LA GRIPPE.
SUDDEN DEATH AT DUNEDIN.
[BY TELEGEAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, this day.
A married woman named McKellar, living at Athol Place, was found in an unconscious state at her residence on Saturday afternoon, and died within an hour after admission to the Hospital. The deceased had been suffering from influenza.
Heavy rain fell last night. The weather is threatening to-day. -Aukland Star, 7/4/1890.
SUDDEN DEATH.
An inquest was held this morning before the City Coroner (Mr E. H. Carew) at the hospital on the death of a married woman named Laura Emily Eliza McKellar, who had been found in an unconscious state at her residence, Athol place, on Saturday afternoon. Dr Roberts, who was called in, advised her removal to the hospital, and about two hours after her arrival there she died. The evidence called at the inquest was that of
Cuthbert McKellar, deceased’s husband, who stated that his wife was forty-four years of age, and had been in delicate health for some twelve months, but had no particular reason at any time to call in a doctor, having a dislike to do so. On Friday she complained of suffering from influenza, and remained at home all day. When witness went to work at 9 o’clock on Saturday deceased was in bed; said she would not get up just then, but later on. Observed nothing in his wife’s health to cause alarm. Witness had never seen his wife so bad as she was on that occasion. He had often advised her to consult a doctor, and on this occasion she said if she did not feel better she would send for a doctor on Monday, On returning home at three o’clock on Saturday witness found some of the neighbors in the house, and that the doctor and a cab had been sent for. Deceased seemed much worse than in the morning, appearing to be somewhat deranged and partially unconscious. She was subsequently brought to the hospital, and witness heard of her death about an hour afterwards. He fancied it was a case of sudden collapse.
Dr Roberts gave evidence as to having been called in on the occasion referred to at two o’clock on Saturday. He found deceased lying dressed on the sofa in a very low state and pulseless; there were several neighbors in the room. On examination he found her to be suffering from pneumonia, both lungs being inflamed. According to what he was able to gather from the neighbors deceased had received little attention, medical or otherwise, during the fortnight that he heard she had been ill. He advised her immediate removal to the hospital. She could not suddenly have become so ill as she was when he was called in. In the absence of proper attention, inflammation of the lungs was a serious disease. His opinion was that deceased was suffering from a complication of disorders resulting from some previous condition. There were no symptoms of influenza when he examined her, but she might have had it.
Michael King stated that he used to run errands for deceased. On going to her house between ten and eleven on Saturday morning he found deceased lying on the stairs. From her position she appeared to have been coming downstairs. He spoke to her, but she did not appear to hear. He reported the matter to some neighbors, who sent him away for a doctor. He went first for Dr Martin, but finding him out called in Dr Roberts. Elizabeth Robertson deposed that she lived next door to deceased, who lived very quietly and was reserved in her manner. She had been il1 for a fortnight, during which time witness had spoken to her three or four times. Deceased had complained of diarrhoea and shivering fits, and looked very bad. On Thursday witness spoke to her about her health, and deceased said she had been taking some rhubarb and chalk, which her husband had given her. Witness advised her to send for a doctor, and she said she would ask her husband to do so if she felt no better. Deceased had never expressed to witness a dislike to send for a doctor, but had once signified her intention of getting a nurse, and expressed a dislike to go to the hospital. Witness considered that deceased should not be left alone, considering the state she was in. On Saturday morning, when deceased was found by the boy King, witness and another neighbor decided to send at once for a doctor. There was no appearance of want in the house.
Elizabeth Bishop, another neighbor, corroborated the previous witness’s evidence as to finding deceased ill on Saturday morning.
Dr Fooks, resident surgeon at the hospital, stated that he had examined deceased just after her admission to the institution on Saturday and found her in a dying condition. He could hardly feel her pulse, and found her suffering from inflammation of both lungs, and also from pleurisy. He did not think her state could have come on suddenly. She died about an hour and three-quarters after her admission.
This concluded the evidence.
The Coroner expressed the opinion that it was a pity deceased had not received proper attendance. The medical evidence showed that deceased must have been in a much worse state than her husband had given the jury to understand. Had he been a man of any strength of mind he would have insisted upon sending for a doctor whether deceased wished it or no; and it was decidedly improper on his part to have left her on Saturday morning without attendance.
The jury, without retiring, returned a verdict of death from natural causes, adding the following rider: — “The jury express their disapproval of medical assistance not being called in by the husband, and of the deceased being left without attendance of any kind on the morning of her decease.” -Evening Star, 7/4/1890.
Laura McKellar had been fourteen years in New Zealand. She lies in Dunedin's Northern Cemetery.
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