MARTHA TURNER

Obituary NWN 26/3/1891

INQUEST AT NEWBURY

REMARKABLE CASE OF ENLARGED HEART

A girl named Martha Turner, aged 19, living with her parents in Derby-Road, Newbury, died suddenly on Friday evening under peculiarly and sad circumstances. She was a fine healthy girl and never had had a day’s illness. It appeared, however, that she had an enlarged heart and while turning a skipping-rope the slight exertion caused syncope, and death ensued within a few minutes. The heart of the poor girl was double its proper size, and the Coroner said it was a most remarkable case, indeed he had never known of a similar instance in a young person.

The inquest was held on Saturday evening at the London Apprentice, before Dr. Watson, J. P., Borough Coroner and a jury of whom Mr. W. Cordrey was foreman. Having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken:-

Joseph Turner, painter, residing in Derby-Road, identified the deceased as his daughter. She was 19 years old last September and never had a day’s illness. She had always lived at home. About six o’clock on Friday evening last he saw her alive. Whilst her mother was gone down street she went out with her younger brother and sister. She was going to her married brother, who lived in the City. About twenty minutes afterwards his son, Ernest, ran and said Martha had fallen down in a fit. Witness and his wife ran to see what was the matter. They found her lying on the ground in the City near Mr. Wheeler’s and two men holding her up in a sitting position. Witness said” She’s not in a fit , she’s dying”. He sent his son Ernest for Mr. Birch and while he was gone some of the neighbours got her into a chair and carried her into her aunt’s close by.

Deceased did not speak to him although she was not quite dead when he first saw her. She was dead by the time they got her into her aunt’s. Mr. Birch came almost immediately and pronounced her dead. When deceased fell down she had been turning a skipping rope for some younger children. She must have fallen on her face.

Ernest Turner, aged 16, son of the last witness and brother of the deceased said about quarter past six he was in the City near Mrs. Dibley’s and his sister was turning a skipping rope for a child to skip over. Rose Turner, a cousin, had got hold of the other end of the rope. He saw the deceased suddenly fall down on her face, and he ran home and told his mother. Afterwards he went down after Mr. Birch. He did not see anything that afterwards occurred.

Eliza Wheeler, wife of John Wheeler, labourer, living in the City, said on Friday evening about half-past six or a quarter to seven she was in doors, and some children came in and asked her to go and see Martha Turner. She went out and found her lying on the ground about 30 yards from her door. With the help of her son, Jesse, they pulled her up, and sent for the doctor. Deceased could not speak, but her eyes rolled. They placed her in a chair, and she died on the way to her aunt’s, [who] had known the deceased for the last nine years as a fine healthy girl.

Mr. Robert Birch, surgeon, said on Friday evening about a quarter to seven he was asked to see a girl in the City who was said to be in a fit. He went immediately and found her dead. She was supported in a chair in Mrs. Hester’s house. There was a little blood coming from her nose which was bruised, but there were no other marks of violence. He had not seen her before and was informed by her father that she was very healthy and never seen by a doctor. He could form no conclusion as to the cause of death and that morning, by order of the Coroner, he had made a post-mortem examination. He had found the heart very much enlarged, and weighing nearly 17ozs, where it ought to have weighed 9 ozs. One of the valves was incompetent, meaning that it did not shut properly. In his opinion the death was syncope from failure of the heart’s action. The body was well nourished and the other organs were healthy. He thought that the enlarged heart was from birth, and not any consequent cause.

The coroner said it was surprising that with such a heart the girl had never had a day’s illness. It was one of the most singular cases he had ever known. No doubt death was caused by the exertion of turning the skipping-rope. He never remembered a similar case in a young girl although it was common enough in elderly people.

The jury returned a verdict” That the deceased died from failure of the heart’s action, in accordance with the medical testimony.”

MARTHA TURNER

INQUEST AT NEWBURY

REMARKABLE CASE OF ENLARGED HEART

A girl named Martha Turner, aged 19, living with her parents in Derby-Road, Newbury, died suddenly on Friday evening under peculiarly and sad circumstances. She was a fine healthy girl and never had had a day’s illness. It appeared, however, that she had an enlarged heart and while turning a skipping-rope the slight exertion caused syncope, and death ensued within a few minutes. The heart of the poor girl was double its proper size, and the Coroner said it was a most remarkable case, indeed he had never known of a similar instance in a young person.

The inquest was held on Saturday evening at the London Apprentice, before Dr. Watson, J. P., Borough Coroner and a jury of whom Mr. W. Cordrey was foreman. Having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken:-

Joseph Turner, painter, residing in Derby-Road, identified the deceased as his daughter. She was 19 years old last September and never had a day’s illness. She had always lived at home. About six o’clock on Friday evening last he saw her alive. Whilst her mother was gone down street she went out with her younger brother and sister. She was going to her married brother, who lived in the City. About twenty minutes afterwards his son, Ernest, ran and said Martha had fallen down in a fit. Witness and his wife ran to see what was the matter. They found her lying on the ground in the City near Mr. Wheeler’s and two men holding her up in a sitting position. Witness said” She’s not in a fit , she’s dying”. He sent his son Ernest for Mr. Birch and while he was gone some of the neighbours got her into a chair and carried her into her aunt’s close by.

Deceased did not speak to him although she was not quite dead when he first saw her. She was dead by the time they got her into her aunt’s. Mr. Birch came almost immediately and pronounced her dead. When deceased fell down she had been turning a skipping rope for some younger children. She must have fallen on her face.

Ernest Turner, aged 16, son of the last witness and brother of the deceased said about quarter past six he was in the City near Mrs. Dibley’s and his sister was turning a skipping rope for a child to skip over. Rose Turner, a cousin, had got hold of the other end of the rope. He saw the deceased suddenly fall down on her face, and he ran home and told his mother. Afterwards he went down after Mr. Birch. He did not see anything that afterwards occurred.

Eliza Wheeler, wife of John Wheeler, labourer, living in the City, said on Friday evening about half-past six or a quarter to seven she was in doors, and some children came in and asked her to go and see Martha Turner. She went out and found her lying on the ground about 30 yards from her door. With the help of her son, Jesse, they pulled her up, and sent for the doctor. Deceased could not speak, but her eyes rolled. They placed her in a chair, and she died on the way to her aunt’s, [who] had known the deceased for the last nine years as a fine healthy girl.

Mr. Robert Birch, surgeon, said on Friday evening about a quarter to seven he was asked to see a girl in the City who was said to be in a fit. He went immediately and found her dead. She was supported in a chair in Mrs. Hester’s house. There was a little blood coming from her nose which was bruised, but there were no other marks of violence. He had not seen her before and was informed by her father that she was very healthy and never seen by a doctor. He could form no conclusion as to the cause of death and that morning, by order of the Coroner, he had made a post-mortem examination. He had found the heart very much enlarged, and weighing nearly 17ozs, where it ought to have weighed 9 ozs. One of the valves was incompetent, meaning that it did not shut properly. In his opinion the death was syncope from failure of the heart’s action. The body was well nourished and the other organs were healthy. He thought that the enlarged heart was from birth, and not any consequent cause.

The coroner said it was surprising that with such a heart the girl had never had a day’s illness. It was one of the most singular cases he had ever known. No doubt death was caused by the exertion of turning the skipping-rope. He never remembered a similar case in a young girl although it was common enough in elderly people.

The jury returned a verdict” That the deceased died from failure of the heart’s action, in accordance with the medical testimony.”