South Yorkshire Times January 20, 1933
Death from Scratch
Wound Inflamed by Water
Denaby Accident
How a small scratch because death was revealed at an inquest at Denaby on Tuesday on Ernest James (42), miner, Annerley St, Denaby who died in Fullerton hospital on Saturday, January 14 following an accident at Denaby Main Colliery in November 1932.
Annie James (widow), said that when her husband returned from work on November 24 you had a small scratch on the inside of the left thumb, apparently caused by a piece of coal. He reported the injury in the following day when he went to work. He went to the hospital five or six days later for treatment by Doctor McArthur, and had been treated by him ever since.
Edgar Greenfield, miner, of Firbeck St, Denaby, was working with James on November 24, said that when they were getting some tubs James complained of pain in his thumb. There were three or 4 inches of water in the place they were working, and James complained that the water made his thumb “smart.” Witness added that they always said that, when taking turns in the water, that cuts were made painful by the water. The next day when the man came to work he said “I’m going to report this, you never know what it is going to turn to.” The following day James came to work with the thumb bandage. Witness saw the scratch but took little notice of it.
Doctor J McArthur who saw the man of November 28, said he had a septic scratch on the thumb which looked as if it had been caused by piece of coal. He treated the thumb and the man went to work. When he again visited him the thumb was worse. The swelling became considerable and on December 9 James was taken to the Fullerton Hospital when a piece of dead bone was removed from the thumb and it appeared to be easier as a result.
On December 26 his legs became stiff and on December 29 he was removed to the hospital suffering from paralysis in both legs.
On January 10 James was seen by Colonel A.M. Connell and Doctor Platt of Sheffield, but nothing could be done for him and he died on January 14, from respiratory paralysis following toxaemia from the septic thumb.
Replying to the Coroner, Mr W.H. Carlile, Doctor McArthur stated that had the thumb been treated on the day that the injury was caused, there might have been some hope, but witness doubted it.
The Coroner said it showed the necessity of even small scratches been treated at once.
Mr P.L. Collinson (H.M. Inspector): “What do you think was the cause of the trouble?”
Doctor McArthur: The water getting into the scratch.
Mr Collinson: Do you think that the water made it worse?
Doctor McArthur: Yes. It is a virulent sort of water.
The Coroner: Could anything be done to the water?
Mr Collinson: I think we might have an analysis.
The Coroner remarked to the jury that perhaps this would be followed up by the inspector. It was clear that many lives will be saved if accidents of a similar nature were reported and dressed immediately they occurred.
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.