Anne Miller, a resident of Tomahawk, and but recently discharged from the hospital, was readmitted today suffering from a fracture of the left hand, sustained by falling heavily on it. -Evening Star, 21/9/1891.
Mrs Anne Miller, wife of a farmer at Tomahawk, died in the hospital yesterday. She was admitted to the institution some time ago for a fracture of the left leg, but was discharged about a fortnight ago. Last Monday, however, she had the misfortnne to again fracture the limb, which occasioned her return to the hospital. At first she appeared to make progress towards recovery, but at the end of last week she sank rapidly. An inquest will be held before Mr Carew tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. -Evening Star, 28/9/1891.
At ten o'clock this morning Mr E. H. Carew, district coroner, held an inquest at the hospital on the body of Anne Miller, wife of John Charles Miller, of Tomahawk. Mr George Mitchell was foreman of the jury.
John Charles Miller, farmer, residing at Tomahawk, said that deceased was his wife. She was born at Edinburgh, and had been forty-three years in the colony. Her maiden name was Anne Robertson. She arrived here in the Philip Laing, the first vessel that came with passengers. She was forty-seven years of age last July. She went to the hospital in July, and remained there till Wednesday, the 16th inst., when witness took her home. She was then very weak, and could not move about, one leg being quite paralysed. Last Sunday week witness helped her out of bed and into the kitchen, where she sat by the fire for some time, speaking to witness and her daughter. She said that the crutches witness had got for her were too long, and witness promised to get new ones for her on the following day. Witness showed her how to use them by putting them on the slant. About five o'clock witness had a fire put on in the front room, and he wished her to go in to it. She went into the room to look at the fire, and after he had been in the room for a few minutes he heard a noise as if someone had fallen, followed by a scream which he knew was made by his wife. He went into the bedroom and found his wife lying on the floor, with her stick beside her. She used the stick to help herself along, as the crutches were too long. Witness's daughter was with her mother when witness went into the front room, but she was out of the house when her mother fell. His wife complained very much of pain, and said her leg was broken. Witness saddled his horse and came in to town for Dr Davis, who went out and ordered deceased's removal to the hospital. Witness brought her into the hospital on the following day, Monday, the 21st. Deceased had told him how the mishap occurred. She said she thought she could manage to go to the bedroom herself. She got as far as the bed, but the stick then slipped from her and she fell. She was not a heavy woman.
Miss Elizabeth Miller, daughter of the last witness, remembered the Sunday on which her mother sat in the kitchen, when a conversation took place about the crutches. Witness's father went into the front room to look at the fire, leaving witness with deceased. Deceased told witness to go to the back of the house to attend to the milk. Witness had been outside about three minutes when she heard a noise and her mother scream. Witness went inside and found her mother lying on the floor in the bedroom.
Dr Copland deposed that he had known the deceased for four or five months. She was brought to the hospital in July, and left on the 16th inst. When she came in she was suffering from hemorrhage of the stomach. She was very weak when she left, but her legs were not paralysed. She was admitted again on the 2lst inst., suffering from a fracture of the left thigh. She remained in the hospital until Sunday, when she died. During the week she was in she was vomiting blood. The cause of death was partly shock from the accident and partly exhaustion from hemorrhage of the stomach. The hemorrhage would be caused by ulcers.
The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony. -Otago Daily Times, 30/9/1891.
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