MRS MAUD RHODA BAILEY
DEATH FROM LOCKJAW
A verdict of ‘Death due to misadventure’ was returned by the Reading Borough Coroner at an inquest held on Monday on Mrs. Maud Rhoda Bailey, aged 63, a widow, of 93 Andover road, Newbury who died in the Royal Berkshire Hospital from lockjaw.
Mrs Lilian May Barnscott, of 97, Andover road, Newbury, a niece of deceased; said her aunt told her she had run a rusty nail into the palm of her left hand while chopping wood. She bathed and dressed the wound, and in the afternoon her aunt did some gardening. Four days later she complained of pain, and saw a doctor. Her aunt also began to complain of stiffness of the jaw, but laughed and said she thought it might be a cold. The next day she became worse, and on the 17th, after two doctors had seen her she was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
Dr Thomas Leslie Griffiths, house physician at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, said deceased was admitted suffering from tetanus, and it was obviously a severe case, and there was very little hope of recovery. Mrs Bailey died the next day, the 18th, with death being due to tetanus, set up from the wound in the hand. He thought it was quite possible that the germ which entered the wound was picked up while she was gardening.
In returning the verdict the Coroner expressed his sympathy with the relatives. |