ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES
FATAL SCALDING.
A single man, James Dodds, aged about 24, was admitted to the Gore Hospital from Edendale late on Monday night. He had been employed in the sugar-of-milk factory where, it is understood, a quantity of boiling skim whey bubbled up over and severely scalded him. Overcome by the shock, the unfortunate man appears to have fallen on the concrete floor, severely injuring his leg and his head. He was motored to the hospital, where he died from shock following on the burns at 12.45 yesterday afternoon. -Southland Times, 2/1/1918.
FUNERAL NOTICE.
The friends of the late James Dodds are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral, which will pass Edendale Station at 1 p.m. TO-MORROW for the Edendale Cemetery.
W. P. CRAIG, Undertaker. -Mataura Ensign, 3/1/1918.
DEATH FROM BURNS.
THE EDENDALE FATALITY.
INQUEST AT GORE.
An inquest into the cause of death of James Dodds, who was severely scalded at the Edendale Sugar of Milk Factory on New-Year’s Eve, and who died at the Gore Hospital the following day, was held at the Gore Courthouse to-day before Mr A. Martin (acting-coroner) and a jury comprised of Messrs J. A. Baldey (foreman), John Anderson, H. Windle and R. Whitehead.
Sergeant Lewin appeared on behalf of the police.
Evidence was given by John Chism, manager of the factory, to the effect that deceased had been working at the factory for three months. He was a single man, 26 years of age. Witness saw Dodds about 10 minutes before the accident occurred. He was then standing on a platform about 12ft from the floor boiling the whey. Dodds was all right then. He next saw him in the office being attended to by Mr Harnett (certified chemist) and Mr Crowther. Dodds’ forehead was cut and his body scalded about the armpits and chest. Witness telephoned for Dr Baird, of Wyndham, who, after rendering medical aid, had Dodds removed to the Gore Hospital. Deceased’s duty was to boil the whey in a 2000gallon vat. He was a sober, steady man. There were two platforms, one 12ft and the other 6ft from the concrete floor. When the whey was boiled to 121 degrees Fahrenheit the steam was turned off. The steam was let in by a 2in perforated pipe. The platform was fully 4ft wide and guarded round with a hand-rail.
James Clarke said he was on the same shift as Dodds on the night of December 31. Just before the steam was turned on he told Dodds to give the valve wheel only two turns, so as not to take too much steam from the boiler. Witness then went on with his own work and on returning about 20 minutes afterwords he saw Dodds on the floor on his hands and knees. There was blood on his forehead and his clothes were wet. He could not give any intelligent answer to witness. Witness subsequently examined the valve of the vat and found it turned on full. His opinion was that Dodds in turning off the steam turned it full on in error and that was how the boiling whey was blown out of the vat by the force of the steam and the accident to Dodds occurred.
William Barnett, a qualified chemist at Christchurch, who was on a visit to the factory at the time of the accident, gave evidence as to the first aid he rendered deceased.
J. T. Crowley also gave evidence.
Dr. Mellroy (medical superintendent at the Gore Hospital) gave evidence as to Dodds’ admission at 10.30 p.m. on December 31. He was examined immediately by Drs. McAra, Matthews and himself. They had just completed an operation when Dodds arrived. Dodds was suffering from severe shock caused by extensive burns. His forehead was lacerated but there was no fracture. The right kneecap was fractured. When the bandages wore removed an extensive area of superficial burning was disclosed, embracing the face and neck, the front and back of the chest, both arms, and both legs below the knees. He was treated accordingly for shock after the dressing of the injured parts. The patient had received efficient medical treatment prior to arriving at the hospital. Witness saw Dodds again at 2.30 o’clock on the morning of January 1 and at 9.30 o’clock the same day. He died at 12.45 p.m. Death was due to severe shock following upon extensive burns and other injuries to the body.
The jury returned the following verdict: ‘‘That James Dodds came by his death on January 1, 1918, by burns accidentally received owing to the overboiling of whey in the vat at the Edendale Sugar of Milk Factory on December 31, 1918, and that no blame is attachable to anyone.” -Mataura Ensign, 3/1/1918.
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| Edendale Cemetery. |
IN MEMORIAM.
DODDS. —In loving memory jf our dear brother, James Dodds, who died at Gore Hospital on January 1, 1918, as the result of an accident in the Edendale Sugar-of-milk Works.
We could not clasp your hand, dear Jim,
Your face we could not see,
We were not there, to say farewell,
But we still remember thee.
Inserted by his sorrowing sister and brother-in-law, A. and R. Wylie. -Southland Times, 2/1/1919.
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