Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 06 February 1931
Natural Causes.
Denaby Miner’s Collapse
“Death from natural causes” was the verdict recorded by Mr. W. S. Carlile, the Doncaster District Coroner, on Carl Ervin Collins (30), miner, of 42, Ravenfield Street, Denaby Main, at an inquest at the Fullerton Hospital on Tuesday.
There wens present Mr. P. Collinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines; Mr. W. Still, manager of the Denaby Main Colliery; and Mr. A., Roberts, representing the local branch of the Y.M.A.
May Collins (widow) said her husband went to work apparently in good health on Friday. Earlier in the month her husband had been receiving medical treatment from Dr. McArthur. She thought it was for stomach trouble. Her husband had never complained of an accident in the pit.
Samuel Tonks, miner, 13, Montagu Avenue, Conisborough said he was working with Collins on the afternoon shift at Denaby Main Colliery on Friday. Collins worked for some time setting bars in the roof and about o’clock went for some timbering. Suddenly Collins collapsed and for some time appeared to fight for breath. Witness and other workmates carried Collins to the gate end,” and for a considerable period applied artificial respiration to Witness, but their efforts were unavailing. Collins had never complained of hurting himself in the pit.
Frederick Attwell, miner, of 44, The Crescent, Conisboro’, gave similar evidence. He added that Collins carried on with his work as though perfectly normal until he collapsed.
Dr. J. McArthur of Denaby Main, said he attended Collins from Jan 12th to 27th for gastritis and irregular action of the heart. He saw Collins at 10-15 p.m. on Friday, when he was dead. The following day he carried out a post-mortem examination and found that Collins’s heart was inflamed and that there was a leaking valve. The heart weighed four ounces above normal. The right lung was over normal weight and congested, while the liver was also congested. In such a condition , any person was liable to collapse.
A verdict as stated was recorded.