Death of a Child – An inquest was held at the “London Apprentice”, last evening, by Dr. Watson, J.P. Borough Coroner, on the body of Edith Grace Wigmore, daughter of Robert Wigmore, Old Newtown-road. The jury, of whom Mr. George Golding was chosen foreman, having viewed the body, evidence was taken, which went to show that a week previously the deceased child was attached with measles, but the mother considered her to have recovered therefrom. On the previous morning, however, she noticed a change and subsequently sent for a doctor, but it died about 5 o’clock in the evening. Mr. Richard Hickman, surgeon, deposed that he found the child very ill with bronchitis; in fact, it was dying. He told the mother she ought to have sent for medical assistance before. As far as he could judge the child had been seriously ill for three or four days. Such a condition could not have come on in two or three hours. B.C. Gamble, coroner’s officer, said he heard the reason a doctor was not sent for was the expense. The woman was very hard working, but had a bad husband. The Coroner, in summing up the evidence, said he thought Mr. Hickman did quite right in withholding a certificate. Doctors were often sent for at the last to smooth matters over and so prevent an inquest. The child undoubtedly died from bronchitis, which had evidently existed for some time, and medical assistance should have been sent for before. Several of the jurymen thought there was an object in not sending for a doctor earlier, but the verdict returned was “death from bronchitis”. |