Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 for Wiltshire

Lowe, Bernard    1901 November 8^th

West Tytherley

On Monday, Mr Dixon, Deputy Coroner, held an inquest at the house of James Dolan, 74, Pimlico Cottages, West Tytherley, on the body of Bernard Hugh Francis Lowe, illegitemate infant child of Frances Withenberg Lowe, a single woman, who gave her address as Station Hotel, Dean.

The mother of the deceased identified the body of the child and said it was born on the 19^th of August at Mells, near Frome. It was prematurely born and was a delicate child from birth. She advertised for a nurse for the baby and Mrs Dolan replied to the advertisement. She had an interview with her at West Tytherley and believing that she was a suitable person to be entrusted with the care of a child the baby was handed over to her on the 25^th of October. She agreed to pay Mrs Dolan 5s a week.

Dr Ernest Cusse said he was called by Mrs Dolan to see the child on Monday 28^th October. It was emaciated and ill and he advised special treatment for it. He saw the baby twice afterwards but it died on the following Thursday. He had since made a post mortem examination of the body and had formed the opininon that the child died from inanition consequent on being unable to assimilate its food. It was well known that prematurely born children very often suffered from inability to digest their food.

Elizabeth Esther Dolan, wife of James Dolan, labourer, said she noticed that the child was very small when she took charge of it on Octonber 25^th. On the following Monday it seemed ill and she sent for the doctor and did all she could for it, but it died three days afterwards.

The Coroner said it was a very simple case. He thought the jury would agree that the evidence showed that the mother took the greatest interest in the child. He also thought it was very clear that Mrs Dolan had done her duty to the child.

The jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes.