CHILD’S DEATH

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20731, 15 February 1939, Page 9

CHILD’S DEATH

LATE ARRIVAL OF DOCTOR ALLEGATIONS BY FATHER tßv Telefrraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Tuesday An allegation that two doctors had declined to come when he called them was made at an inquest at Lower Hult to-day by the father of Beverley Irene Allison, aged two years and eight months, whose body was found in the Waiwhetu Stream, near Rossiter Avenue, on Friday afternoon. Evidence was given that the child had wandered from the house of her grandmother and on a search being made her body was found in the stream. The grandmother tried to resuscitate the child, as also did Dr. R. A. Bakewell. who arrived half an hour after the finding of the body. The coroner, Mr E. Gilbertson, said the case was one where a knowledge of resuscitation was most important. What the grandmother had done was correct as far as it went, but he was of opinion that the life of tiie child could have been saved if someone with a full knowledge of life-saving methods had been present. The father asked the coroner if it was not compulsory for medical men if they were at their surgeries to attend cases when called. Me had called two doctors, who had refused t.» come. Hence the late arrival of Hr. Bakewell. The coroner said there was no compulsion. but he supposed the doctors ;n question had engagements. The finding was that the child was accidently drowned by falling into Hie Waiwhetu Stream.