South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 14 August 1943
Conisbrough Man’s Death
No Relation to Pit Injury
A verdict of “Natural Causes” was recorded by the Doncaster Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile) at a Conisbrough inquest on Wednesday on John Mahon (42) collier, of 13, Parkgate Avenue, Conisbrough, who died on Monday.
Bridget Mahon, wife, said on Thursday, July 29th, her husband came home from work about 10.30 p.m. and complained of his eye and ear hurting, saying that either a piece of coal or stone had hit him in the pit. His right ear was swollen and his eye discoloured. He had worked to the end of the shift but would not have his supper when he got home. Next day he had nothing to eat and said his eye and ear were still hurting. About 1 p.m. he went to the pit but returned almost immediately.
On Saturday morning he did not go to work and was still complaining, this time of stomach pains as well. On Tuesday he went to see the colliery doctor, and when he returned said the doctor had not “thrown him off.” He had reported the accident at the colliery the day after it happened. The next day he went to see his own doctor, Dr. Bell, who told him he had got jaundice. On Sunday morning witness had to send for the doctor for her husband who was complaining again of stomach pains. The doctor this time said there was something wrong with his kidneys, and told witness her husband was “very poorly.” Her husband died at 12.30 p.m. the same day.
Dr. Peter Milligan, pathologist, Doncaster, who had conducted a post-mortem, said there was no evidence of recent injuries. The man had a perforated duodenal ulcer and decomposition was advanced. Cause of death was due to the perforated ulcer. The man must have had the ulcer months, and probably years. The accident at work could have had no possible bearing on his death.
Mr. J. T. E. Collins (representing the Y.M.A. branch): Could the accident have accelerated his death?—No, it was to his heal and could have had no relation whatsoever.
John Bryan, 45, Denaby Avenue, Conisbrough, a miner employed by the Amalgamated Denaby Collieries, said on July 31st Mahon stopped his accident and his report stated that while striking at the coal with a pick a splinter had caught his right eye.
Dr. Milligan said that the only injury a man could have sustained to cause an ulcer would be such as to make him cease work immediately and not to carry on to the end of the shift. He would in fact undoubtedly have had to be carried out of the pit.