| PARRAMATTA.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
INQUEST.-A magisterial inquiry was held this day at noon, by Mr. G. Langley, J.P., at Ferris'a Royal Oak Hotel, into the cause of death, of Sophia Pearson, aged 45. The deceased was a married woman residing in Rose-street, her husband being in the country. It appeared from the evidence of Mrs. Hilt, a sister of the deceased, that the was sent for to see her sister at twelve o'clock yesterday, and found her in labour; she was then being attended to by a midwife, Mrs. Thompson ; she did not then appear to be very ill, but afterwards became extremely so ; at two o'clock an infant was born, dead ; subsequent to the delivery, the deceased was very ill, seemed to be in great pain, and fainted twice, but rallied under the treatment applied. The sofa upon which she lay was moved into the bedroom, for the purpose of getting her into bed, at her request. Soon after recovering from the second fit, she seemed to express a wish for a doctor to be sent for, but she expired at about five o'clock, shortly after the messenger was sent, and before the doctor arrived. The midwife, Margaret Thompson, who attended, and who now produced some medical and other certificates of her character and ability, deposed that, upon finding the condition of the deceased, she put the question to her whether she would not like to have a doctor, but deceased then declined, saying she was a poor woman, and asking witness to do the best she could for her. Witness saw nothing in the case which she did not feel able to manage. Dr. Brown, who had been sent for, stated that from the appearance of the body he came to the conclusion that death was caused by exhaustion. In cases of this nature, it was necessary that a medical man should be at once called in. Death was found, as stated in the Medical evidence, to be the result of exhaustion, it being the further opinion of the investigating magistrate, that the midwife (Mrs. H. Thompson) from the condition in which she found the deceased, ought at once to have called in a medical man, and not taken upon herself the responsibility of acting in the case. Mrs. Thompson was cautioned in all future cases where unusual symptoms occurred to pursue the course indicated in the verdict returned.
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