Inquest.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3667, 27 September 1880, Page 2

Inquest.

An inquest on the body of Mary Minnet Sinclair, was held at the Globe hotel this morning at 9.30, before Dr Kilgour, and a jury of whom W. Barton was chosen foreman. After the jury had viewed the body the following evidence was adduced. Peier Sinclair, sworn, deposed—l am a carpenter by trade, and reside, with my wife and family at Augustus street, Block 27. The deceased who was 10 years of age, was my niece. She had been on a visit to my family for nine months, and during that time enjoyed good health. On Saturday last deceased complained of a little sickness, and my wife gave her a table spoonful of castor oil, which she vomited. About half an hour afterwards my wife repeated the dose which the deceased managed to keep down. It had no effect on her till towards evening. There was nothing unusual about her until four o'clock when she complained of her head, and to relieve the pain, acetic acid and water was applied to the forehead. She apparently felt easy and better after that and inclined to go to sleep. She took no food till six o'clock in the evening when she took a little cornflour. After that she went to sleep for two hours with occasional starts. Deceased on awakening took a little tea and then slept till a quarter past twelve. She began to breathe heavily and I sent for medical assistance which could not be obtained, Dr Huxtable being out. The heavy breathing continued for a quarter of an hour, when I believe she died. By the Jury—l wish to contradict an error in the Advertiser that the doctors declined to come. I went down myself, and finding that Dr Huxtable could not be obtained, I went to Dr Callan. I told that gentleman the symptoms, and he told me if she was dead it was no use him going. Patrick Callan, sworn, deposed—l am a duly qualified medical practitioner residing on the Thames. I made a postmortem examination of the body of the deceased. I examined the brain and found it healthy, only rather enimic. I then examined the abdominal cavity, and found the viscera and intestines in a normal state. I next opened the chest and found the lungs healthy, and on opening and examining the "heart found a deficiency of one of the aortic valves with a thickness of the left ventricle. The valve seemed to bo congenitally deficient rather than the result of disease. The state of the heart I considered sufficient to account for death. The body did not present the type of a well-nourished child. I consider the deficiency of the ventricle

sufficient'to cause debility of the action of the heart, which was the immediate cause of death. At the conclusion of his evidence, Dr Callan asked to be permitted to make a statement, which was permitted by the Coroner. Dr Callan then stated that about balf past two he was called on by Mr Sinclair who said he wanted him to see a child at his place who was dead. He asked Mr Sinclair if the child was dead why he wanted a doctor to see it P Mr Sinclair replied " Only for the satisfaction of the friends." He (the speaker) then went upstairs and dressed, and on coming down again said to Sinclair "I may as well tell you that I cannot give a certificate to-night, if that is what you want, and by my going it will only cost a fee needlessly." Mr Sinclair then thought; there was no necessity for his going.

The jury then returned a verdict of " Death from heart disease."