INQUEST
DEATH UNDER PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
An inquest on the body of Arthur Tuffen, a returned soldier, who was charged with drunkenness at the Police Court on Saturday last, and was remanded for a week for medical treatment, and who died in the Hospital on Monday evening, was held at the Hospital yesterday before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M. (coroner). Subinspector Mathieson represented the police.
John Raffills, hairdresser, said that he had known deceased for about 12 years. He was a wharf labourer, and went away with the 23rd Reinforcements, returning by the Port Hacking about five months ago. He had been wounded twice, but did not complain about his health until about four weeks ago, when he said he had a oough and a pain in his right side. He was looking ill, and witness advised him to see a doctor at once. He was a pretty heavy drinker. Witness saw him at the Hospital on Saturday night, and again yesterday, when he was unconscious. Deceased had no relatives in New Zealand. He told witness that he had a married sister in London.
Constable Todd, night watch-house keeper at the police station, said that at about 9.30 p.m. on Friday last he received a ring on the telephone from Dr Fitzgerald, assistant medical officer at the Hospital, stating that a man in a very drunken condition had been brought there. Witness sent Constable Melville to the Hospital, and he brought deceased in a taxi to the police station. Deceased was very drunk — so much so that he could scarcely stand. He was put in a cell and made comfortable. He was visited every half-hour, and given cups of tea during the night. He improved as the night went on. He was given plenty of blankets. At 5 o'clock on Saturday morning he was bright and cheery. Witness asked him several times if he wanted a doctor, and he said "No." Witness would have sent for a doctor at once if he had thought that the man needed medical attention. Deceased had been previously locked up for drunkenness, and was remanded in 1912 for a week for medical treatment.
Constable Melville said that he had gone to the Hospital to remove the deceased to the police station. Deceased was sitting in a chair and was helplessly drunk. Witness took him in a taxi to the police station. He assisted Constable Todd in making him comfortable in the cell. Deceased was very groggy on his legs — he could not stand. Witness considered that the deceased was helplessly drunk. He saw the deceased on the following morning at 10 o'clook. Deceased looked very bad and could not stand up. He appeared to suffer pain in his legs when he was being taken in the taxi cab from the Hospital.
Constable Munro, assistant gaoler, said he first saw deceased about half-past 10 on Saturday last. Witness saw he was in a very weak condition, and immediately rang up Dr Evans. Dr Evans arrived about five minutes past 11. Deceased was quite comfortable. He was examined by Dr Evans, who ordered his removal to the Hospital, and he was taken there by the horse ambulance at about half-past 11.
Dr Drennan said that he had conducted a post-mortem examination on the body, which was well nourished. There was no evidence of alcoholism — that deceased was a chronic drinker. In witness's opinion the cause of death was pneumonia, complicated by endocarditis and terminal meningitis. Probably the meningitis had been on the deceased for the previous two or three days only.
In answer to a question by the coroner, witness said he considered the deceased had got as good treatment in the police station as anywhere. He did not think that if deceased had received the best treatment in the Hospital the result would have been any different.
Dr G. P. Fitzgerald, assistant medical officer at the Hospital, said the deceased was brought to the Hospital in an intoxicated condition. Witness examined him and could find no trace of illness. His temperature and pulse and reflexes were normal. Deceased smelt strongly of drink, and appeared to be helplessly drunk. Witness rang up the police to remove him.
Dr W. Cr. Scannell, first assistant medical officer at the Hospital, said he saw the deceased on the Saturday. Witness came to the conclusion then that deceased could not last. Deceased was treated for pneumonia and heart failure. He never regained consciousness.
Peter Reilly, proprietor of the Glasgow Restaurant, said the deceased had boarded with him since July. He seemed to be in good health when he returned from the war. About a week ago deceased was ill, and witness advised him to see a doctor, but he said he was not bad enough. He was a very heavy drinker. Witness produced deceased's discharge as a soldier.
The Coroner said that, according to the discharge, deceased had been two years and 137 days abroad. He would be about 41 years of age. Witness, continuing, said that so far as he knew deceased had no relatives in the dominion. He believed he had a sister in London and a brother in Canada. The night porter had drawn his attention to the condition of deceased on the Friday night. He had been lying on the sofa all day, and one of the boarders advised witness to get a doctor. He rang up Dr Evans, and said he thought Tuffen was pretty bad, and the doctor told him to take the man to the Hospital. Witness took the deceased in a motor car to the Hospital. He had to carry him down the stairs — he had no legs at all. Witness put it down to the fact that the man was dying then. They had to wheel the deceased from the car into the Hospital. He informed them that Dr Evans had told him to take the deceased to the Hospital. He understood that the man had been in the smoke room all day — he did not see how he could have had any drink all day. As soon as witness reached home he was rung up from the Hospital by a doctor and told that the deceased was drunk. He did not see how he could be — the other boarders in the house said that the deceased had not been out of the room all day. Witness told the doctor that, so far as he knew, deceased was not drunk. He considered that tho man was dying when he was being taken from the smoking room to the Hospital — he was gasping for breath. Witness said this doctor who rang him up from the Hospital appeared to be very excited — that he appeared to think that witness had had no right to take the deceased to the Hospital. Deceased could have had drink without witness knowing, but the boarders said that he had not had any. Deceased had come down for his three meals on the Thursday (Christmas Day). Deceased had become very weak the last week or two — he had fallen away to a shadow. Witness could not explain how the had smelt strongly of drink when he was admitted to the Hospital.
Constable Pratt, relieving watchhousekeeper, stated that he took charge of the watchhouse at 5 a.m. on the Saturday morning. Deceased was then lying on his bunk with a pillow and covered with blankets. Witness went into the cell and asked deceased how he was feeling. He replied, " Oh, all right." He did not ask for anything nor make any complaint. Witness visited the cell three times between 5 and 9 o'clock. Each time witness asked the same question, and each time he made the same reply. From witness's observations he thought deceased was recovering from the effects of drink. At 10 minutes to 10 witness went to the cell to prepare the deceased for the court, and he then noticed a decided change in the man. He appeared to be ill then. Witness asked him if he thought he could manage to get up. Deceased said he thought he could, but although he tried he was not able to get on his feet. Deceased appeared to get much worse after 9 o'clock. Porridge, bread and butter, and tea was brought for deceased's breakfast, but he did not eat any of it. That, however, was not an unusual thing. Sergeant Scandrett said he saw Tuffen lying in the cell at 8.30 a.m. on the Saturday. Witness saw him a little after 9 o'clock and again at 9.30. He saw him again about 10 minutes to 10. He said they would go over to the court. Deceased did not look so well then. Deceased made an attempt to get up, and witness saw he was ill — that he could not use his lower limbs very well. He was made comfortable. At the court witness applied for a remand for seven days for medical treatment. On witness's return from the court he noticed a marked change in the deceased.
The Coroner, in summing up, traversed the evidence. He said the question arose whether Dr Fitzgerald, when he first saw the deceased in the Hospital on the Friday, was justified in believing that he was helplessly drunk, or whether he ought to have known that there was something more than that; secondly, whether he was taken proper care of at the Police Station on the Friday night; and, thirdly, whether his removal to the Police Station and back again to the Hospital had any serous effect on him.
From the ovidence it was quite clear that he must have been drinking on the Friday. Taking the whole of the history together, he did not think that any blame was attachable to Dr Fitzgerald. As regards the statement by Dr Fitzgerald that deceased had no temperature — that was, no rising temperature — when he saw him at the Hospital, he (the coroner) had since seen Dr Drennan, and he had stated that this was not an uncommon thing, so that he thought Dr Fitzgerald was not to blame in coming to the conclusion he did — that the man was puffering from a severe form o£ drunkenness. In regard to the man's removal to the Police Station, from the whole of the evidence and from the statement of Dr Drennan, it did not appear that that would have had any effect upon him. At the station he appeared to have been as well looked after as possible. Of course, speaking in tho light of after events — and only in that light — he wanted to make this very clear: that it would have been better for the man had he been put to bed as soon as he got to the Hospital — in fact, some days previously — but the removal to the Police Station had no effect upon him, nor had his removal back again to the Hospital. It was very questionable whether, if he had been put to bed in the Hospital, the result would have been very different from what it was. There was no blame attachable to either Dr Fitzgerald or to the police or the gaol officials. He thought, in regard to the latter, that they had done all that it was possible to do for a man who was in a state of drunkenness, and also afterwards. His verdict would be in accordance with Dr Drennan's evidence: that deceased's death was due to pneumonia, complicated by endocarditis and terminal meningitis. -Otago Daily Times, 31/12/1919.
PROPERTY SALE.
Messrs Alex. Harris and Co. report having offered at auction yesterday, in the estate of the late Arthur William Tuffen, a freehold section located in St James Park, NorthEast Valley, and containing 28 poles (more or lees). This section was knocked down to Mr Laing for £40. -Otago Daily Times, 25/11/1920.
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