Coronial file for Georgie, South Sea Islander - Goodna Hospital for the Insane - 1898

The following is a transcript of the Inquest of Death, concerning Georgie, a South Sea Islander, at Woogaroo Asylum who died in 1898. It is based on the Microfilm copy held at the Queensland State Archives Item ID 2734577, all statements were handwritten.

The intent with this post is to make primary sources more readily available, hence there is little comment. However I will comment that this inquest is one of three related to death by tuberculosis in a short space of time.

390/98

"INQUESTS OF DEATH ACT OF 1866.”

CERTIFICATE OF PARTICULARS.-- INQUEST OF DEATH. 

I HEREBY CERTIFY, that on the twenty sixth day of September 1898, I held an Inquest of Death at Woogaroo Asylum in the Police District of Oxley and that the following particulars were then disclosed :-- 

Name of deceased : Georgie S.S.I.

Profession or calling : Labourer

Height, colour of hair, peculiar clothing, and any other means of identity: [Blank]

Where found and when : Woogaroo Asylum 25th September 1898

Date of death : 25th September 1898

Supposed cause of death : Tubercular disease of the bowel.

Persons last seen in company of deceased, and names of suspected persons: [Blank]

Accused : [Blank]

Names, residences, and calling of witnesses:

Dr Jas. K. Nicoll, Woogaroo 

F. Vieth, Attendant, Woogaroo

Suspicious circumstances: [Blank]

[Signed] W. Galdwyn M.

Coroner or Justice.

NOTE.- One Copy of this Certificate to be attached to the Inquest of Death Deposition and forwarded The Honourable the Attorney-General, and a Duplicate to be sent to the Commissioner of Police. See Section 3 of "Inquests of Death Act of 1866" (30 Vic. No. 3). A Copy must also be forwarded, together with the “Certificate of Information,” to the District Registrar of the District within which the Death took place. 

James Robert Nicoll on oath saith :-  I am a medical practitioner registered in Queensland and acting superintendent of the Hospital for the Insane at Goodna. I knew deceased patient Georgie a Pacific Islander. He was admitted to the Hospital on July 20, 1896 in good bodily condition and suffering from Melancholia. He remained dull and despondent and showed no sign of improvement mentally. Last week he was seen to be ill although he did not complain, and he was sent to bed in the Hospital. He sank steadily and died about 5:45 am September 25. Next day day I made an examination of the body and found the cause of death to be Tubercular disease of the Bowel - the pleura and peritoneum being also tuberculosis.

[Signed] Jas R. Nicoll 

Frederick Vieth on oath saith :-  I am an attendant at this Asylum.  I knew the deceased patient Georgie since 17th September last, on that date when I came on night duty I found him in Hospital. When I came on duty on the evening of the 24th Inst. there did not seem to be anything unusual the matter with him, about 5.45 am 25th Inst. I heard some breathing very heavy and on going into the room I found it to be Georgie. He died at 5.50 am 25th September 1898, in my presence. He was visited the evening before his death by Dr Nicoll.

[Signed] F. Vieth

Taken and sworn before me at Goodna this 26 Sept AD 1898.

[Signed] W. Galdwyn Me