The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-23 00:00:00

COLtONEIL'S INQUEST.

An Inquest was held yesterday, before the
Deputy Coroner of Westminster, on the body of Daniel Tay-
lor, aged 27, late in the employ of AIL Shanton, North-row,
Park-street.

Mr. Mr. Cowell, House. Surgeon of St. George's Hospital,
deposed to the d eceased berg brought there on the 22d inst. wiilk
a severe lacerated wound In the palm of his right hand. He
went on favourably for several days, but left the hospital on
the 9th, and on the 15th, when he returned again, the injury
which- deceased had received was considerably increased and
inflamed ; the wound had been done by a glass bottle ; every
attention was paid to the deceased, who expired on. Saturday
morning. His death was caused by the irritation of the ground.
In answer to a question from &juror, amputation was not con-
sidered necessary.

Mary Taylor, the wife or the deceased, stated her husband
worked for Mr. Shanton, of North-now, Park-street • about
.three weeks since he was a few miles from town, riding on
horseback, when the animal threw him into a ditch, and his.
hand falling on a broken glass bottle, cut it severely; the
horse also plunged on him while in the ditch • he, deceased,
told witness on his return home that his hand had bean
dressed by some blacksmiths on the road. The deceased next .
day went into the tospital, but came home a few days after-
wards; his hand at that time was very bad ; he complained of
being ill used that caused him to leave the hospital ; it was
not from the Doctors, but from the neglect and ill treatment he
met with from the nurse of the ward and a patient named
Allen. Between ten and eleven o'clock on the Tuesday
morning prior to her husband leaving the hospital, she went
there ; he was then very ill ; a man called Allen (witness be-
lieved he was the porter) ordered the deceased, whom he termed
the post-boy, to assist him in carrying some coals into -the
ward ; he told him he was not able to carry his own skin,.
much more coals; upon which Allen called him " a d—ci
lazy scamp," and threatened to report him. These expres-
sions greatly irritated the deceased. Witness now interfered,
and blamed' Allen for calling any sick person such names.—.
Deceased said he would leave the hospital ; he asked for bis.
handkerchief, which she gave him, and was going to take away
his shoes to be mended, when the nurse came up, accused her
with calling Allen a fellow, took her by the shoulders, then
turned her out of the ward, and gave directions to the porter
not to suffer her (witness) to come in- again.
Juror.—Did the deceased complain of being neglected, by
any other person while in the hospital ? •
Witness.—No ; he said he was sorry he left the hospital, for
he had had every attention paid to. him by, the medical gentle-
men, and would not have come away,bot for the ill-treatment
he experienced from the nurse and the man Allen.
Juror.—.l think we had better have this man before us; it
is cruel. for a patient to be thus treated.
Another Jury.—Yes, and the nurse also.
Coroner—Really, Gentlemen; such conduct of the underlings
deserves serious inquiry ; it tends to place the establishment in
the greatest disrepute.
and Jury wan toe ntelheare eaaseware-aea- rae enae
ordered him to carry coals, but afterwards admitted he did
ask him, seeing hb was walking about the ward, and attempted
further to deny having called the deceased a d—d lazy scamp.
Mrs. Taylor positively declared he used those expressions ter
her husband, which very much irritated his feelings, as he was.
not accustomed to such treatment.
Coroner to Allen—Pray who ordered you to carry coals into .
the ward?—Allen hesitated to answer the question.
The apothecary to the hospital said he begged it to be under- .
stood that Allen was no porter, -nor was he employed by the
hospital; he was only a patient.
Coroner to Allen.—Your officious conduct and inhumanity .
towards the deceased have been themeans of bringing the Hos-
pital into discredit.
Allen then received a most severe lecture on his impropriety,
but he seemed indiffered about it, which caused the Coroner
and Jury to express themselves in very indignant terms at his
behaviour; and they declared their decided opinion that if the
Board knew of such conduct being practised, they would e
order him from the hospital, or make bum an out-patient, he- -
being considered in a convalescent state. He was the ordered-,
to retire.
The nurse was next called in : her name is Armstrong.
The Coroner, addressing her, said, " We have it on oath
before us that you, (nurse) Armstrong and Allen; have both
behaved in a most disgraceful and unbecoming manner, not.
only to the deceased, but in turning his wife out of the ward." •
The nurse, in attempting to justify herself, declared she had
only done her duty by ordering the deceased's wife out whenwhen-
she insisted that her husband should leave the hospital before--
the medical gentlemen came round, which was contrary to the
rules; she had performed her duty towards the deceased, and
there were now 31 patients under her care. She did not hear
Allen tell the deceased to carry the coals, nor the expression.
used by bins.
Mrs. Taylor said it was not her intention to mention what,
site would now state. " But you know, nurse Armstrong,':
she said, " that a patient was neglected by you; and you
know also that wheh he complained of a poultice hurting him..
in consequence of its being dry, you said, ' now I will keep it
on longer to torture you.'" •
The nurse said she went by her instructions; it was not cus-
tomary
jduarerriyorr
tboeipntgrt
poaninffruele.h poultices when the patient,' complained
It is high time you left the hospital.
The Coroner and Jury considered the conduct of the nurse
and Allen most infamous.
There being no other evidence, the Jury, after some delibe-
ration, returned a verdict of " Accidental death by being
thrown from a horse."
The jurymen consulted together as to the mast prudent me-
thod of censuring in the strongest terms the conduct of the
nurse and the patient Allen ; when it was finally agreed that,
the Coroner should write a letter to the Board on the subject,
and the Jury felt satisfied they would both be dismissed ot, an
investigation of the circumstances.

HUTTING UP. Strops.--The Ligen-arapets of
Portsmouth have unanimously determined to close thAr shops
at eight o'clock in the winter, and nine in the summer event
inge, which they commenced doing on Monday last ; and
which should become general throughout the Kingdom, seeing,
that no possible disadvantage can accrue either to indrtieluals
or the public, while both the Employers. and Aisistanti will
in common have a few leisure hours to 'improve 'their 'health
and talents. The incessant occupation of Drapers' Aisistants
had become such a case of hardship, that we are surprised
young men could be found to submit to such selleie't;orifine-
molt.

SAOACITT OF NERo.—Wedgebory,' the 'pro-
prieuir of the dogs Turk, Captain, Billy, and Sweep,- who,
(s.ught with the lions, Nero and Wallace, at Warwick, wax
at Oxford Races on Wednesday last, and standing. within a
quarter of a yard of the den in which Nern'tvis confined. The
above noble animal, on hearing Wedgbury's voice, imme, i .rely
made a dreadful plunge at him, and protruding one of his paws
through the iron rails, seized hold of the back part of his coat.
Wedgebury, however, got away withousany danger to hisi per-
son, but. was compelled to have the assistance of a tailor to re-
pair his coat and waistcoat, and quite ,glad_ he escaped in a whoin
skin, and without requiring the assistance•pf a surgeon. It is
impossible to describe the rage exhibited by Nercr.. Tht dog
Turk is dead, but his skin has been stuffed; Captain,Billy,
and Sieep, are all alive and well ; but they recpuretta Eten
deal of nursing to preserve their lives.
•