South Yorkshire Times June 17, 1950
Denaby Widow’s Fall
After Running from Hospital
An 81-year-old widow, Mrs. Esther Hartley, of 2, Annerley Street, Denaby, who had been a patient in Fullerton Hospital, Den-aby, for seven months, was seen on June 2nd running, along a path outside the hospital. She fell, struck her head, and died several days later.
At an inquest on Mrs. Hartley at Denaby on Tuesday, Kathleen Seeker, a ward nurse at the hospital, said she was called into the ward on June 2nd and saw Mrs. Hartley running outside. Before she could be reached, the patient had fallen, and was brought back into the hospital suffering from bruises and. cuts. She relapsed into semi-consciousness and unconsciousness for ten days until she died on Monday.
Mrs. Hartley had been admitted to the hospital after being transferred from Sheffield Royal Infirmary, suffering from a rodent ulcer on her forehead. Dr. Ian M. MacArthur (Denaby) said that he had been attending her for the ulcer for about four years. He had not expected her to live more than two months even had the accident not occurred.
Sister Seeker stated that the reason for Mrs. Hartley’s being outside the ward was that, during occasional attacks of dementia caused by the ulcer, she was under the impression that she should be going out to work. She had occasionally wandered about the ward—she was allowed up—under this impression, but had never offered any resistance when brought back.
Ernest Hartley, miner, of Annerley Street, the woman’s son, said he thought the ulcer had originated from a burn his mother had received when she was curling her hair, some 12 years since.
The Doncaster District Deputy Coroner (Mr. C. R. Marshall) recorded a verdict of “Accidental Death.” adding that he considered the cause of death to be contusion and laceration of the brain resulting from a blow on a basal cell carcinoma, or ulcer, of the skin when she fell.
When asked if he would like to address a question to Sister Secker concerning the circumstances of his mother’s death, Mr. Hartley replied that he was quite satisfied with the evidence, but would very much like to thank Sister Seeker for the kindness and consideration she had shown to Mrs. Hartley.