INQUEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1297, 31 January 1885, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held in the Courthouse, Geraldine, on Thursday, touching the death of a child, the son of Mr James Ritchie, of Peel Forest, before H. 0. S. Baddeley, Esq., Coroner. The following were empanelled as a jury ; Messrs D. Andrews, T. Farrell, J, D. Gore. W. Dennison, J. Kallagher, D. Denoon, J. W. Leckner, E, Hardcastle, W. Powell, J. Boughton, A. Fisher, and Jas. Johnstone. Mr T. Farrell was chosen foreman. Jas. Ritchie, shepherd at Peel Forest, sworn, deposed : I am the father of the child. It was born on 25th December, 1884. It was taken ill on Sunday evening, the 251 h January. We took the illness to be a cold. My vife applied flannel and castor oil to its chest and back. I was away on Monday and returned in the evening. On Tuesday morning I went to Mr Dennistouu’s to see if I could get something for the child. I brought over some ipecacuanha wine and some linseed, and my wife made a linseed poultice and put it on the child’s chest and back. The child died at halfpast twelve on Tuesday, 27th January, To the Coroner: I did not bring the child to the doctor as the weather was too bad to take it out. I did not go for the doctor as we thought it might take a turn for the better, and my wife did not wish me to leave home as the child was so weak, and we thought we had done all that could be done, The child sank rapidly, and it was then too late to go for a doctor, The child was one month and two days old, Robert Fish, sworn, said ; I am a medical practitioner residing at Geraldine, 1 made a post mortem this morning. The child was well nourished and had evidently been well taken care of. I found the Internal organs all healthy except the lungs, which were a good deal congested. I have no doubt that (his was the cause of death, Ido not think anything more could have been done than was done by the parents for the child. The linseed I poultice might have been applied earlier. I The jury without retiring brought in » I verdict in acunr^°"" o wiUl the medicai • 'testimony, viz,, that the child bad died from natural causes.