford was the youngest son of the late General ( A. F. Crawford, R.A. .'He was born at * .Woolwich, England, in 184fl, and when a young anan of 19 years left the Old Country for New Zealand in the sailing vessel "Silesia," which took five months out. On the second outbreak ui iiustilities with the Maoris Jhe came to Taranaki from the South Island with the military settlers, enrolling shortly after his arrival here. He serveo. at Waihoho and Piripiri, where he was severely wounded in the leg. Five doctors Xmilitary and private) who were consulted advised amputation, but Dr. Webber was against this course, and the i limb was eventually saved, although it wag afterwards an almost continual source of trouble to him. First joining the Government service in the Stamp Office, he' was afterwards 'schoolmaster at Omata for a number of years. Of ' later years he lived a more or fcs retired life. Mr. Crawford was a prominent member and for many years soloist of the old Philharmonic Society in New Plymouth, and was for 35 years a member of St. Mary's choir. Almost the last thing that "ne did on Saturday evening before going into town was to prepare the choir notices for the Sunday's services. Mr. Crawford leaves a widow and a family n eleven children ■ to moum their loss. The interment (will take place to- '. r morrow (Tuesday) at 1.45 p.m.

A HOSPITAL CASE, , An inquest was held in the Courtbouse on Saturday morning, before Mr. N H. S. Fitzherbert, S.M., touching the data'of Mrs. Amelia Smith, of Westown, Who died in the New Plymouth Hospital on Friday, after being in the insti- ' tution foronly three days. The evidence showed that deceased had been suffering from liver troubles for about two months, during which time she had heen under medical care. She was sent to the hospital so that an operation could be performed on her. Dr. Leatham, medical superintendent of the Hospital, deposed that he operated on deceased about six or seven years ago, in connection with a disease of the. liver, but had not attended her lintii she was sent to the hospital a few days ago. When deceased, wno was 49 years old, was admitted to the hospital! •he was suffering from a large Hydatid cist, and the only chance of life rested Ju an ep?ration. The case was a cnti- '' «ai one. An operation was begun yesterday by Dr. Walker and witness, assisted by Dr. Home, in the presence of several other medical men. Before the actual operation was started, however, tie patient suddenly ceased to breathe, and continued efforts to promote respiration were unsuccessful. Witness, with Drs. Walker and Home, performed a post-mortem examination. They found a v°ry large hydatid cist growing on IShMijip-r surface of the liver, and en- ■ i croaching on the space normally occuK pied by the heart and lungs. There was BL a. large clot of blood on the heart, which was also in a fatty condition, and it P* had been there for some days. This would kave accelerated death, and it wag remark&Me tliat death had not occurred earlier. To such an extent had the chest cavity been encroached on and the heart, and lungs affected that, oiiper- ' added to the other conditions, the placing of the patient in the necessary position for the operation was sufficient to v iiare caused syncope. The clot, or -thrombus, on the heart was also sufficient to have caused death, and this could not have been detected until the post-mortem. The patient required very Tittle anaesthetic, which was given by the open .method (considered the safest possible,method of administering anaesmim) and the anaesthetic had nothW to do with the death of the patient. r"-"k was due to syncope, to the fatty .. »ble condition of the heart muscles - •.-' \ i the thrombus on the heart, the wnole condition being caused by the • ■presence and effects of the hydatid tu•p>o"T irentioned. T:~ r-nrnner found in accordance with the medical evidence.