The record-union., 1899-08-04
SEPTIC PERITONITIs.
JURY DECLARES IT THE CAUSE
OF MRS. WILSON'S DEATH.
Testimony Of the Physicians Who
Attended and Operated
Upon Her.

"A Coroner's jury, composed of Ed. G.
Roeder. NJ. A. Howard, F. L. Gray,
VIM. j. Elder, Claus Anderson and
George w. Jackson last night examined
into the cause of death of the late
Josephine p. Wilson, and after hear
ing the evidence of the four ply
sicians called in on the case, returned
a verdict embodying the statement
made by DR.. G. A. White in issuing the
certificate of death. The verdict was
as follows:
We find that the deceased, Josephine
P. Wilson, came to her death on the
S0th day of July, 1899, by septic peri
tonitis, following attempted repair of
laceration of the fundus Of the uterus"
Coroner McMullen asked preliminary
questions. and a few upon the conclu-
sion of each physicians testimony.
DR.. G. A. White was the first wit
ness called. He said he had been called
into the case by Mr.. Wilson, who said
his wife was at the Sisters Hospital at
tended by Drs. Glow, Hart and Cart
wright. When he got to the hospital
he was introduced to Mrs. Wilson,
whom he found prepared for the opera
ton. He was informed that she had
examining her found such to be the
case. He said it was agreed that an
operation was the only means that Of
fered any reasonable hope of saving her
life, and that operation he at once pro-
ceeded to make. The operation dis
closed a laceration across the top of the
uterus about two inches in length. A
loop of the bowels, he said, seemed to
be blackened, and it was a question
whether it was gangrenous or whether
it was blackened from violence. DR..
White said that the next day the pa
tient seemed to be in fair condition, but
that the second day she showed evi:
dences of Inflammation or peritonitis,
and a quantity of pus was formed in
the cavity. and on the fourth day she
died. He said the wound would have
led to a fatal termination had not an
operation been performed.
DR.. c. o. Cartwright was the next
witness. He testified that on the after
noon of July Goth he was called to meet
DIR. Glow at the Sisters Hospital to
consult on the case. Mrs. Wilson was
brought there shortly after he arrived.
but he made no examination, and it
was decided to do nothing until DIR.
White arrived. The remainder of DR..
Cartwright's testimony was corrob-
orative of that given by DR.. White, and
when questioned he said he thought
Mrs. Wilson had been treated before
he visited her. He had never seen her
before.
DR.. A. c. Hart was next called and he
testified that he had beenWison's fam
lily physician, had treated members of
the family before being called to see
her about June 9th. She was look
ing badly and he suggested that it
would be necessary to give her medicine
to build her up and placed her on a
tonic of iron. He suggested that such
treatment might help her case and shs
agreed to take 1t. On July 10th, DR..
Hart said, Mrs. Wilson requested him
to perform an operation on her. which
he refused to do and retired from the
case. Mrs. Wilson said to him while
he was leaving the house that unless he
assisted her she would do it herself
that she had an instrument and that
she would use it. He had urged her
not to do so and told her it was a, dam
gerous proceeding.
DR.. Hart said that on the evening of
July 10Th he was called to see Mrs.
Wilson and met DIR. Glow there. Hs
asked the latter what was the Gauss
of Mrs. Wilson's excitement and the
latter said it was an operation. The
next morning he examined her and
found there was a puncture through
the uterus. He advised taking her to
the hospital and the advice was ae,
cepted. His further testimony was cor
roborative of that already taken.
DR.. Glow testified that Mrs. Wilson
came to him and explained her situation
and anxiety and stated that she had
used some means to bring about a relief
of her situation. After eXamina ton,
he came to the conclusion that there
was only one thing to do in the case
and so advised her. He described the
course he took and said that he finally
deemed it best, two or three days aft
erwards, to take her to the hospital
and call in DR.. White to perform an
operation, which was done. He be-
lieved that the only course left to pur-
sue when she came to him was the
course he took. She finally died of
capffo parifonitis