Inquest on Cadeby Miner – Accidents not Reported

February 1939

Mexborough and Swinton Time, February 24.

Twice Hurt in Pit.
But Accidents not Reported
Inquest on Cadeby Miner
Natural causes Verdict.

A warning to Colliers to report all accidents and injuries, however unimportant they seemed, was given by a Y.M.A.official and supported by the coroner at an inquest held at Fullerton hospital, Denaby, on Wednesday on a Cadeby collier, Frederick Dickson, 27, of 53. Granville Road, Doncaster.

Evidence was given that on two occasions during the past six months Dickson had been injured, and on neither occasion did he make a report. A pathologist stated that death was due to natural causes, which had no relation to the scars of injury he had found. After retirement, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.

The coroner told the jury that Dickson was employed in 201 stall in the North district of the Parkgate seam of Cadeby colliery. About six months ago. He was in the pit, walking with his brother, and it was alleged he bumped his edge on an over a girder and sustain a cut. The injury was dressed in the ambulance room, and later he was medically attended. On resuming work after a few days he appeared to have recovered normal health.

About three months ago, working in the same stall, a slight fall occurred and Dickson received two injuries on the back. His brother cleaned the wound, and the man finished the shift and worked on subsequent days. In January he was troubled with boils on the body and stayed away from work on odd days until a month ago, when he complained of severe pains in the back and went to bed. A doctor was called in on January 28 and treated him until February 14, when he was admitted to the hospital. He died on February 18.

A Suggestion.

“There has been a suggestion made, went on Mr Carlisle, “that the accidents at the pit, which he alleged to have happened contributed to or accelerated his death. It will be for you to decide.”

Eleanor M.Dixon described the injury she saw when her husband restored after the accident. With regard to the injury to the back, she did not regard them as serious and her husband did not stay off work. When he came home he complained about his back. She thought he had a chill. Many a time since they were married her husband and, one with knocks.

Small Stuff.

George Goodwin, collier, 105 Annerley Street, Denaby, said he recalled a slight fall about 10 weeks ago. It was small stuff and a bit slatey; the biggest lump would be 4 to 6 ounces.

John Betts, assistant timekeeper at Cadeby, Ravenshill Street, Denaby, said on November 3, he was on the afternoon shift and at 4.5 PM Frederic Diixon came out of the pit, and as the shift had not finished witness asked him why. He said he had just had an accident. Witness added if he had wanted to report the accident he could have done so at the Enquiry Office. A search of the accident report book had been made and Dickson reported nothing in 1938, or 1939.

John Charles Brown, deputy, 53 Park Road, Conisborough, said on November 3, no report was made to him of a fall of roof or any another report that Dickson had been injured; but the coming down of muck would not be called a fall. We had known cases where men had not reported slight injuries, although they had been told to do so.

A jury when asked if witness meant a man came out of the pit with an accident and he as deputy knew nothing about it? Brown said Dickson left during his examination, and when he reached the stall he was told he had gone out. He took it for granted. He was ill.

Body Wasted.

Dr P.Milligan, pathologist, Doncaster, said he made a post mortem examination. The body was thin and wasted, and there were several healed scars on the lower back, but no open wounds. There were multiple discharge boils and also a deep seated septic information of the back. There were signs of septicaemia, septic pneumonia, and abscesses on the kidneys. There was no wound of the scalp and nothing abnormal in his brain.

The man died of boils, blood poisoning, and septicaemia, and the condition was due to infection and not injury. Germs on the skin were responsible, and the healed scars had no relation with a boils. Death could not been caused by injury.

In reply to a jury man Dr Milligan said. “I am not going to pass comments on the treatment of a colleague. In any case it is not possible.”

Another jury man: it is no good asking him anything.

Coroner: I will not have those remarks made

After answering a question by Mr Madin, Dr Milligan said there were one or two deaths from boils every year, in Doncaster.

Independent Medical Opinions.

Summing up, the coroner said it was his duty to try and find out whether death resulted from natural causes or an accident, and although they appeared to have been rather critical as to the medical evidence he wanted them to understand clearly that it was preferable in such cases to bring in a pathologist who was an expert in post-mortems and who knew more about it than the ordinary practitioner. “Dr Milligan is a person appointed by me, so that you have independent evidence as to this man’s death” said Mr Carlisle. “And he had no interest from one side or the other. It is far better in such cases to have independent and expert opinion.”

Men working in the pit might be prone to boils as a result of working there, but boils were not an industrial disease. Even if the jury thought the boils were caused by being in damp and so he did not think it would help in the slightest. Whatever their sentimental reasons might be the jury must not be led away by any thoughts on what they could do to help the relatives. The had to find a verdict in accordance with the evidence.

After retiring the jury returned a verdict of “death from natural causes”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.