VPRS 24/PO

Unit 38

Item 109

Maria O’Donnell

3 August 1856

Inquest held on the body of Maria O’Donnell

Cause of death

Acute bronchitis or inflammation of mucous membranes of lungs

Deposition of Witness

Bridget O’Donnell

3 Aug 1856

I am mother of the deceased [who was] aged about 2 weeks. Was in good health up to 5 days before her death.

… my husband being away from home. I did not call in any medical man nor consult any person except my neighbours. I gave her three or four doses of castor oil and her bowels seemed to me all right, but on Friday the deceased got worse and I was not able to suck as strongly as she did before. And about seven o clock pm the deceased died on the sofa. She had two fits of a sort of convulsions for an hour of her death but I cannot say what the child died from

Bridget O’Donnell