Single Record

Full Details

Surname

TAYLOR

Forename

John

Day

25

Month

12

Year

1909

Age

21

Occupation

Coal Miner

Mine/Quarry Name

Cat Hall

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Location

Accrington

County

Lancashire

Details of Event

Met his death as a result of a scratch received whilst following his occupation at Cat Hall Pit. Jane Shorrock, 2, Hill Street, Baxenden, said the deceased came home on Saturday week, and said he had scratched his wrist whilst filling the wagon, and levelling the coal with his hand. It looked like a cut on the inside of his wrist, it was not wrapped up when he came home. I washed it for him, and got it as clean as I could. He went to Accrington in the evening. He did not put anything on it, and made no complaint that night. Next morning he had a lump under his arm, and he complained of pain. Dr. Peterson of Oswaldtwistle attended him, and he died at 6.15 on Monday night last. Questioned by Mr. Whittaker, manager of the pit, witness said that the deceased told her he had not complained to anybody about the scratch at the pit. Dr. Peterson said, I saw the lad on Monday, and found he was suffering from acute blood poisoning. It got worse in resulted in death. There was no inflammation in the wound on the wrist. There was a scab on the wrist, but nothing of this sort on any other part of his body. I saw a faint red line up the middle of his arm from the wrist. There is no doubt the scratch on the wrist was the cause of the blood poisoning. The doctor admitted however, that a feverish state of the blood might in some cases cause a tendency to blood poisoning, in case of a wound being sustained. The jury found that the deceased died from blood poisoning caused by a would he received whilst following his employment, and thus accidentally came to his death. (Accrington Gazette, 25th. December, 1909).