KinSource - Tale of the Week - Neglect Cause Of Mrs' Tell's Death

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

St. Paul Dispatch, February 11, 1903, p. 1

NEGLECT CAUSE OF MRS. TELL'S DEATH

VERDICT OF CORONER'S JURY INTO THE DEATH OF A YOUNG MARRIED WOMAN.

MIDWIFE HELD RESPONSIBLE.

RECOMMENDED HER LICENSE REVOKED AND MIDWIFERY PRACTICE OVERHAULED.

Contrary to popular belief today, the home birth was not a wonderful, homey experience for women. It was a very frightening experience, especially for women who were not near skilled medical care. MANY women died from childbirth complications due to lack of proper medical services. Some women, who were able, traveled to a larger city so that they could be near a hospital or have their baby in a hospital, rather than take the chance of complications in a rural area where skilled medical services were limited or unavailable.

That the said Johanna Tell died on Sunday, February 7, at about 3 o'clock a. m. of blood poisoning, caused by neglect and insufficient care after child birth.

And we the jury recommend that the license of Paulina Nelson, the attending midwife in this case, should be revoked.

And we further recommend that the proper authorities take such steps to regulate the practice of midwifery to prevent the recurrence of cases of this class.

Pauline Nelson, a midwife, testified before a coroner's jury today that she had given castor oil to Johanna Tell, at a time when her patient was suffering from blood poison, following childbirth.

This was the only treatment that the midwife gave. The intestines of the patient were distended with pus, and all the vitals were distorted by poison.

The coroner's jury rendered the above verdict.

Coroner Miller gave out this statement:

"I have referred this matter, with all the testimony, to the county attorney, and have told him to proceed against the midwife as he sees fit."

The system of midwifery, as disclosed by the pinch-faced, aged woman in the witness stand today, reveals a danger to the life and safety of women that ought to be removed.

Based on ignorance and a slight experience that does not come from deep study, the midwifery of Pauline Nelson and of many other women of her stamp in the city, is to be made the object of a compaign conducted by the county authorities.

Dr. F. J. Plondke was the first witness, testifying to the results of the autopsy which he held on the remains of Johanna Tell at her former home, 311 East Thirteenth street, Sunday afternoon. He said that he had found the young woman's body full of poison. Pus had formed in the vitals. Her condition was inexcusable in this day of medical advancement. He gave details of the young woman's condition that were revolting.

Dr. O. F. Johnson, an intern of Bethesda hospital, testified that he had been called to the Tell home Sunday morning about 3 o'clock, but had found the young woman dead.

Paulina Nelson, the midwife, was called. She had followed midwifery for twenty-seven years and was duly licensed.

Her voice is cracked, her long fingers twitched nervously, and her prominent, pointed chin moved from side to side as she talked. Her hair is gray, her face is wrinkled, and she half-closed her eyes as she spoke.

She said she had been called to the Tell home Feb. 2 in the morning.

"I could see that I would be needed pretty soon. I went back to my home after I had told the folks that the woman might be pretty sick during the day. At 3 o'clock I went back again, and the child was born. Everything went on all right, as far as I could see. I never dreamed that she had blood poison."

"You've had considerable experience, haven't you?" asked the coroner.

"I ought to have, and I have always good luck," was her reply.

"Have you ever had experience with blood poison?"

"Yes, I have."

"Did you ever lose any patients?"

"Yes, a few, but that was so long ago I don't even remember their names."

"Thursday when I went there she wasn't feeling quite so well, but I thought nothing was wrong. I had given her castor oil and I thought that was the trouble. I didn't think she was as sick as she was when she said her stomach was sore I rubbed iodine on it."

"Friday morning I told the folks that if she got worse they had better go for a doctor. I thought the girl was better myself."

Friday afternoon the patient seemed further improved. She lay on her side with her knee doubled over the abdomen and had not moved, but the witness had seen nothing alarming in the condition.

"When ever any of my patients get bad I just send for a doctor, that's all," she concluded. "I'm awful sorry Mrs. Tell died."

Carl Tell, the woman's husband, testified that his wife had suffered intensely with pains in the stomach. He had trusted everything to the midwife. The midwife had never told him he had better get a doctor.

Mrs. Anderson, mother of the dead woman, said she had remained at her daughter's side every minute during her illness. Friday night the midwife had said the young woman was better. Mrs. Anderson was fearful, however, and had asked.

"Shall I get a doctor?"

The midwife had replied.

"No. You don't need to get a doctor."

Mrs. Johnson, a neighbor, living at 661 Grove street, had also seen much of the sick woman. Mrs. Tell was very sick and the witness had little confidence in the midwife. She said she thought that Mrs. Nelson had said something to Mr. Tell about getting a doctor, but was uncertain on this point.

No doctor was called until Sunday morning, when Mrs. Tell was dying.

Up to the last moment they had all thought that Mrs. Tell was getting better.

The jury was out only a short time.