LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS
A young woman named Annie Pratt died at Dunedin last week from the effects of morphia, used as an injection for a neuralgic complaint. She was a fine young woman, and was just about to be married to a young man who arrived from Sydney a few days previously for the purpose. “Man proposes but God disposes.” The Coroner's jury returned a verdict of “Excusable homicide.” -Marlborough Press, 15/1/1876.
INQUEST.
The following are the depositions of the witnesses at the inquest which was recently held at the Hospital by the Coroner (Dr Hocken) upon the body of Anne Pratt. We publish the evidence in full, as the case has given rise to a good deal of comment:— . . .
Margary Gardner, sworn, said: My husband is a farmer, and we live at Blueskin. The deceased Anne Pratt is my sister. She was 22 years of age last September, unmarried, a native of County Cavan, Ireland, a servant by occupation, and an Episcopalian by religions persuasion. I last saw her alive three weeks ago last Sunday. She was then in good health, and complained of nothing. She has been out in New Zealand for the last two years, and has always enjoyed good health up to that time. A year before leaving Home she had an attack of some kind of fever. This was the only complaint she ever suffered from. Once or twice when I was away at Mr E. B. Martin's she complained of a slight pain in the head.
Fanny Adelina Smith deposed: I am nursemaid at Mr Wright's. The deceased, Anne Pratt, was my fellow servant. She has been at Mr Wright's since the 30th November last. On Tuesday morning last, she got up and said that she had suffered from a very bad headache through the night, and said that she would go to the doctor's and see about it. I told her that I was going out, and would get home medicine for her. She replied that she would rather see the doctor than spend such another night. She seemed to have a very bad cold, and to be down-hearted, and to have been crying. She did not work just as usual. She did not take any breakfast or dinner — only a cup of tea in the morning. She had not eaten anything since the Saturday before. During those days she complained of a severe headache, which she thought was from a cold. On the Sunday evening, instead of going out she went to bed, and remained there until the Monday morning. She took two camomile pills on the Saturday evening, followed by a seidlitz powder on the Sunday morning. She was also a little hoarse. With the exception of the Sunday morning when she complained of violent headache and went to bed nearly the whole day, she was perfectly well and healthy, and took her food well. About half past one on Tuesday afternoon, she went to see Dr Sorley. She returned at a quarter to three o'clock, and said that Dr Sorley had told her she had just a cold, and that her stomach was out of order. She said that he had put something into her arm to make her sleep, and that she was to go and sleep for two hours. She seemed then to be quite merry and much better, and in good spirits, and paid that she felt very sleepy. Mrs Wright said, "Off you go then, Anne, and lie down." She handed her proscription to Mrs Wright. I think this prescription now produced in the one. She went to her own room. I went into her room at a quarter past three and she was asleep — in a composed sleep — lying on the bed in her clothes. Her face looked the same as before. I left and went back in a quarter of an hour. She was then asleep, but then awoke, but still lying down. I asked her how she felt, She said she felt better, but very sleepy. I left the room again. I then left the house at about a quarter to four o'clock, and took the prescription with me, which, however, I lost. I got a fresh prescription from Dr Sorley, and took it to Mr Bagley to make up. I returned to the house at a quarter to six, and went into Anna's room. She was in a natural sleep. Her face was quite right, and her breathing too. In about half-an hour afterwards I went in again, and found her sleeping heavily and snoring, and saw that she had a peculiar pale-blueish colour over her face. Her forehead was very white. I called Mrs Wright. She looked at her, and remarked that she would send for a doctor, as she was afraid Anne was dangerously ill. Mr Wright then saw her, and went for Dr Sorley. Mr Wright came back in a short time, and Dr Murphy came a short time afterwards. He was in her room five or ten minutes, and then left, but returned in a short time after with Dr Sorley. The doctors asked for some mustard, which was applied to Anne's chest. Dr Sorley said she would soon be all right. I than left to fetch Anne's sister. After my return, I met both the doctors and a Mr Mulligan, who was speaking to them. Mr Wright told me to take take mustard up at five minutes past nine. This I did, Anne appearing to be much in the same way, and still looking very bad. She was sleeping heavily. Before the doctors came, I went in with one William Foster and tried to rouse her. We moved her about and called her by name, and he asked her if she was sleeping. She did not speak, nor open her eyes, nor move, and seemed not to be breathing for a second whilst we lifted her. I then sat with her until about eleven o'clock. During the whole time she was breathing, and looking just the same. She seemed a little better when I left — not breathing so heavily, and her colour was better. Her sister tried to get her to swallow something, but this ran out her lips. I never saw her eyes they were closed.
John Wright, sworn, deposed: I am a stock and station agent, and I live in London street, I have known deceased the last month, during which time she has been in my service. During that time I should consider hep to be in good health. I did not know that she suffered from headache, but Mrs Wright told me one Sunday that she suffered from cold and neuralgia. I saw her last Tuesday morning, at breakfast time, when she seemed to be the same as usual. I got home for dinner about a quarter-post six o'clock in the evening. Mrs Wright, shortly after my arrival, told me that she felt much alarmed about Anne, as she was looking very ill, and mentioned that she (Anne) had been to Dr Sorley, who had injected something into her arm, and that I had better see Dr Sorley at once. I went into her room. She was looking fearfully pallid and ghastly, and was breathing very heavily. I touched her face, which was quite warm. I did not observe any perspiration. I went to Dr Sorley and told him that she was looking very pallid and ill, and was breathing very heavily. He said, "Let her sleep on; it will do her good, even if she sleep till morning," or words to that effect. I spoke of the injection in her arm, and he said he had treated two or three in the same way that day. He did not seem to think anything of the matter, but treated it rather lightly. I returned home and sat down to dinner. Whilst at dinner Dr Murphy came and was shown into Anne's bedroom by Mrs Wright. From what Mrs Wright said I went into Dr Murphy and told him that it was Dr Sorley I had seen and not Mrs Sorley. I gathered from him that Mrs Sorley had seen him and had sent him. Dr Murphy raised Anne's arm, which fell heavily. He then went to see Dr Sorley, and returned with him about eight o'clock. I left them alone in the room for a short time and then returned. They were administering some fluid to her in a teaspoon, which I believe was swallowed with difficulty. They applied a mustard poultice, which was to be taken off at five minutes post nine o'clock. In reply to a remark of mine Dr Sorley said he did not think it was anything serious. Both doctors seemed to think she was doing favourably. Dr Sorley said he would return during the evening. They were about three quarters of an hour in the house. Dr Sorley returned about half-past eleven o'clock. He felt her pulse and remarked that it was beating 118 to 120, and that it had only varied two or three beats since his last visit. He administered some more of this medicine and left a quantity in a wine glass, with instructions that two teaspoonfuls should be given every hour, and also brandy and water every hour, thus making half-hour intervals. At the first interview Dr Sorley told me that the girl was suffering from a cold, and that her stomach was out of order. He left instructions that if any curious change took place he was to be sent for.
James Mulligan said: I am a servant with Mr Meenan, in George street. Deceased and I came from Home together about two years ago, and I have seen her frequently during this time. She was never ill to my knowledge during this time. On Monday evening last she told me that she had a cold and had neuralgia. She pointed to the right side of her head and temple, where the pain was, and her eye on that side was red, and the nostril discharging water. She told me she had eaten little since Saturday, and had not slept much. On Tuesday night about nine o'clock I went up to see her, and on my way I met Drs Murphy and Sorley, and asked them what they thought about her. Dr Sorley said she would soon be all right, and that I was not to alarm myself. I found her unconscious, and breathing heavily. She was very pale. She was perspiring. Her eyes were closed. She died about two o'clock on Wednesday morning the 29th.
The next witness was cautioned by the Coroner, and intimated his desire to be examined.
Henry Sorley, being sworn, said: I am a duly registered medical practitioner practising in Dunedin. Deceased came to consult me a little after two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. She said she had been ill for some time back, her trouble being neuralgia, and she had not slept for three nights. When she got a slumber, she was less refreshed after it than before, and she complained of her stomach and indigestion. Her tongue was very much furred, she was languid, and could not take her food. I gave her a sub-cutaneous injection of a quarter of a grain of acetate of morphia. The strength of the solution I used was two grains of acetate to one dram of water, and of this solution I injected seven minima. I gave her also a prescription, which, however, she lost. The one now produced is I think the one which I gave in its place, I told her to go home and lie down and sleep her sleep off. Between six and seven o'clock, Mr Wright called about her. I told him the quantity of morphia injected would have no bad effect, and that she was still to sleep. However, Mrs Sorley, unknown to me at the time, asked Dr Murphy to go up and see the girl. This was immediately after Mr Wright had been. Dr Murphy came to me between seven and eight o'clock, and said the girl was poorly, and might be a little worse than I supposed, and that I had better go up and see her, which I did with him. I told him that I had injected nearly a quarter of a grain of morphia into the girl. I did not find her bad; she was asleep. Her pulse was 118 to 120, and she was breathing like a person in sleep. She was pale — not unnaturally so, but paler than I had previously seen her. Her pupils were contracted. We made no systematic attempt to rouse her — indeed I did not wish to rouse her. We got her to swallow a little compound spirits of ammonia, which I took up with me. She did not swallow it well; she was too drowsy. We then left. I did not consider her at all bad; merely that she was sleeping from the morphia, and from her natural inclination to sleep. I called again about 11 o'clock. I thought she was then flagging. I left directions. She was not breathing badly; her pulse was weaker. I thought it was time to rouse her, but I now thought, for the first time, that it was something worse than medicine that made her sleep. I thought there was some congestion or inflammation of the brain, because I could not rouse her, and because I remembered the history she, had given me of her complaint. In my opinion, the cause of death was some idiosyncrasy of constitution which rendered her more susceptible to the effects of morphia than is usual. I did not consider morphia was the cause of death, but that it co-operated with pre-existing disease of brain and lungs to cause death. It is usual to give morphia when a person has not slept for three nights. The solution of morphia I used was a preparation made by Mr Bagley and prescribed by myself. It consisted of ten grains of acetate of morphia to a dram of solution. It was this solution I used to the deceased, reducing it further by water, however, to the final strength of about a grain of acetate of morphia to a dram of water, and of this I injected seven minims. If I knew a person had congestion or. inflammation of the brain, I would certainly not give morphia. I considered her to be suffering from a bad cold, neuralgia, and a deranged stomach.
Michael Dominic Murphy, sworn, deposed: I am a duly qualified medical practitioner, practising in Dunedin. Last Tuesday evening, about a quarter past six o'clock, Mrs Sorley asked me to see deceased, as Dr Sorley was engaged. I went out, and found her in bed, lying on her right side, her face towards the wall. She appeared in her natural sleep, I looked at her face: she was pale, anaemic, and delicate, Her pulse was very quick, and thready, almost imperceptible — about 110. I examined her heart; it seemed very weak. There was a distinct bruit with the second sound, which I believed to be caused by aortic regurgitant disease. I turned her over, and tried to rouse her by calling her, and patting her on the cheek. She made a sort of incoherent noise, but did not seem sensible to my call. Her pupils were slightly contracted. She was warm naturally — no perspiration whatever. Her skin was natural. I told Mr Wright I thought her very bad. She appeared to me to be very weak and prostrate. I could not account for her insensibility. I knew that morphia had been injected, but I did not consider the insensibility entirely caused by this, because the state of the heart would have been sufficient to account for the partial state of syncope in which I found her. Morphia, in a large dose, does cause syncope and insensibility. I told Dr Sorley about her, and that he should go and see her, and I went up with him. He told me he had injected a fourth of a grain of morphia into her. He said — "There must be something more the matter, as morphia could not possibly cause such symptoms." On our arrival we examined her, She had rallied, being much better, and her general appearance was better. She was able to swallow partially at this time some ammonia and water. I used a mustard poultice over her heart and stomach, I thought she would recover at this time. I tried slightly to rouse her, but I thought it was better she should sleep. A quarter of a grain of morphia I do not think could possibly cause death. It might increase the tendency to death from the heart. I think I told Dr Sorley of the heart disease.
Alexander John Ferguson, sworn, said: I am a duly registered medical practitioner, practising in Dunedin. I yesterday made a post-mortem examination of the body of deceased, Anna Pratt, 33 hours after death. There were no external marks of violence upon it. The body seemed rather thin. There was cadaveric rigidity and post-mortem discolouration upon the under part of the body, and also discolouration on the breast-bone, with a greenish discolouration in both groins. The pupils were slightly dilated, There were marks of a small quantity of discharge from the mouth and nostrils, which had dried. I found the membranes of the brain natural in appearance, the substance of the cerebrum when cut into being slightly ingested. The cerebrum and cerebellum were otherwise healthy. There was no effusion of serum whatever. This ingestion might be explained from the fact of my opening the head first. On examining the chest I found a tubercular deposit in both lungs, a small quantity in the apex of the left lung, and another small quantity at the division of the bronchia and heart. In the left lung was a small cavity containing a dark, greenish looking matter of the consistency of pea soup, indicating that the disease had advanced a stage or two further here. The rest of the substance of the lung was quite healthy, and so also was the pleura. The pericardium, or bag of the heart, was healthy, and contained no fluid. The heart itself was healthy. The right ventricle contained a fibrous clot. The aorta immediately above the valves seemed dilated. I should not say that there was disease of the aortic valves. The other valves of the heart were all healthy. On opening the abdomen I found the peritoneum quite healthy. The stomach was resonant, and was distended with air. There was no appearance of disease of it externally, or of the bowels. I opened the stomach, and observed a small quantity of fluid resembling soup — about a small tea-cup full. The lining membrane of the stomach was quite healthy, I also found a small puncture outside of the left arm. I removed a piece of skin round this, and also a piece of the brain. These I placed in a sealed bottle. None of the appearances I have mentioned are, in my opinion, sufficient to account for death. I have heard the evidence. I could not say whether the morphia was the cause of death. In au instance of peculiar idiosyncrasy, as in the case of deceased, she might be more susceptible to the influence of morphia than is usually the case. Deceased was evidently more susceptible to the influence of morphia than most people, and, in being so, affected by one quarter of a grain. I should think that the morphia might have caused death from this susceptibility — from the symptoms I have here recounted. Aortic valvular regurgitation would have caused death in the same manner. The symptoms I have heard recounted are consistent with poisoning by morphia.
The Jury returned a verdict of "Excusable Homicide." -Otago Daily Times, 22/1/1876.
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