Ammonia Instead of Magnes Given in Mistake Mr. IT Morris, sitting 'Coroner on Barch 6, delivered the Yordict that Michael' Richards, the year old son of Mx, A. Richards, divisional manager of the A Petroleum Company, died on Foary 25: from pulmonary oedems following the accidental ad-Ininistration of equate poison in the form of spitts of ammonia given by Nurse. Dennison February 24. 1428 Avene Joffe.
Mrs Richards, "mother of the child, testified that she was inthe margery at. 1428 Avenue Softee when the fatal dose was ade ministered. The elder son had jast tumed from school and had been {Yaken to the bathroom to be Wwashod before having tiffin, and she herself was talking. to Michael, She did Jot notice that the nurse had until she heard her say "Come fu, Michael, it's time for tifin." The nurse had already poured out dose of fold into a ten-spoon and the, child swallowed the supposed snodisine. Mrs. Richards happened to notice a bottle of Scrubb's. fornia on, small table. and called Gut "Annies what are you doing?"
"The child, who was very fond of magnesia, dig. not, hesitate to Swallow the fluid, and then immed. lately shrieked. Mrs. Richards im~ rnedintely called out for her husband to get a doctor, and salt and water were given to the child, who vomited Bittle Dr. Parsons was. comfhunieated with and the child taken to hospital. The nurse has been in the employ of Mrs, Richards for four years and looked of both hilden, giving very. satisfactory, and reliable service, and never before had. there been any cause for Complaint. She was specially fond and devoted to Michel.
In court Mrs, Richatds' identified the bottle of ammonia and another containing fluid magnesia from vhich the chil's dose should: have deen give Miss Annie Dennis, the nurse, stated that the usual place for the ammonia bottle was fon the top of the medicine chest {in the bathroom. She had last, used. it on the evening of February 28 for washing her hair, and did not see it, on the following Monday morning, Through some interruption duties on Sunday evening she had put the bottle on the window shole im the bathroom.
On Monday morning witness cat~ ried out her usual duties until the elder child came from school and she went to wash him before tiffin. ust as she had finished drying hee hands she remembered it was medicine time for the child, Withe out thinking, she picked up a bottle {nthe bathroom, poured out a dose and gave it to him, when the child shrieked. There was no smell or smarting of the eyes as witness poured out the dose.
Dr. Bryson stated that Michael Richards died at the Country Hospital, Dr Ransom had given the proper emetic at 1 p.m. on the same day, and ho took over at 1.45. The. child's lips and checks were burned. by the caustic action of the poise His breath was rapid, pulse weal, and he was frothing at the mouth and nose. Pulmonary oedema set in and the patient's condition became increasingly bad until death, superseded at 10.30 p.m., the cause being heart failure due to pulmonary oedema following the administration of caustic poison, spirits of ammonia.
The Coroner returned his verdict as stated.
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