Not Poisoned – Conisborough Inquest Held to Satisfy Relatives.

September 1928

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Saturday 29 September 1928

Not Poisoned.
Conisborough Inquest Held to Satisfy Relatives.

Whether a man had been, poisoned T.N.T. fumes, or whether he died of pneumonia was a question which doctors had to settle at an inquest at Conisborough yesterday on Albert Cookson (42), of 55, Park Road, Gainsborough, an employee the British Westfalite Powder Works at Denaby.

The inquest was held to satisfy the man’s relatives, who, despite doctor’s assertions to the contrary, believed Cookson had died from the effects fumes.

Dr. McClure therefore asked for a post-mortem examination, the request being granted by the Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile). The widow, Evelyn Cookson, said that her husband had complained of the powder, and had had stomach trouble for months. He had not been able eat his food properly, and he lost two stones weight in three months.

Dr. Callender made post-mortem examination in the presence of three other doctors, and said that the lungs showed typical signs acute pneumonia. There were no signs of poison. Dr. McClure said had examined the workpeople at the British Westfalite Powder Works since 1914. Deceased never complained, and always expressed himself fit and well.

Dr. Gleave, specialist pathology at Sheffield University, carried out a microscopic examination portion of the man’s liver, and said there was no trace T-N.T. poisoning.

The jury returned a verdict  of “Death from natural causes