THE BATHS FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 279, 17 April 1913, Page 8

THE BATHS FATALITY.

THE INQUEST. Mr. A. Crooke, coroner, held an inquiry at the Courthouse yesterday into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mercy Mclita Agnes Wateris de Launay, of Eltham, who was drowned at the municipal baths on Tuesday morning. Charles Henry de Launay said he resided at Eltham. He identified the body as that of his wife, who was 28 years of age. Up to six months ago his wife enjoyed good health. About that time she gave birth to a child, and shortly afterwards she got a shock and had been depressed at times since then. There had been an improvement in her health during the last three months, however, and more so during the last six weeks. She had been under the the treatment of Dr. Homeland. She had been taking hot salt water baths fairly regularly for some time at New Plymouth. She stayed here for some time, and witness' mother and his little daughter stayed with her for company. He took his wife home about a fortnight ago, and she had iseemed a good deal better. She left home again on Monday morning to come and see Dr. M'Cleland. When she left home, lie had no apprehension as to her safety, and had never anticipated .flfly suicidal tendency. She had suffered from attacks of giddiness at times and he had seen her catch hold of things to prevesit her from falling.

Dr. McCleland said the deecased was a patient of his for about six weeks. She was suffering from dyspepsia, debility and nervous weakness. He advised the necessary treatment and also massage and hot salt water baths as often as she could. She improved considerably. She returned to her home last Saturday week, but was to come and see him again. She saw him on Mondiiv morning last, and was very much improved in health and very cheerful, and looking forward to a trip with her husband to the Islands. He did not see the slightest tendency towards suicide. She was subject to attacks of vertigo. A person subipct to vertigo would be affected by '"nking down at moving water, especially if the sun was shin'ir,' on it.

To the Coroner: The deceased told him once that she actually fell <lnwn When she had one of these attacks of giddiness. Amy Cnttley. daughter of H. R. Cattier, of New Plymouth, snid she knew Hie deceased, who had staged with her tor some time. She came into town on \Tondav to stay for » da--- ov two. She •eft on Tuesday morning to -go and get i hot salt water bath, and to do a 'ittle shopping. She was very bright. It was about 10 o'clock when" she Mt, Dr. Home said that on Tuesday morning hj« received a call to the baths and on n'-'val he found that the deceased had been got out of the hath and was apparently quite dead. He tried means of restoration for upwards of half-nn-hour, but she gave no signs of life. He had made w post mortem examination of the bodv this morning and he found the organs all healthy with the exception of an area of chronic inflammatory trouble over the vertex o' the brain. This would cause vn>rw> svmntoms of headache or giddiness. Death was duo to drowning, consequent on an attack of giddiness which caused her to fall into the water. A person ■falling into the water like this would not be likely to cry out. Elizabeth ' Morris, wife of the o<ir»taker of the New Plymouth Baths (Francis George Morris), said .«die hid known the deceased for about six weeks. She had a course of hot baths. She visited the baths on Tuesday movniwr ..ik asked to have a hot bath. The" hot baths were not available, however, owing to repairs being carried out. Thev stood talking for a few minutes, and she asked if she could have a look at the swimming Wh. Witness said "Yes" and then left her, Ten minutes or a quarter of an hour later Mr. Morris found the deceased in the swinuninobath and called witness, who telenhsnod for a doctor. When deceased left witness she had an overcoat on. but this was later found on a bench just inside the door. Otherwise deceased was fully dressed. Francis doorge Morris, (he caretaker of the municipal baths, said he s,mv the deceased at the baths about ten minutes to eleven on Tuesday morning, and there did not appear' to be anything wrong with her. She spoke to witness about the hot salt water baths, and witness then went to another part of (ha buildings to do some work he was engaged in. Ten minutes afterwards he returned to the baths for some tools and found the deceased in the water, He got the bodv out and tried artificial means of respir:«f;ou until the doctor came. CinNtahle Kgan gave formal evidence •- ';• the removal of the body to the 'i: v."ie. V verdict of accid"iital death was re- '.■■■•■ :•■:■>].