INQUEST.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 685, 16 July 1870, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest into the circumstances attending the death of Charles Alexander M'Rae, aged five nnd-a-half months, was held by the District Coroner at the Post Office Hotel, Westport, on Thursday last. The following is the evidence : Grace M'Rae, the mother of the deceased, stated that the child was not generally healthy and had been slightly ill for two or three days previous to his death. She found the child dead in her arms on Thursday morning, and she new him to bo alive about two or three o'clock tho same morning. When

she found him dead his face was towards her, uncovered by the clothes and his eyes were scarcely closed. Samuel Thorpe stated in evidence:— I saw the deceased about nine o'clock that morning and ho had been dead then apparently between three and four hours. There was a slight livid mark on one cheek, which must have been caused by pressure. The tongue was swollen and very slightly protruding between the teeth. There was no other peculiarity about the body which was puny but not emaciated. I have made a post mortem examination and found nothing to account for sudden death. There was a little more serous fluid than usual m the cavity of the brain and pericardium and the intestines were somewhat contracted, a common appearance in cases of general debility in children. The supposition T formed chiefly from the appearances about tho face of the child was that the immediate cause of death was prevention of air, but I do not give that as a positive opinion. Such a cause as that would be more efficacious in destroying a weakly child, and would also leave less distinct post mot em appearances than in the case of a stronger child. In the absence oi any distinct disease and of extreme emaciation I know of no other probable cause of death than that of accidental suffocation, but I cannot say certainly this was the cause of death. The jury returned a verdict of " found Uead, and not sufficient evidence to show the cause of death."