The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-04 00:00:00

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.

THE ALLEGED DEATH FROM A SURGICAL
OPERATION.

The Wheatsheaf Inn, Kenton-street, having been found
insufficient for the accommodation of the jury, the barris-
ters, and the vast crowds of medical men who have mani-
fested an interest in the proceedings, the adjourned inquiry
yesterday was held in the Court of the Sheriff of Middle-
sex, Red Lion-square.
Elizabeth Russen, a nurse in King's College Hospital,
said she was one of the assistant nurses of the Royal Free
Hospital when the operation was performed upon the de-
ceased child. Anne Faulkner, the day nurse, took the child
from the ward to the operating room. Soon after 1 o'clock
it was brought back, and taken in again before two. She
heard Mr. Weedon Cooke and Mr. T. Wakley speaking
about having the operation. Mr. Wakely thought he had
a right to the case, as it came in on Tuesday, but Mr. Cooke
held that it was brought in upon the Friday, and he con-
sidered that it was his case. Eventually it was settled for
hlr. Cooke to have it. Mr. Scobell was present at the time.
The child was brought back to the ward after the opera-
tion, about four o'clock. The nurse (Faulkner) said she
thought the child would have died before it came out of the
theatre. She threw it on the bed, and said it would be a
good job when the little devil was dead, and shook it.
There was very little consciousness about the child. It
rallied a little before it died.
The witness was subjected to a severe cross-examina-
tion by Mr. Serjeant Wilkins, in the course of which
much impatience was manifested by the jury. The learned
serjeant commented upon this, and added that it was not
the first time certain members of the jury had acted so
discreditably.
Witness proceeded to say that after the operation Mr.
Cooke and Mr. Scobell paid great attention to the child,
that they visited it frequently at its bedside, and gave it
wine and other refreshments. She admitted she had quar-
relled with Anne Faulkner, and considered she had been
ill-used by her.
Ey Mr. Clarkson—Mr. Cooke's conduct to the patients
was always kind and attentive.
ad never
Mr. James Henry Crump, clerk to Mr. Evans, the solici-
tor, whose name has been mentioned,
saeidp
he e n
e thadparents told Mr. Brent or Mr. Wakley that
th
said
al-
tered their minds, and would allow the inquest to be put
an end to, nor anything to that effect. What h e
when
he went with Mr. Brent to Mr. Wakley was, that Mr. Evans
would not give 1113. t
the original document, but would pro-
duce it whenever it might be required.
Cross-examined by Mr. Parry—He knew that Richard.
son had signed a paper, putting off the inquest ; and he
knew also that Newman, the other clerk, had conveyed it
to the coroner. Mr. Evans saw Richardson after he (wit-
ness) and Mr. Brant had visited him. It was after this
interview that Mr. Evans sent him to Mr. Wakley, with
the message about not giving up the original document.
When he called upon Mr. Wakley he thought he said be
,should come round again. Witness knew that Evans had
received money, but he did not know how much.
The Foreman (to Mr. Parry)-- I wish you to ask proper
questions.
Mr. Parry, addressing the foreman, said—Sir, I beg to
say that I think you are utterly incapable of judging what
questions it is right for me to put. I would not have
made this remark, but that I feel that you have prejudged
this case, and are determined not to have an impartial in-
quiry.
The Foreman said—Mr. Parry had misunderstood the
nature of his objection.
Mr. Parry remarked that it was a curious fact that the
jury never misunderstood Mr. Ballantine. There was a
great deal of prejudice on the part of the jury, and he (Mr.
Parry) was unfortunately on the wrong side.
Mr. Serjeant Wilkins—He did not know how Mr. Evans
came to be engaged in this case. He knew Mr. Gay (the
surgeon who was dismissed from the Royal Free Hospital
a few months since), and has seen him at Mr. Evans's
office. Mr. Evens was Mr. Child's attorney, but he was
not aware that Mr. Child was one of Mr. Gay's committee
at the late affair at the Free Hospital.
At the suggestion of Mr. Bodkin, who thought witnesses
should be asked something about the parcel of money
which was given to Richardson at Mr. Evans's office, Mr.
Ballantine examined him upon this point.
Witness said he gave him the 20 sovereigns by Mr.
Evans's direction the day before the inquest. They were
wrapped up loosely in an envelope, which had been used.
Richardson called and asked for Mr. Evans. Witness
found that Mr. Evans had two gentlemen with him. Mr.
Evans, on being informed that Richardson was there, said
"Give him this." Richardson said, "Thank you," and
added that he would call again.
By Mr. Serjeant Wilkins.--No man could doubt on
taking the envelope in his hand that it contained money.
Mr. Popham, a witness on a former occasion, was re-
called, and stated that the whole time occupied by Mr.
Wakley, jun., in examining the child was not more than
three minutes. As a medical man he should say that Mr.
Wakley "examined" the child—he should certainly not
call him the operator. He knew nothing of Mr. Wakley
or of Mr. Cooke, and had nothing to hope or fear from
either of them.
By Mr. Serjeant Wilkins—He (witness) was present
during the whole of the operation, but he was unable to
say whether Mr. Wakley, jun., used the forceps.
By Mr. Ballantine—He had no recollection of having
informed Mr. Collette, the solicitor, that Mr. Cooke ope-
rated upon the child 50 minutes, and Mr. Wakley 30 or 40
minutes. Ho might have said that what was done was
sufficient to bring on inflammation and death. That was
a common result of operations for lithotomy. He did not
mention Mr. Wakley's name in connection with that state-
ment.

By Mr. Sergeant Wilki•- s—He never meant to imply by
anything he had said that Mr. Cooke operated upon the
child 50 minutes. Ho repeated that Mr. Wakley's exami-
nation of the child did not occupy more than three minutes.
Mr. Edward Headland Greenhough examined—l am a
physician, and reside at 77, Upper Berkeley-street, Port-
man-square, next door to where Mr. Cooke, the surgeon,
lives. I was invited by Mr. Cooke to see this operation for
lithotomy. I have not stated my evidence to any solicitor
on either side. I arrived with Mr. Cooke at the hospital
about 2 o'clock, and found the child on the operation table.
Mr. Cooke first removed a tumour from a girl's arm, which
I should think took 20 minutes. While that was going
on the child was removed and then brought in again.
Mr. Cooke first sounded the child, and then, I think, Mr.
Wakley, jun., and Mr. Gant sounded the child. It
was not then under chloroform. After it was put under
chloroform Mr. Cooke began to operate. Mr. Cooke
first used his finger and then the forceps, He said ho once