The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-22 00:00:00

CHARGE OF INHUMANITY AGAINS7 A
MID WIFE.

~.

On Saturday Mr. H. Raffles Walthew, the de-
puty coroner for East Middlesex, held an inquest
at the Town of Ramsgate Tavern, High-street,
Wapping, respecting the death of a mile child,
newly born, whose parents reside at 3, Red Lion-
place, Wapping, who, it was alleged, had died
from the neglect of a midwife connected with the
Tower Hamlets Dispensary.
James Grady deposed that he was a blacksmith,
and on Friday night, the 12th inst., he went to bed
about seven o'clock. His wife was near her confine-
ment, and she awoke him about three o'clock the
following morning, complaining of labour pains.
He went and called a female neighbour, who came
directly. He remained outside the room for some
time, when the female gave him two papers and
requested him to take them to Mrs. Tongue, a
midwife, at Stepney-causeway. He went there,
and was told to go to Mrs. Ayres, at
the side of the London Hospital. He went
there and knocked at the door and rung the
bell. A female raised an upper window and
asked him what he wanted, and he informed her
that his wife was in labour. She then asked him if
he had the papers, and he replied, " Yes." She told
him to put them under the door; at the same time
she said, "It is a strange thing to send a parcel of
men at this time," and asked him how long his wife
had been ill. He stated that she had been in labour
since 12 o'clock, and it was then half-past four. She
replied, " I will follow you in ten minutes."
Deputy Coroner—What time did she wait upon
your wife ?
Witness—She never came to my wife at all (sen-
sation). When I reached home two children were
horn ; the first was dead, but the second was alive.
Dr. Ross, of High-street, Shadwell, had been called
in. My wife was very ill from loss of blood.
John Cotton, a neighbour, whoiccompanied the
first witness, gave confirmatory testimony.
Mary Ann Ayres, of No. 16, Mount-street, New-
road, Whitechapel, was called, and said she was a
midwife to the Tower Hamlets Dispensary. On
the morning of the 13th inst. she was knocked up
by two men. It was about four o'clock, and they
brought a letter, said that she was required at No.
3, Red Lion-place, Wapping. She asked them if
they had a letter ; they replied, " Yes." She spoke
to them from the window, and directed them to place
the papers under the bottom of the door. She went
down to the door, and found only one paper, the
order for attendance was missing, and that was the
reason she did not attend.

By the Deputy Coroner—l did not ask the hus-
band if he had the order, and no one was up in the
house at the time.

Dr. J. B. Ross, the medical officer of the district,
said that he received au order from the relieving
officer of the union at 3 o'clock on the morning in
question to attend the mother of the child.
The order was marked " Urgent." He went
and reached the hoase about half-past three
o'clock. He found the female was suffering
from exhaustion through extreme hemorrhage.
One child was dead, but the other was alive. The
mother told witness that when the first child was
born she had no one with her.

By the Deputy Coroner—l am of opinion that if
the mother of the child had had the assistance of, a
midwife or any other female the deceased would
have been saved.
After some further evidence,

The Deputy Coroner summed up, and
The Jury, after some consultation, returned the
following special verdict :—" That the deceased was
found dead, but it is the unanimous opinion of the
jury, from the evidence of the witnesses, and more
especially the testimony of Dr. Ross, that the
child's death was caused by the neglect of Mary
Ann Ayres, a midwife, in not having attended the
mother of the deceased during her confinement, she
having received an order from the Tower Hamlets
Dispensary to attend, and we (the jury) cannot
separate without expressing an opinion that the
conduct of the midwife was inhuman and highly
culpable."