DEATH BY BLOOD POISONING.

AN UNUSUAL CASE.

An inquest was held on Monday at the " White Hart," before Rd. Watson J.P., Borough Coroner, touching the death of Charles Langton aged nine years, living with his widowed mother in the Wharf. The deceased, it would seem, was in his usual health playing at football on Tuesday, but on the following day he complained of his leg, which grew worse, and he died on Saturday, about an hour after he was seen by the doctor. In order that the cause of death might be fully established, a post mortem examination way ordered by the Coroner, the result of which, together with other evidence was given at the inquest above mentioned.

Mary Ann Langton said she was a widow, living in the Wharf, and got her livelihood by taking in washing. Deceased who one of seven children was nine years of age. He had always been in good health and went to the National School, attending as recently as last Wednesday. In the evening he complained of his leg but witness could not see that anything was the matter.  On the following day (Thursday) the pain increased. Deceased did not go to school, but managed to get about the house, and ate very little. On Friday he stayed in bed all day, as his leg still getting worse and was swollen around the knee. On Saturday, Mr. Richard Hickman was sent for. When witness returned from the surgery the boy seemed very ill and he died about one o'clock. Witness had given the deceased castor oil on Friday morning and also bathed his leg. Did not know whether he had received a blow, but she had heard since his death that he had been playing at football on Tuesday.

Mr. Richard Hickman, registered medical practitioner at Newbury, deposed that on Saturday about ten o'clock he received an order to see the deceased. He went about twelve o'clock and found the boy in bed moaning a great deal and almost insensible. The leg seemed to be in great pain, and was a good deal swollen around and above the knee, and there were two or three dark patches, the size of a threepenny piece. The veins leading therefrom were dark and swollen. Deceased was almost pulseless and died in an hour's time. Forming no opinion of the cause of death witness refused to give a certificate of death. By order of the Coroner an examination was made on Monday morning. The body was very thin, and externally it was a great deal darker than on Saturday. On the skin there were one or two bladders. The tissues right down to the knee bone were much inflamed and there was exudation. There was a little effusion on the brain but not any extent. On both lungs were a number of pycemic patches, from 20 to 30, some as big walnut. from which he concluded that death was caused by blood poisoning, probably from absorption of the inflamed matter round the knee joint. He was surprised to hear from the mother that deceased was in good health as there were signs of pleuritic adhesions of long standing. There were no marks of bruises, or signs of injury on any other part of the body. The badly nourished state of the deceased would have nothing to do with death. The Coroner observed it was a very singular case as the child was spoken of as being apparently well a day or two before his death.

Mr. Hickman concurred, remarking on the rapidity of death, and the absence of more symptoms till just before decease. The boy must have had a blow on the knee which was of recent date.

By the wish of the jury, the mother was recalled and in reply to a question put to her by the Coroner as regard to the boy having at some tune had pleurisy, she said that although the deceased looked delicate she had never known the deceased to have any illness. The Coroner said that speaking as a medical man Mr. Hickman had properly refused to give a certificate of death. It must be admitted it was a most unusual case, but the medical evidence now given was explainable as to the cause of death. No other way but a post mortem examination could have accurately revealed the cause of the child’s death. The verdict of the jury was" That deceased died from blood poisoning, spreading from the knee, probably from a blow or fall."