South Yorkshire Times, October 17.
Coroner Disturbed over Doctors Delayed Visit to Denaby Miner.
The Doncaster district coroner, Mr K.D. Potter, said at a Conisbrough inquest on Tuesday that he was disturbed to hear of the delay in medical assistance arriving for a Denaby Main miner, who was dying from a heart condition. The coroner recorded a verdict of “death from natural causes” on Amos Broom (63), 15 Melton View, Denaby Main.
Mrs Doris Broom, widow, said her husband had worked in collieries practically all his life and was on the books of Cadeby colliery. In the last five years he had developed chest trouble and had been awarded a pension for pneumoconiosis.
On Friday he went out after lunch and said he was going down towards the park. He was brought home shortly afterwards by a neighbour and she was given to understand that he had collapsed in the Park. He was obviously ill, couldn’t walk and was having difficulty breathing.
Witness said she went to Dr McCarthy’s home at about 3 PM. She couldn’t get any response from the house.
Efforts were made to contact another doctor, but when her son-in-law came at about 5 PM. No doctor had arrived. Her son-in-law went out again to try and contact a doctor.
Dr Bennett eventually came to the owls to watch 6:30 PM, and gave her husband an injection. Her husband died at 7 PM and Dr McArthur came to the house just afterwards.
Fatal Condition.
Dr Henry Lederer, pathologist, said cause of death was coroner thrombosis, due to coroner sclerosis, superimposed on myocardial fibrosis. Pneumoconiosis was not a factor in the death.
Coroner: This condition would be fatal. There was nothing much could be done for the man?
Dr Lederer: Yes.
George Alec Taylor, 36 March Vale rise, Conisbrough, son-in-law, said when he got to the house about 5:10 PM he took one look at his father-in-law and asked if any attempt at being made to get a doctor. He was told there had, but to no avail.
He went down to Dr Beveridges surgery and then assistant is telephoned a doctor said that someone will be common. Witness then went back to the house to await the arrival of a Dr. His father-in-law was desperately ill and he was getting worried.
At 6 PM. He left the house, saying that he would try to ring Dr McArthur. He told Dr McArthur his father-in-law was desperately ill and the doctor said he would be calling shortly. As he was going back to the house he met Dr Berry, who was looking for his father-in-law’s home. That was about 6:20 pm
Dr Ian McQueen McArthur, of the Red House, Denaby, said Broom had been a patient of his for 14 years and he had been attending him for years for a chest condition.
He told the coroner that it was after 4 PM on Friday when he was informed on the phone by Dr Beveridge that Broom had become much worse and that efforts are being tried to contact him.
Exceedingly Busy
“I was exceedingly busy at the time,” the doctor added. He had been attending brewing for a chess condition for the past five years, and at seen in the day before his death at his surgery. Run then complained of feeling no better than usual.
The doctor added: “he was always a very introspective and anxious patient so when I got the call. I was not unduly alarmed about the circumstances and I was not given to understand that it was sufficiently urgent to come at once otherwise I would have done so.”
Dr McArthur said he believed the message he got from Dr Beveridge was that Broom was very much worse, he was ale and would he (Dr McArthur) go to see him.
Coroner:. Surely if that was the message from Dr Beveridge, shouldn’t you have gone straight away?”
Dr McArthur: I did not think he was sufficiently serious, they’ll. I didn’t know the circumstances at the time.
Coroner: How could you tell if you didn’t go to see him?
Dr McArthur: I didn’t realise it was an urgent visit.
Coroner: After that call did you hear any more before the son-in-law rang at six?
Dr McArthur: I didn’t. That was my next message at 6 pm.
Very Serious.
Coroner: You knew then that the matter was very serious?
Dr McArthur: I rather gathered it was.
Coroner: I really cannot understand why you didn’t attend this man when you got that message.
Dr McArthur: Perhaps I should have gone straight away.
Coroner: I think you should.
The coroner said: “I am disturbed to hear of the calls made by the relatives for the medical assistance. Last Friday afternoon and the delay in attendance arriving. At the same time I would like to stress to the widow that on this medical evidence it would appear that nothing could have been done for deceased. He was in the last few hours of his life. I don’t think it has made a difference but nevertheless I am disturbed to hear of this delay. I hope it isn’t going to happen again.”