BOY’S SUDDEN DEATH.
COLLAPSE ON FOOTBALL FIELD.
WHILE PLAYING AT HINDS.
A fatality occurred in connection with a football match at Hinds on Saturday afternoon, when Colin Dellow, aged 15, of Hinds, collapsed on the field and died immediately on arrival at the Ashburton Public Hospital. The youth was playing on the wing for the Hinds third-grade team in a match against Methven. He suddenly walked off the ground and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died, efforts at resuscitation being unsuccessful. The death is even more tragic in that the boy’s father died only about three weeks ago, on May 31. -Ashburton Guardian, 26/6/1939.
CHURCH ANNIVERSARY.
PRESBYTERIANS AT HINDS.
The thirty-first anniversary of the Hinds Presbyterian Church was celebrated on Sunday morning, when the Rev. D. D. MacLachlan (Tinwald) conducted the service. He preached an appropriate sermon to a large congregation, and gave a short address to the children.
Feeling reference was made during the service to the sudden passing of one of the junior Bible Class boys, Master Colin Dellow, and the congregation stood in silence as a mark of respect. Miss A. Frampton was organist. -Ashburton Guardian, 27/6/1939.
SUDDEN DEATHS
TWO INQUESTS CONDUCTED.
COLLAPSE ON FOOTBALL FIELD.
EVIDENCE GIVEN TO-DAY.
Inquests into the circumstances of the deaths of Colin James Osborne Dellow, of Hinds, aged 15, who died suddenly on Saturday afternoon after collapsing during a football match, and of Muriel Noeline McKay, of Mayfield, aged 16 years, who collapsed while driving in a motor-car near Methven on June 20, were conducted this morning by the District Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst) at the Ashburton Courthouse.
Sergeant J. F. Cleary conducted proceedings for the police. The first case taken was that of the boy Dellow.
Dr. J. Russell Wells, who conducted a post-mortem examination, stated that there were no marks of violence on the body, which was that of an adolescent not of robust type. The heart and lungs were normal in structure. The brain was normal and did not show signs of injury. In his opinion death resulted from reflex cardiac inhibition resulting from an unwitnessed and probably slight blow on the stomach of a boy not naturally robust, and not in first-class physical training.
Dr. D. R. Ryder, house surgeon at the Ashburton Public Hospital, produced the file of deceased in relation to his admission to hospital in December, 1936, when a slight operation was performed, an operation that would not have any lasting effect on his health. Apart from this he was apparently normal. Later, another operation was performed, more extensive than the first. This should not have had an injurious effect on his general health. He had been under observation every three months since then.
Evidence of Team Coach.
Arthur Alexander Hood, lorry driver, said he was coach for the football team for which Dellow played. He spoke to members of the team during the interval in play in the match last Saturday, but none of them complained of injury or of feeling unwell. Five minutes after play started again, he noticed Dellow out of place and appearing to be unwell. He stated that he had lost his wind. He rested on the side-line for a while and then took the field again. After 20 minutes he was seen to have collapsed behind the goalposts just after the opposing team had scored. He was gasping for breath. He was placed in a car and taken to the hospital, witness holding him in his arms. Witness was of the opinion that Dellow died at Winslow, seven minutes after he collapsed. At no time of the game did witness notice any rough play.
John M. Ross, lorry driver, who resided at deceased’s home, stated that during Saturday morning deceased seemed to be in good health and spirits. He cycled to the ground. Witness saw Dellow collapse. He turned the boy on his back and loosened his belt.
Brian West. Taylor, who was referee of the match, stated that he saw one of the players sitting on the ground on the side line soon after the start of the second half of the match, and he was of the opinion that the player (Dellow) had received a knock. He did not see the player enter the game again, or he would have ordered him off. Later, he saw Dellow being carried by Mr Hood, lying back unconscious, and he instructed Mr Hood to take the boy to the hospital. The match was played in a friendly spirit and witness did not have to stop it or caution any player for rough play.
The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, and added that he had no evidence that there was any rough play during the match. -Ashburton Guardian, 28/6/1939.
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