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NON-MEDICAL CORONERS.
313
indeed, lie thought
it impossible to apply them. With respect to the use of the forceps generally, he observed, that he had been compelled to resort to them in a great number of cases, but had always employed them with ease and safety. He had, however, known the forceps used so as to produce extensive inflammation, and, subsequently, sloughing of the vagina, and other mischief. The forceps would succeed in many instances where the vectis would be of no avail. The inflation of the lungs, was the next obstinate point of contention, for the battle was fought inch by inch. It was strenuously argued, that it was impossible to inflate the lungs of the child, because it was necessary, in order to effect this object, that the point of the catheter should pass into the trachea. Now, as the position of the child was with its face towards the sacrum, it was contended, that a double curve must be made, which could not be accomplished with the female catheter. It appeared, however, that Dr. Blick had by no means asserted that the catheter entered the trachea, but simply thp mouth ; and to an objection from Mr. Waller, that in this case the air would pass down the (Esophagus, Mr. Kingdon remarked, that the pressure of the child’s nose against the parietes of the vagina,-the pressure on the neck, which would push the oesophagus backward and compress it against the spine, taken in conjunction with its collapsed state, rendered the artificial respiration
a proof of circulation being still continued within it. Dr. Blick said that the navel string was never tied in brutes, and he denied that pulsation existed in the chord. Dr. Blick underwent a heavy cannonading, but he fought manfully. Upon the whole, the debate, although of a very irregular
as
character,
was
highly interesting.
Dr.
Williams was tremendously seveie in his denunciation of instruments ; comparing a man who went about carrying forceps up his sleeves, to an assassin with his stiletto.
NON-MEDICAL CORONERS. INQUESTS AT DOVER AND SHELTON.
[From a Correspondent.] THE following are the facts connected with the case of Weston:-Tuesday, Oct. 2., John Weston obtained a presentation ticket from a lady in the town, to the Dover Dispensary, of which Mr. Sankey is the surgeon. The patient had a rheumatic affection, with some degree of fever, which was not considered dangerous, and was bled by the apprentice of Mr. Sankey. The patient, aged 45 (who, in his younger days had been a servant to a medical man), expressed his opinion, that he had received injury from the operation. About four o’clock on Wednesday morning
had become so much swollen, that his wife to go for mediration in Dr. Blick’s case was then denied ; cal assistance, that he might have relief even admitting its possibility, it was said, from the bandage, which was so tight on the that the most judicious treatment, and the arm. An assistant came, slightly loosened one generally pursued under the circum- the bandage, and administered an anodyne. stances, was, not to cut through the funis, After this things grew worse, and Mr. Sanbut to allow the child (when in such a key, with his two PUPILS, performed some weekly condition) to retain its connexion operation upon Weston’s arm. On Thursfor some time with the placenta ; thus, of day morning at four o’clock the patient excourse, permitting the circulation to be pired. continued. Dr. Blick reiterated strenuously Dissatisfaction arising in the Dispenthe opinion which he expressed on a former sary Committee, and also with the public occasion, that in 99 cases out of 100, the generally, an inquest was;determmed on; Mr. placenta was detached from the womb at Sankey hearing of this, observed, he should the act of expelling the child ; and, conse- court inquiry. The inquest was held on quently, he did not believe that circulation Thursday evening, at the Wellington inn, through the funis was carried on after this by John Shipden, Mayor and Coroner of event had taken place. He contended it Dover. At this time only Mr. Sankey and was impossible the l’oetal and respiratory or his pupils were examined ; neither the man’s general circulation should be continued wife, nor any other person being called ; both at the same time-that when the one Mr. Sankey informed the court, on his ended, then the other commenced. In oath, that the artery of the arm had not opposition to this, the familiar fact was been cut, and that he had tied it.—The inadduced, of pulsation being observed in the congruity of this evidence not being appachord, in almost every case, at the time of rent to non-medical persons, a verdict was applyingthe ligature, and when the child returned, Died by the visitation of GoctThe is breathing and crying ; the very circum- public mind now being more dissatisfied, apstance, also, of the necessity of tyiiiw the plication was made to the Coroner for a sefunis after the birth of the child, was cond inquest, whereupon he stated, he
complete.
The necessity of employing artificial respi-
urged
the the
arm
patient desired
314 would cause the arm to be inspected by sent for her! The intelligence of Mrs. Wes. some medical men, especially appointed for tern being in fits, was traced to a woman that purpose, and upon this report would who has since sworn before the said Coroner, depend his granting a second inquest. A that no one had induced her to make that physician and two surgeons accordingly in- false report, and that she had done it sponspected the arm, and reported to the Coro- tanevitsly ! ! Thus this point, like that of ner, that they had found two ligatures the wound of the artery, lies INTRENCHED placed on the brachial artery, from below BEHIND OATHS, the truth of which is irrewhich, one inch of the same artery had been concileable with the facts developed. With cut away, (at the part corresponding with regard to the verdict of the second inquest, the orifice of the vein, in which the patient a majority of one decided as before-Death had been bled,) thus preventing their by the visitation of God;the rest of the jurors decision as to whether the artery had been confessing themselves utterly unable to wounded in Notwithstanding this come to such a conclusion. circumstance more imperiously called for a second inquest, still the Coroner could not see that any further proceedings were reON Monday the body of a new-born male quisite, and therefore permitted the man to be buried on the Sunday following. Several child was discovered in a privy at the back individuals in the town having remonstrated of a house in Shelton. A woman named against the conduct of the Coroner, he at Ann Bailey, suspected to be the mother, length convened a meeting of the magis- I was accordingly taken into custody. An trates, when a second inquest was determined inquest was held on the following day, at the on, and was held on the following Tuesday, Red Lion Inn, before John Dent, Esq., at the Saracen’s Head Inn ; the body having when the following evidence was brought been for this purpose disintered, on account forward :-William Bailey (uncle to Ann of some of the jurymen on the former in- Bailey, the prisoner) deposed, that on Sunquest being absent. At this inquest, Mr. day evening his niece complained of pain in Sankey informed the court, that after the her bowels ; she took some syrup of rheupatient had been bled by his apprentice, he barb, and said it relieved her ; after witness thought that an internal arterial bleeding had retired to bed at night, he heard his existed, to put an end to which, he tied the niece go out of doors; she remained out a artery above. That after Weston’s death, considerable time, afterwards returned into he found, on examination, the artery had the house, and retired to bed till the follownot been cut ; thus acknowledging, that he ing morning. Catherine Till, a neighbour, had performed the operation unnecessarily. had entertained suspicions of Ann Bailey’s With respect to the portion of artery that pregnancy, and was induced to examine the was missing, he stated, that he directed his privy, where she found the body of a newlyassistant to cut off about one inch of it, born male child, immersed in the filth, and and slit it up longitudinally, to see if it covered with ashes. The latter part of this were diseased, which does not appear to witness’s evidence was corroborated by a have been the case. The evidence of the man named Moor, who assisted in taking wife being now wanted, the Mayor (strange the body out of the privy. Mr. Harding, to say) at that very juncture informed the surgeon, on Monday was called in to excourt, that he had just received the intel- amine the infant, which the prisoner ligence that Mrs. Weston was in strong fits, acknowledged to be hers. This gentleman and on this account no further proceedings then gave it as his opinion that the child was were taken ; as Mr. Sankey did not pro- still-born. After the evidence, Mr. Dent duce the portion of artery, the public addressed the jury. He explained the law have not been able to obtain proof of its as to the case before them, observing, that not having been wounded. We therefore though it appeared, from the evidence of submit to the medical public, whether Mr. Harding, that the child was not born any other construction can be put upon alive, yet the offence of concealing its birth this proceeding, than that the artery had was so fully proved against the prisoner, been in reality injured, but, that Mr. that it became their duty to make her a public Sankey having positisely sworn at the first example. This could only be done by returninquest that it was not, found himself ing a verdict of wilful murder against her. under the necessity of appearing the bad If they did not return a verdict to that surgeon rather than the PERJURED MAN; on effect, the prisoner must be immediately set this most material point let the competent at liberty, and the ends of justice defeated. decide. On the following day it was dis- The jury consulted a few minutes, and recovered, that Mrs. Weston had not been in turned a verdict of Wilful liTurder against fits, as had been stated, and that she was the supposed mother, who was accordingly perfectly in a condition to have given her committed to Stafford gaol, on the coroner’a evidence, but that the Coroner had not warrant,.-Pottery Mercury.
bleeding.
indeed, lie thought
it impossible to apply them. With respect to the use of the forceps generally, he observed, that he had been compelled to resort to them in a great number of cases, but had always employed them with ease and safety. He had, however, known the forceps used so as to produce extensive inflammation, and, subsequently, sloughing of the vagina, and other mischief. The forceps would succeed in many instances where the vectis would be of no avail. The inflation of the lungs, was the next obstinate point of contention, for the battle was fought inch by inch. It was strenuously argued, that it was impossible to inflate the lungs of the child, because it was necessary, in order to effect this object, that the point of the catheter should pass into the trachea. Now, as the position of the child was with its face towards the sacrum, it was contended, that a double curve must be made, which could not be accomplished with the female catheter. It appeared, however, that Dr. Blick had by no means asserted that the catheter entered the trachea, but simply thp mouth ; and to an objection from Mr. Waller, that in this case the air would pass down the (Esophagus, Mr. Kingdon remarked, that the pressure of the child’s nose against the parietes of the vagina,-the pressure on the neck, which would push the oesophagus backward and compress it against the spine, taken in conjunction with its collapsed state, rendered the artificial respiration
a proof of circulation being still continued within it. Dr. Blick said that the navel string was never tied in brutes, and he denied that pulsation existed in the chord. Dr. Blick underwent a heavy cannonading, but he fought manfully. Upon the whole, the debate, although of a very irregular
as
character,
was
highly interesting.
Dr.
Williams was tremendously seveie in his denunciation of instruments ; comparing a man who went about carrying forceps up his sleeves, to an assassin with his stiletto.
NON-MEDICAL CORONERS. INQUESTS AT DOVER AND SHELTON.
[From a Correspondent.] THE following are the facts connected with the case of Weston:-Tuesday, Oct. 2., John Weston obtained a presentation ticket from a lady in the town, to the Dover Dispensary, of which Mr. Sankey is the surgeon. The patient had a rheumatic affection, with some degree of fever, which was not considered dangerous, and was bled by the apprentice of Mr. Sankey. The patient, aged 45 (who, in his younger days had been a servant to a medical man), expressed his opinion, that he had received injury from the operation. About four o’clock on Wednesday morning
had become so much swollen, that his wife to go for mediration in Dr. Blick’s case was then denied ; cal assistance, that he might have relief even admitting its possibility, it was said, from the bandage, which was so tight on the that the most judicious treatment, and the arm. An assistant came, slightly loosened one generally pursued under the circum- the bandage, and administered an anodyne. stances, was, not to cut through the funis, After this things grew worse, and Mr. Sanbut to allow the child (when in such a key, with his two PUPILS, performed some weekly condition) to retain its connexion operation upon Weston’s arm. On Thursfor some time with the placenta ; thus, of day morning at four o’clock the patient excourse, permitting the circulation to be pired. continued. Dr. Blick reiterated strenuously Dissatisfaction arising in the Dispenthe opinion which he expressed on a former sary Committee, and also with the public occasion, that in 99 cases out of 100, the generally, an inquest was;determmed on; Mr. placenta was detached from the womb at Sankey hearing of this, observed, he should the act of expelling the child ; and, conse- court inquiry. The inquest was held on quently, he did not believe that circulation Thursday evening, at the Wellington inn, through the funis was carried on after this by John Shipden, Mayor and Coroner of event had taken place. He contended it Dover. At this time only Mr. Sankey and was impossible the l’oetal and respiratory or his pupils were examined ; neither the man’s general circulation should be continued wife, nor any other person being called ; both at the same time-that when the one Mr. Sankey informed the court, on his ended, then the other commenced. In oath, that the artery of the arm had not opposition to this, the familiar fact was been cut, and that he had tied it.—The inadduced, of pulsation being observed in the congruity of this evidence not being appachord, in almost every case, at the time of rent to non-medical persons, a verdict was applyingthe ligature, and when the child returned, Died by the visitation of GoctThe is breathing and crying ; the very circum- public mind now being more dissatisfied, apstance, also, of the necessity of tyiiiw the plication was made to the Coroner for a sefunis after the birth of the child, was cond inquest, whereupon he stated, he
complete.
The necessity of employing artificial respi-
urged
the the
arm
patient desired
314 would cause the arm to be inspected by sent for her! The intelligence of Mrs. Wes. some medical men, especially appointed for tern being in fits, was traced to a woman that purpose, and upon this report would who has since sworn before the said Coroner, depend his granting a second inquest. A that no one had induced her to make that physician and two surgeons accordingly in- false report, and that she had done it sponspected the arm, and reported to the Coro- tanevitsly ! ! Thus this point, like that of ner, that they had found two ligatures the wound of the artery, lies INTRENCHED placed on the brachial artery, from below BEHIND OATHS, the truth of which is irrewhich, one inch of the same artery had been concileable with the facts developed. With cut away, (at the part corresponding with regard to the verdict of the second inquest, the orifice of the vein, in which the patient a majority of one decided as before-Death had been bled,) thus preventing their by the visitation of God;the rest of the jurors decision as to whether the artery had been confessing themselves utterly unable to wounded in Notwithstanding this come to such a conclusion. circumstance more imperiously called for a second inquest, still the Coroner could not see that any further proceedings were reON Monday the body of a new-born male quisite, and therefore permitted the man to be buried on the Sunday following. Several child was discovered in a privy at the back individuals in the town having remonstrated of a house in Shelton. A woman named against the conduct of the Coroner, he at Ann Bailey, suspected to be the mother, length convened a meeting of the magis- I was accordingly taken into custody. An trates, when a second inquest was determined inquest was held on the following day, at the on, and was held on the following Tuesday, Red Lion Inn, before John Dent, Esq., at the Saracen’s Head Inn ; the body having when the following evidence was brought been for this purpose disintered, on account forward :-William Bailey (uncle to Ann of some of the jurymen on the former in- Bailey, the prisoner) deposed, that on Sunquest being absent. At this inquest, Mr. day evening his niece complained of pain in Sankey informed the court, that after the her bowels ; she took some syrup of rheupatient had been bled by his apprentice, he barb, and said it relieved her ; after witness thought that an internal arterial bleeding had retired to bed at night, he heard his existed, to put an end to which, he tied the niece go out of doors; she remained out a artery above. That after Weston’s death, considerable time, afterwards returned into he found, on examination, the artery had the house, and retired to bed till the follownot been cut ; thus acknowledging, that he ing morning. Catherine Till, a neighbour, had performed the operation unnecessarily. had entertained suspicions of Ann Bailey’s With respect to the portion of artery that pregnancy, and was induced to examine the was missing, he stated, that he directed his privy, where she found the body of a newlyassistant to cut off about one inch of it, born male child, immersed in the filth, and and slit it up longitudinally, to see if it covered with ashes. The latter part of this were diseased, which does not appear to witness’s evidence was corroborated by a have been the case. The evidence of the man named Moor, who assisted in taking wife being now wanted, the Mayor (strange the body out of the privy. Mr. Harding, to say) at that very juncture informed the surgeon, on Monday was called in to excourt, that he had just received the intel- amine the infant, which the prisoner ligence that Mrs. Weston was in strong fits, acknowledged to be hers. This gentleman and on this account no further proceedings then gave it as his opinion that the child was were taken ; as Mr. Sankey did not pro- still-born. After the evidence, Mr. Dent duce the portion of artery, the public addressed the jury. He explained the law have not been able to obtain proof of its as to the case before them, observing, that not having been wounded. We therefore though it appeared, from the evidence of submit to the medical public, whether Mr. Harding, that the child was not born any other construction can be put upon alive, yet the offence of concealing its birth this proceeding, than that the artery had was so fully proved against the prisoner, been in reality injured, but, that Mr. that it became their duty to make her a public Sankey having positisely sworn at the first example. This could only be done by returninquest that it was not, found himself ing a verdict of wilful murder against her. under the necessity of appearing the bad If they did not return a verdict to that surgeon rather than the PERJURED MAN; on effect, the prisoner must be immediately set this most material point let the competent at liberty, and the ends of justice defeated. decide. On the following day it was dis- The jury consulted a few minutes, and recovered, that Mrs. Weston had not been in turned a verdict of Wilful liTurder against fits, as had been stated, and that she was the supposed mother, who was accordingly perfectly in a condition to have given her committed to Stafford gaol, on the coroner’a evidence, but that the Coroner had not warrant,.-Pottery Mercury.
bleeding.