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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 15 Jul 1939
Page 6 Column 1
UNUSUAL CAUSE OF DEATH
TAUNTON WOMAN'S SYMPTOMS
BLOW A PROBABLE CAUSE
An hour after her only daughter had been rushed to Taunton Hospital, believed to be suffering from appendicitis, a Taunton woman died at her home after a week's illness. She was Mrs. Edna Eliza SMITH, aged 47, of 2, Elm Cottages, Mount-street, Taunton.
Her daughter, Mrs. Doris BISHOP, of Ashill, near Ilminster, was told of her mother's death, and special arrangements were made at the hospital for her to attend the funeral.
The inquest, on Mrs. SMITH was held on Wednesday morning by the Coroner, Mr. Geoffrey P. CLARKE.
CONSTANT MEDICAL ATTENTION.
Samuel John COOKSLEY, general labourer, of the same address, gave evidence of identification. He said Mrs. SMITH had been under constant medical attention and had two operations – the last was just before Easter. She had not been well since she strained a stomach muscle while using a polisher at the County Hall four or five years ago. During the week before her death she had not complained of having hurt herself. He had often bumped his head against the door of the scullery cupboard.
HEADACHE AND SICKNESS.
Dr. C. G. M. DONALDSON, Taunton, said on July 2nd Mrs. SMITH complained of headache and sickness, which had started 36 hours before. He found no reason for these symptoms except a slight pain near the liver. He ordered medicine, and on July 4th her condition was the same. On July 6th the headache was worse, and she had vomited blood. He gave her a sleeping draught, and the next morning the sickness had stopped, but the headache had not improved. At intervals she gave a cry, suggesting some inflammation of the brain, but he found no sign of that. That evening her condition was unchanged. In the morning she was unconscious, but could be aroused to some extent. She became more deeply unconscious, and was still in that state at 9.30 a.m. on Sunday.
In reply to the Coroner, Dr. DONALDSON said there was no history of any head injury which might account for her illness.
LARGE CLOT OF BLOOD
Dr. F. J. MANNING, Bishop's Lydeard, gave a report of his post-mortem examination, and described a large clot of blood at the base of the skull. The cause of death was hemorrhage into the cerebellum.
Replying to the Coroner, he said there must have been some injury to cause this, but he found no outward sign of any. The clot was consistent with a blow against a cupboard, and must have been caused within a week before death. This could have caused headache.
The Coroner: Would it have been a severe blow? - It need not have been. The arteries were in a very poor state.
Could the accident four or five years ago at the County Offices have been a contributory cause of death? - No.
Dr. DONALDSON asked if there was a possibility that the condition was due to a spontaneous rupture of an artery, which he admitted was a rare occurrence.
Dr. MANNING replied that he did not think so from his examination, though he could not exclude the possibility.
DAUGHTER IN HOSPITAL.
P.C. DALTON said he took a statement from Mrs. SMITH's daughter, Mrs. Doris May BISHOP, who was in Taunton Hospital under observation for appendicitis. She said she had never known her mother receive a blow on the head, though it was easy to bump one's head against the cupboard door in the scullery. She had often bumped her head there, and her mother had done the same, but not recently to her knowledge.
The Coroner said if there had been a blow of any consequence Mrs. SMITH would undoubtedly have mentioned it to the doctor. His verdict was:- Death from hemorrhage in the cerebellum with insufficient evidence to show the cause – but probably due to a blow on the head against a cupboard.
He expressed sympathy with the daughter.
<NOTES: Edna Eliza SMITH is Edna Eliza HUGHES daughter of William Walter HUGHES and Eliza MALE, married Alfred Haydon SMITH
Doris May BISHOP is Doris May HUGHES daughter of Edna Eliza HUGHES, married John Herbert BISHOP>