Widnes Examiner. — 1906-05-26 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

WARRINGTON MAN'S SUICIDE.  STRANGE STORY AT THE INQUEST. Infirmary —Prie-1; Censured.  The adjourned inquest on the body of Henry Gibbins (38), 49, Watkin-street, who committed suicide on Tuesday morning of last week, was held at the Police Court on Monday. When the inquest was opened it was stated that the deceased, who was suffering from halucinations, on Tuesday morning left his house and was followed by his wife and a neighbour. He eluded the pursuit and was subsequently found at the Infirmary where he had gone under the impression that his children had placed some pipe stems in his throat. Mrs. Gibbins stated she saw Dr. Brown and asked him to keep the deceased at the Infirmary until 8.30 when she would send for him, and that Dr. Brown agreed to do this. Mrs. Gibbins called at a neighbours house, and when she subsequently arrived at Watkin-street, she found her husband hanging in the bedroom. Dr. Brown had also given his evidence when Mr. S. Brighouse, coroner, adjourned the inquest to afford the Infirmary authorities an opportunity of being present. When the proceedings were resumed on Monday the Infirmary Board of Management were represented by Mr. Forshaw, whilst Mr. E. A. Connor appeared on behalf of Dr. Brown. Dr. P. Wright, assistant to Dr. Adams, spoke to having attended the deceased for influenzn add a slight congestion of the lungs. On Monday of last week Gibbins was considerably better but as he was suffering a little from halucinationss he provided a seditive, which, however, was not administered. In answer to the coroner witness stated that there was a history of drink in the case and it was quite possible that halucivation were due to alchol. Mr. Brighouse: It is going to be suggested that the man was suffering from delirium tremens. Should you say he was suffering from an excess of alcohol ?—I could not say he was. Mr. Forslaaw : Could you not say,.from your observations, the cause of the halucinations?—l should say alcohol. I was told he had been taking alcohol. Mr, Forshaw : You come to the conclusion from what you observed and from your examinations that these delusions were caused by excessive alcohol ?—I will not say excessive alcohol. It was alcohol combined with his weak condition. You cannot separate the two. The Coroner remarked that it was not necessary to take alcohol to produce halucinations. When he had influenza he never had such a shaking-up in his life and did not know that his mental equilibrium could be so upset, although he had not been taking alcohol. Mr. Forshaw : I know you want to get at the facts of the case. Mr. 'Brighouse : I do. I don't like medical gentle, men making statements without they can substantiate them.  In answer to Mr. Connor, witness stated that the man's condition was such that it was quite reasonable that he should be treated at home. Mr. Connor: When he went to the Infirmary do you think it was reasonable to send him home in charge of the porter ?—I would not like to give an opinion, because that was an the day following the last occasion on which I saw him. Mr. Connor : Under the circumstances would you have done the same thing ?—I cannot say what would have dono. Twenty-four hours had elapsed, and a great deal can happen in that time. Mr. Brighouse: I think this enquiry can be shortened if Dr. Brown goes into the box and says he would not do this again, but would send for the police. If you are going to take your stand to what was done was legally and morally right.— Mr. Forshaw : We do not take that stand at all. I would like to put the p-rter in the box. He was instructed to take the man home. Mr. Brighouse: You will not convince me even though you might convince the jury, that what Dr. Brown 'id was right. The proper course to take is to , say " This is not a case for the Infirmary but as he is ' here I will ring up the police on the telephone and say here isa man suffering from delusions. It is not a case for us. He might be dangerous to himself and the community. Come round here and take charge of him."  Mr. Forshaw : That is exactly in accordance with the rules of the Infirmary. Mr. Brighouse proceeded to instance a personal case. A woman escaped from the Orrnskirk Workhouse one morning suffering from delusions and went to his house He sent for the police and engaged the woman in conversation until an officer arrived to whom he gave her in charge as being a person dangerous to herself and to the community. "In the event of a person coming to your house suffering from delusions" said Mr. Brighouse "you would not say 'I have nothing to do with this and get hold of him by the neck and put him out.' Supposing a man came round to-morrow suffering from delusions, what would you do ?" Mr. Forsbaw : They put him in the hands of a strong rnan. Mr. Brighouse: Are you, going to justify what you did? Mr. Connor: It would be difficult to do so in face of what has happened. We have the result and cannot come here and say what we did was right, beause the result was fatal. Had the man gone home and smashed some furniture there might have been something to say for it. Undoubtedly it would have been better to telephone to the police. Mr. Brighouse : Here this woman went to the Infirmary and saw her husband in the care of a doctor. Whether he promised to keep him or not I will not say, but she goes to a neighbour's house and has a cup of tea and then home and finds the man whom she