Death of Elizabeth Allen


From Tarnagulla Courier 11/2/1865
Kindly Supplied by Rice Yvonne

A coroner's inquest was held at Bowen's Swan Hotel, Jones Creek by the district coroner G. Cook Esq, on Monday last, on the body of Elizabeth Allen, who died in Childbirth on Sunday 4th February.  May Ann Lewis daughter of deceased deposed: Her mother had had fourteen children.  Deceased was taken ill with labour pains on Sunday fortnight (Jan 22nd), she went to bed but was about again next day.  On Tuesday she was taken ill again and sent for Mrs Young, midwife, Sandy Creek, who came to see her and returned the same day, she was there again on Friday and stayed all night, she said she did not think deceased would be confined for a day or two and left on Saturday morning. Saturday night deceased was very ill and sent for Mrs Young who came on Sunday morning about eleven o'clock.  Mrs Young said the child would be born; deceased seemed to get much worse and was in great pain.  Mrs Young said a doctor would have to be sent for as it was a wrong presentation.  Mrs Young attempted to deliver the child.  Dr Hood came at half past twelve and gave deceased some medicine.  He saw her again on the following Tuesday and again on Saturday, he said she was going along nicely.  She appeared to be going along very well till Friday when she was light-headed, and continued to get worse till Sunday until she died.  Mrs Young goes out as midwife.  Dr Macgregor deposed: He had made a post-mortem examination of the body and beyond a few old sores the body seemed in a healthy state and well nourished.  Did not see any sign of puerparal fever, and attributed death to exhaustion from protracted labour.
The inquest was adjourned till Wednesday, on which day Mrs Young gave evidence of no way important nature, and the jury returned the following verdict: That the deceased Elizabeth Allen died at Jones Creek on Sunday 4th February AD 1865 of exhaustion as a result of protracted labour, and that Mrs Young is highly censurable for attempting to perform an operation for which she is entirely incompetent.