DEATH OF A HINDOO WOMAN.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1917, Page 3

DEATH OF A HINDOO WOMAN.

EVIDENCE AT THE ADJOURNED INQUEST.

The adjourned inquest tocliin* the death of Mrs. Le Vinncr Alley, a Hindoo woman, was concluded yesterday afternoon, before Mr. A. C'rookc, coroner, Harry McKvuziu -Smith, chemist, assistant to Mr. E. I'. Davies, said deceased had called at the shop about four months ago and had asked for 8 or 12 drops of chloroform. She said she wanted to clean some silk, for which purpose chloroform was excellent, but its use dangerous.

To the Coroner: Her replies did not satisfy him that her reason was bona fide and the deceased was not supplied. The amount of chloroform needed to cause death varied with individuals, It would be possible for the deceased to poison herself by saturating a handkerchief with chloroform, but in that case the handkerchief would have been found.

Constable Nolan said that on Sept. 5 he and Constable Fitzgibbon removed the body to the morgue. The deceased was lying on the bed. He did not notice any smell of gaß. The report of the Dominion Analyst, <T. S. MeLaurin, D, Sc. F.C.S., was as follows:—The fact that the doctors who made the examination failed to detect the smell of gas or to observe anything unusual in the color of the blood, although they were struck by the unusual cherry red color of the blood, did not disprove the presence of carbon monoxide, for a Wellington doctor who had made post-mortem examinations for years failed in the same way in the case of a man and a woman who wore afterwards proved to have died of gas poisoning. The exhibits could not have absorbed the gas in transit or in the laboratory, as the bottles were well sealed, and the saturation so high that it could only have taken place if the exhibits were exposed for some time in an atmosphere heavily charged with coal gas Conclusive proof was obtained of the presence of carbon monoxide in the blood bv spectroscopic and chfemical tests to the extent of SO per q&nt .of saturation. The tests were absolutely reliable, and furnished proof of sufficient carbon monoxide to have caused death.

Sub-Inspector Mutton said that on or about Sept 27 the first report was received from the Government Analyst. A copy of Dr. Wade's deposition, together with reports of the proceedings, was forwarded to the Government Analyst. On October 11 lie received the second report. To the t'oroncr: lie had examined all tlie rooms of the house and the gas fixtures, and did not think that the woman could have been poisoned accidentally. The house was two storeved ami there would be no trace of gas, as it would rise t,o the upper storey and would not be noticed when the first examination of the house was made. His theory was that the woman had gone to the gas ring, disconnected one end of the tube, which was four feet long and fiveeights of an inch in diameter, held the open end, and, after filling the tube, turned off the tap and inhaled the gas from the tube. This would account for the tap being found turned off. The tube was found disconnected later. The only evidence of anyone detecting an odor of gas came from the husband, who noticed a faint smell when he turned the deceased over, but thought it came from iiis own hands as lie had that morning used the gas ring in cooking the breakfast. After inhaling the gas theSwoman had staggered to her bed, a distance of 11 paces, and had there expired Ernest Faber FooTces, medical practi tioner, deposed as to holding a postmortem examination together with Dr. Wade. He had read Dr. Wade's evidence and agreed in the main with his finding, hut the analyst's report made him interpret some of the signs differently. Some of the signs were compatible with monoxide poisoning, although the high degree of saturation that the analyst mentioned would have led him to expect more definite signs land a noticeable odour of gas. The post mortem examination was held about 19 hours after the finding of the body, and he would expect to detect the odour of jgas at the end of that time. Special attention had Iv'en paid to the detection of any unusual odour. No medical man was infallible. The finding of SO per cent, saturation of monoxide gas in the blood by a spectroscopic examination was indisputable. Signs were found compatible with opium poisoning, and the effects of the opium would hasten the effects of the gas. Opium poisoning Was slow, a matter of severiri hours, whereas the woman was alone only about an hour.

I To the Cofoner: If the deceased had inhaled sufficient gas to produce insensibility he did not think it was possible for her to take eleven paces from the gas connection to her room. When told by him that a further operation would be ultimately necessary, the deceased did not appear to be downcast.

The Coroner said, it was evident that death was not due to opium poisoning, and that the analyst's report was to lie relied on. The difficulty was to account for the woman's inhaling sufficient gas to cause death and still be able to get back to her bed. Yet that was apparently what did occur. He would return a verdict that deceased committed suicide by inhaling coal gas.