The following is a transcript of the Inquest of Death, concerning Maria, an aboriginal, at Woogaroo Asylum who died in 1895. It is based on the Microfilm copy held at the Queensland State Archives Item ID 2732976, 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.
157/95
"INQUESTS OF DEATH ACT OF 1866.”
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICULARS.-- INQUEST OF DEATH.
I HEREBY CERTIFY, that on the seventeenth day of May 1895, 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 : Maria aboriginal
Profession or calling : None
Height, colour of hair, peculiar clothing, and any other means of identity: [Blank]
Where found and when : Woogaroo Asylum 17th May 1895
Date of death : 17th May 1895
Supposed cause of death : Tuberculosis
Persons last seen in company of deceased, and names of suspected persons: [Blank]
Accused : [Blank]
Names, residences, and calling of witnesses:
Dr Jas. R. Nicoll, Woogaroo Asylum
Mary Devine, Woogaroo - nurse
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 assistant superintendent of the Hospital for the Insane at Goodna. I knew deceased patient
Maria an aboriginal. She was admitted here on June 6 1889 suffering from mania and in fair bodily health. She was always noisy, demonstrative and dirty and of very destructive habits.
About six weeks ago signs of tubercle were observed in the lungs and shortly after symptoms of similar report in the bowel became apparent. She became gradually exhausted and died about 5am May 17 1895. I made an examination of the same date and found the cause of death to be
Tubercular disease of the lung and bowel.
[Signed] Jas R. Nicoll
Taken and sworn before me at Goodna this seventeenth day of May AD 1895.
[Signed] W. Galdwyn
Mary Devine on oath saith :- I am a nurse at this Asylum. I knew the deceased patient Maria for about 6 years. When I first knew her she seemed in good health, about a week ago she was put to bed and since that time she appeared to gradually fail until this morning about 5:15 when she died in my presence.
The body was viewed immediately after death by Dr Nicoll.
[Signed] Mary Devine
Taken and sworn before me at Goodna this 17 May 1895.
[Signed] W. Galdwyn
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