VPRS 24/P0
Box 30
Item 118
Mary English Anderson
Puerperal peritonitis on Monday 26 inst
Inquest held 27 Nov 1855
Jurors
Thomas Clegg
Richard Rowley
William Tinsey Creech
William Jones
Matthew Marassorich written Matteo Mazassovieli Signed
Stephen Caloper x
George Paxin
John Browne x
Henry Wright
Philip Frederick x
George Hartrick
William Charles Weeks
all of Victoria
Witness Charles Anderson
The deceased Mary Anderson was my wife who was about being confined of her 5th child and a Mrs McGregor was engaged to attend upon her during her confinement. The deceased took bad on Friday morning like as if she was going to be confined and about 8 o’clock pm same day she was confined of a girl. Mrs McGregor was with the deceased at din nr time and then went away and I sent for her when about 8 o’clock when the deceased was so near being confined and she came and told me to leave the bedside. I stopped in the next tent until all was over and then the deceased called me in to see the child and when I entered Mrs McGregor called for some spirits to drink and I fetched in a bottle of gin of which she drank a glass and then she filled out a glass of gin to give to the deceased to which I objected but she said she knew better and made punch of the gin and gave it into the hands of the deceased to drink but I didn’t see the deceased drink it and I saw the glass empty some time after. The deceased did not sleep that not and was not as well the next day as she was usually was on previous occasions. But on Sunday morning about 3 o’clock the deceased ordered me to go for a doctor and e she said she was a lost woman. When I sent for Mr Potts who came immediately and attended upon her until her death which took place about 8 o’clock am on Sat 26 instant.
Witness
Domenick Sonsee of Ballarat
Deceased was my sister in law I returned about 3 o’clock pm on Friday and found Mrs McGregor in the tent she went away soon after and about 8 o’clock pm I was sent for Mrs McGregor to attend upon the deceased and she came soon after and after the delivery took place there as a bottle of gin bought in of which Mrs McGregor took a nobbler and then she made a glass of punch for the deceased which she handed to the deceased to drink whom I saw putting the glass to her mouth, but I cannot say that she drank the whole of it.
Signed Domenico Sonsee
Witness
George Gerald Potts Surgeon
I was called in about 4 o’clock on Sunday morning to see the deceased who then appeared to be labouring under Puerperal spasms. I attempted an examination of her vagina?un but I could not effect it. I then directed abdomen to be fomented with hot bottles to her feet and gave her a mixture containing laudanum and sweet spirits if nitre – with a dose of Calamel of [Seres] grains to be repeated in 4 hours and increased to 2 grains. Her pulse was frequent and feeble by compressible. During that day the pulse continued to get more feeble. There were not any further external application apply to the abdomen after the hot fomentations which were continued for an hour or less after I 1st saw the deceased. The above medicines were continued during the day and there was a complete suppression of the uterine discharge. I did not see the deceased from 5 o’clock Sunday until 7 o’clock am Monday when she was then dieing and she died about half and hour after.
Witness James Sutherland of Ballarat completed post mortem
Died of gangrene with child Cause of death Puerperal Peritonitis.
